When you think about the French Monarchy, images of the French Revolution or Napoleon Bonaparte might come to mind. We know about the royal exploits of old, but you might be surprised to learn that even though the royal seat currently doesn’t have any power in Paris, the struggle for the technically nonexistent French throne is real.
France has no officially recognized royal family. However, the French Royal Family still exists and there are many “nobles” distributed throughout the country. Many French citizens have titles and are descended from former royalty. Since France is a republic, these royals have no actual power within the French state. In spite of this, there are individuals who support the monarchy, and they’re split into 3 main groups: the Orléansists, the Legitimists, and the Bonapartists.
The Orléansists: Most royalists are Orléansists, and they’re currently headed by Jean, Count of Paris. The Count is descended from Louis Philippe I, the final king of France whose rule ended in 1848.
The Legitimists: The Legitimists are supporters of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in 1830. Legitimists believe in the traditional rules of succession, and all Legitimist claimants have been members of the Spanish royal dynasty since 1883. Louis Alphonse, the Duke of Anjou, is the current Legitimist pretender.
The Bonapartists: Jean-Cristophe is Prince Napoléon, and the head of the Imperial House of France. He’s the disputed heir of the First French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte.
The conflicts around the French throne have been going on for centuries, and the situation is a complex one. While there are many differences between the current pretenders and us common peasants, there is one thing that even they have in common with you and I: none of us will ever be the monarch of France.