Monarchy of France

  

King of the French
Roi des Français (fr)
Coat of arms of France
Incumbent
Jean IV since January 21, 2019
Details
Style	His Majesty
Heir presumptive	Prince Louis Philippe, Prince Royal of France
First monarch	Louis Philippe I
Formation	c. 509 (historic) March 31, 1959 (current)
Appointer	Hereditary

The monarchy of France is the constitutional monarchy of the Kingdom of France. The monarch is the head of state and has a significant political role in the Government of France, being the head of the executive branch as well as the ceremonial representative of the French state. The title of the French monarch currently is King of the French (French: Roi des Français), which replaced the more traditional title King of France used during the Ancien Regime to emphasize the popular origins of the monarchy. The royal family of the Kingdom of France is the House of Orléans, a cadet branch of the former ruling House of Bourbon from before the French Revolution, and the current king since 2019 has been King Jean IV.

The House of Orléans is a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, itself a branch of the Capetian dynasty, and Jean IV can trace his patrilineal ancestors to Hugh Capet, who was King of the Franks from 987 to 996 and himself was descended from Charlemagne. Hugh Capet is seen as the founder of modern France, he made Paris the power-center of his Kingdom and extended his control over the rest of what would be France from there. The direct Capetians, or House of Capet, ruled France from 987 to 1328, thereafter the country would be ruled by cadet branches of this dynasty, all French kings through Jean IV have been descendants of Capet. The absolute monarchy of the House of Bourbon was overthrown in French Revolution of 1789–92. The House of Orléans was known as being more liberal than senior Bourbon branch, and first became kings of France following the 1830 July Revolution leading to the coronation of Louis Philippe I as the King of the French – abandoning the traditional title King of France that was used from 1190 until 1792. His regime was overthrown during the French Revolution of 1848. The Orléans family were the main pretenders to the French throne, and in 1959 following the defeat of he derzhavist French Fourth Republic by the Allied powers, they restored the House of Orléans in France as a parliamentary monarchy. The current historical period in France since the end of the Third Republic in 1959 is often referred to as the Orléans Restoration.

The current restoration of the Kingdom of France since 1959 has seen the reign of three monarchs. Henry VI of France became the longest reigning monarch of the restoration, ruling for three decades until his death in 1999. King Henry's reign saw the establishment of a new French state, the economic recovery and success of France after the devastation of the war, and France's reconciliation with Germany and emerging as one of the leading nations of the new European Community during the Cold War. He was succeeded by Henry VII who led France in the early 21st century, until 2019.

The French constitution, officially the Charter of 1959, defined the legal status and role of the French monarchy. France has been a constitutional monarchy since the document's adoption by the legislature, with the current constitution based on the Charter of 1830, which was the legal code of the July Monarchy of King Louis Philippe from 1830 to 1848. The King of the French is the head of the executive branch and the Supreme Commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces, and has a political role in government, working with the Prime Minister of France and the Chamber of Deputies to form governments and guide political matters. The title of the monarch is supposed to signify his government's popular legitimacy, and both the monarchy and the rest of the executive are responsible to the French Parliament.

List of French monarchs of the Orléans Restoration

Image	Coat of arms	Title	Name	Reign	Notes
		King of the French "by the Grace of God and by the constitutional law of the State"	Henry VI	31 March 1959 – 19 June 1999	The longest reigning modern French king. He led France after the fall of the derzhavist National Republican Movement at the end of Great War II. After the war he was seen by the Allied powers occupational authorities as essential in restoring the French nation under a legitimate, constitutional, and non-derzhavist government, who believed that republicanism in France had caused too much instability. He led France's recovery during the "thirty glorious years" of his reign that coincided with high economic growth and the improvement of the standard of living to being among the highest in the world.
		King of the French "by the Grace of God and by the constitutional law of the State"	Henry VII	19 June 1999 – 21 January 2019
		King of the French "by the Grace of God and by the constitutional law of the State"	Jean IV	21 January 2019 – present

See also

• Government of France
• Prime Minister of France