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	Hugh Capet (founder) Henry IV (Bourbon) Louis Philippe I (Orléans)
Formation	c. 509 (historic) March 31, 1940 (current)
Residence	Palace of Versailles (official) Palais Royal (private) Château d'Amboise (private)
Appointer	Hereditary

The monarchy of France is the constitutional, hereditary, and popular 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 guardian and symbol of the French state and constitution. 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 19540 following the defeat of he derzhavist French Fourth Republic by the Allied powers during the Great War, 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 1940 is often referred to as the Orléans Restoration.

The current restoration of the Kingdom of France since 1940 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 1940, 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.

Powers and responsibilities

The Charter of 1940 defines the French monarch as the representative of the French state and nation, as well as the guardian of the French constitution and political system. This role is not merely ceremonial, but the King is granted extensive political powers by the constitution.

1. The King influences the decisions of the National Assembly and the Government by meeting with their leaders,
2. The prime minister and the president of the Chamber of Deputies are required to keep the King informed of political proceedings,
3. Any changes to the Constitution require the King's agreement.

Titles and styles

The proper title of the French monarch is the King of the French, as opposed the more common King of France that was used before the French Revolution. This title is meant to emphasize the monarch's bond to the people of the nation rather than the physical land. This concept is known as popular monarchy.

Succession

Succession to the French throne is determined through male-only primogeniture, commonly referred to as Salic law. France maintains the only Salic law-guided succession system in Europe, with most countries following absolute primogeniture or male-preference primogeniture. In accordance with the Salic law, woman are unable to inherit the French throne and are instead overtaken by male relatives in the line of succession. In special instances, females are allowed to inherited the French throne, though only in the event of a lack of male relatives. The use of male-only succession was a call back to both the Ancien Regime and the Orléanist July Monarchy, both of which employed the exact same system. In recent years, the male-only preference in succession has come under scrutiny from critics in both France and in the greater world for its inherent bias against woman. Despite this, there has yet to be push within French politics to change the succession laws.

Upon the death of the French monarch, the heir apparent to the throne, typically styled as the Duke of Vendôme and Prince Royal of France, accedes to the throne immediately. The heir is proclaimed King of the French and is addressed as "His Majesty, by the Grace of God and by the Constitutional Law of the State, King of the French, Count of Paris, and Duke of Orléans". In accordance with tradition, the body of the deceased monarch is laid in state at the Cathedral of Notre Dame and a state funeral is held.

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	25 August 1940 – 19 June 1999	The longest reigning modern French king. He led France after the fall of the derzhavist National Republican Movement and Fourth Republic during the Great War. 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 "fifty 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	Henry VII oversaw the end of the Cold War and the reunification of North France and South France between 1999 until its completion in 2001, becoming the first monarch of a unified France since Napoleon V in 1910. Following in the footsteps of his father, Henry VII was heavily active in foreign policy and diplomacy while serving as a ceremonial leader domestically at the dawn of the 21st century.
		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