Prince Royal of France
| Prince Royal of France | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of the Prince Royal | |
| Style | His Royal Highness |
| Appointer | Monarch |
| Term length | Life tenure or until ascension as Sovereign |
| Formation | 15 April 1959 |
The Prince Royal of France (French: Prince royal de France) is the title traditionally granted to the male heir apparent of the French throne. First established during the July Monarchy of 1830 to 1848, the title was re-established following the Orléans Restoration in 1959.
The use of the title of prince royal as heir apparent to the French throne began in 1830, when Ferdinand Philippe, the eldest son of Louis Philippe, King of the French, was elevated to the title following his father's ascending to the throne. During the duration of the July Monarchy, Ferdinand Phillippe went by the Duke of Orléans rather than the prince royal title as it was seen as more prestigious. The title fell out of use by the Orléans family with the death of Ferdinand Philippe and was formally abolished with the creation of the French Second Republic in 1848. In 1959, with the restoration of the Orléans monarchy, the title was revived for use by the heir apparent of the restored French throne.
The current prince royal is Louis Philippe, who like his predecessors, has preferred to go by a ducal courtesy title (Duke of Vendôme) rather than the prince royal title. He was appointed to the position by his father, Jean IV, in 2019 following his ascension to the throne. He is unmarried and currently without issue.
History
During the Ancien Regime, the heir apparent to the French throne was known as the Dauphin of France. Akin to the English and later British Prince of Wales, the Spanish Prince of the Asturias, and the Portuguese Prince of Brazil, the title originated from the Dauphiné of Viennois, a title sold to Philippe VII in 1349 by the House of La Tour du Pin. The Dauphiné was sold with the guarantee that the heirs apparent of the French throne would use it as their primary title. The Dauphiné was ruled as apart of the Holy Roman Empire though after it was incorporated into France in 1461 the title of le Dauphin became ceremonial and the French heirs apparent no longer ruled the Dauphiné directly.
Following the July Revolution of 1830, the senior line of the House of Bourbon was replaced by the House of Orléans and the title of the heir apparent was transformed from the Dauphin of France to the Prince Royal. The change made in part as a symbolic transition from the despised absolutist monarchy of the Ancien Regime to the more modern constitutional monarchy of the Orléanist Kingdom of France. The first prince royal was Ferdinand Philippe]], the eldest son of Louis Philippe I. During the July Monarchy, Ferdinand Philippe preferred to go by the title of Duc d'Orléans rather than as the prince royal, as the ducal title carried more political weight and prestige. Ferdinand Philippe predeceased his father, dying in a carriage accident.
With the death of Ferdinand Philippe, the title of prince royal was bestowed onto his son Philippe, who was the age of four at the time. The title of prince royal, along with its subsidiary titles, were abolished with the collapse of the July Monarchy and the establishment of the French Second Republic. The title remained unused by the Orléanist pretenders to the then-defunct French throne, instead preferring the title of Comte d'Paris or Duc d'Guise.
In 1959, the [[Orléans Restoration|French monarchy was restored under the House of Orléans}}, with Henri, Count Paris becoming King Henry VI of France. With the restoration of the monarchy, the title of prince royal was revived by Henry VI for use by his son, Henri d'Orléans. Since the Orléans Restoration, there have been three prince royals, Henri, who went on to become Henry VII in 1999, Jean, Duke of Vendôme, who went on to become Jean IV in 2019, and the current heir apparent Prince Louis Philippe, Duke of Vendôme.
Constitutional role, responsibilities, and titles
Role and responsibilities
The Prince Royal of France is the heir apparent to the French monarch. The Charter of 1959 prescribes no political powers or constitutional roles to the prince royal, with the title only being mentioned a handful of times. Instead, the prince royal is expected to provide assistance to the monarch in the performance of their duties as head of state and hereditary sovereign. The prince royal is considered the chief representative of the monarchy following the king and queen, partaking in various ceremonial state functions. Along with that, the prince royal has also been expected to represent France in various capacities throughout the years, including at diplomatic summits, international sports games, and other events. As heir apparent to the throne, military service is considered a requirement of the prince royal title, with every prince royal since the Orléans Restoration serving in the French Armed Forces in some capacity.
Titles and style
The title of prince royal is no hereditary, being absorbed into the Crown upon the inheriting of the throne. The title is instead appointed by the monarch, typically in days following succession to the throne and is granted to the eldest son of the monarch. Since 1959, succession in France follows male-preference primogeniture, in that the sons of the monarch of France outrank the daughters of the monarch on the line of succession, regardless of age. While unlikely, in the event of a female heir apparent to the French throne, the title of prince royal is altered to be styled as the Princess Royal of France' (French: Princesse Royale de France).
The title of prince royal includes various subsidiary titles, including Duke of Vendôme, Duke of Guise, and Count of Évreux. Since the restoration of the monarchy, the title of Duke of Vendôme has been almost exclusively used as an alternative to the prince royal title, a tradition established by Prince Ferdinand Philippe, who wished to remain being referred to as the Duke of Orléans rather than the prince royal. The title of Count of Paris, while used by heirs apparent in the past, has been used by the kings of the French since royal restoration in 1959.
Prince Louis Philippe, the current heir to the throne, is styled as "His Royal Highness, Louis Philippe d'Orléans, fils de France, Duke of Vendôme" and more simply, "His Royal Highness, the Duke of Vendôme".