Comte de Paris - Definition and Overview

Comte de Paris, or Count of Paris is a title used by three claimants to the French throne:

• Louis-Philippe, Comte de Paris (1838-1894): French orleanist monarchists referred to him as "Louis-Philippe II", and then later when Henri, comte de Chambord died, he was referred to as "Philippe VII" by almost all French monarchists
• Henri, Comte de Paris (1908-1999)
• Henri, Comte de Paris, Duc de France (born 1933)

The title was given by Louis-Philippe I to his grandson Philippe, as show of gratitude towards the City of Paris and in reference to the early ancestors of the Capetians.

Since 1830, there had been high controversy amongst French royalists. One group, called legitimists, recognised the older branch of the family as heirs to the monarchy, while another group, the Orleanists, recognised Louis-Philippe and his heirs. In 1883, with the death of the Comte de Chambord, the older branch of the family died out. His genealogical heir was Juan, Conde de Montizon, but most legitimists recognised Philippe, Comte de Paris as heir to the Comte de Chambord, because Felipe V of Spain, ancestor of the Conde de Montizon, renounced his rights to the French throne. A minority group of royalists refused to recognise the validity of these renunciations. Nowadays, they recognise Don Luís Alfonso Gonzalo Victor Manuel Marco de Borbón y Martínez-Bordiú, or Louis-Alphonse, Duc d'Anjou as heir to the French throne.

Thus, the Comte de Paris is the Orleanist pretender to the French throne.