Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Montpensier

Ferdinand d'Orléans
Duke of Montpensier
Portrait of the Duke of Montpensier, 1920
Born	(1884-09-09)9 September 1884 Château d'Eu, Eu, Seine-Inférieure, French Republic
Died	30 January 1924(1924-01-30) (aged 39) Château de Randan, Randan, Puy-de-Dôme, French Republic
Burial	Chapelle royale de Dreux
Spouse	María Isabel González de Olañeta e Ibarreta, 3rd Marchioness of Valdeterrazo
House	Orléans
Father	Philippe, Count of Paris
Mother	Marie Isabelle d'Orléans

Ferdinand d'Orléans, Duke of Montpensier (French: Ferdinand François Philippe Marie Laurent d'Orléans, Duc de Montpensier) (9 September 1884 – 30 January 1924) was a member of the House of Orléans and a Prince of France.

Early life

The Orleans siblings (from left to right): Princess Hélène (later Duchess of Aosta), Prince Ferdinand, Princess Isabelle (Later Duchess of Guise) and Princess Louise (later Princess of the Two-Sicilies, maternal grandmother of Spanish King Juan Carlos)

Ferdinand was born on 9 September 1884 at Château d'Eu, Eu, Seine-Inférieure, French Republic. He was the eighth, and youngest, child of Philippe d'Orléans, Count of Paris and his wife Marie Isabelle d'Orléans. His elder siblings were Princess Amélie (wife of Carlos I of Portugal), Prince Philippe (who married Archduchess Maria Dorothea, daughter of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria), Princess Hélène (the wife of Emmanuel Philibert, 2nd Duke of Aosta), Prince Charles (who died young), Princess Isabelle (wife of Prince Jean D'Orléans, Duke of Guise), Prince Jacques (who also died young), and Princess Louise (wife of Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies). His father reigned as King of the French for two days, from 24 February 1848 to 26 February 1848 until the monarchy was abolished, his family fled and the French Second Republic was proclaimed.^[1]

His paternal grandparents were Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Orléans and Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.^[2] Through his father, he was a great-grandson of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French and his wife Queen Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies. His maternal grandparents were Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain and Prince Antoine, Duke of Montpensier (the youngest son of Louis-Philippe of France and Maria Amalia of Naples and Sicily).^[2]

Career

The Duke lived in England for many years, until "his reported indiscretions with regard to his recollections of Queen Victoria made it somewhat uncomfortable for him when in London."^[3] When the Germans went into Belgium, he returned to London until World War I was over and then returned to Belgium.^[3]

In the fall of 1923, the French government bestowed upon him the Cross of Officer of the Legion of Honour for his services to his native land.^[2]

Albanian throne

In 1912, during the Congress of Trieste, he was proposed as a candidate for the Albanian throne. Others considered for the throne were Prince Ghika of Romania, Prince Karl, Duke of Urach, Prince Moritz of Schaumburg-Lippe, the Count of Turin and Prince Arthur of Connaught.^[4]

Personal life

On 20 August 1921, Ferdinand married Doña María Isabel González de Olañeta e Ibarreta (22 April 1895 – 11 July 1958), 3rd Marchioness of Valdeterrazo and Grandee of Spain, 2nd Viscountess of los Antrimes, at the Château de Randan in Randan, which he inherited from his mother.^[3] She was the daughter of Don Ulpiano González de Olañeta y González de Ocampo, 2nd Marquis of Valdeterrazo and Grandee of Spain, and his wife Doña Isabel de Ibarreta y Uhagón. Ferdinand and María Isabel did not have children.^[2]

The Duke of Montpensier died on 30 January 1924 at the Château de Randan in Randan in the French Republic.^[2]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Montpensier

8. Louis Philippe I of France 4. Prince Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans 9. Princess Marie Amélie of Naples and Sicily 2. Prince Philippe, Count of Paris 10. Frederick Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 5. Duchess Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 11. Princess Caroline Louise of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach 1. Ferdinand, Duke of Montpensier 12. Louis Philippe I of France (= 8) 6. Prince Antoine, Duke of Montpensier 13. Princess Marie Amélie of Naples and Sicily (= 9) 3. Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans 14. Ferdinand VII of Spain 7. Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain 15. Princess Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies

References

1. Hanson, Edward W. (2017). The Wandering Princess: Princess Helene of France, Duchess of Aosta 1871-1951. Fonthill Media. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
2. Cunliffe-Owen, Frederick (3 February 1924). "MONTPENSIER CIVIL WAR VETERAN'S SON; Prince Ferdinand, French Duke, Now Dead, Had Many American Ties". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
3. James, Edwin L.; Times, By the Chicago Tribune Co Special Cable To the New York (21 August 1921). "FRENCH DUKE WEDS SPANISH BEAUTY; Montpensier Makes Viscountess de los Antrines His Brideat Chateau de Randan.MAY BE EXILED ANY DAY Younger Brother of Due d'Orleans Would on Latter's Demise BePretender to French Throne". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2020.
4. Fischer, Bernd Jürgen; Fischer, Professor Bernd J. (1984). King Zog and the Struggle for Stability in Albania. East European Monographs. p. 8. ISBN 978-0-88033-051-0.