Alix de Foresta
Encyclopedia
Alix de Foresta was the wife of Louis, Prince Napoléon, claimant
to the Imperial throne of France
of the House of Bonaparte from 1926 until his death. Bonapartists regarded her as "Empress of the French" in pretense for several decades in the 20th century.
She was the daughter of Albéric, comte
de Foresta. Although she was the only consort of the surviving Imperial line not born a princess, her family had been nobles in Lombardy
since the 13th century, becoming counts palatine
in 1330, constable
s of Venice in 1425, then retainers of the powerful Doria
family in Genoa. They settled in Provence
, France early in the 16th century, where they acquired twenty-two manor
s and the title of marquis
by 1651. Ironically, the Forestas distinguished themselves during the French Restoration
as courtier
s loyal to the House of Bourbon
, and to Henri, comte de Chambord
in particular. Long established as squire
s of large estates and rice paddies
in the Camargue
, the Forestas often welcomed Charles and his siblings there while they were growing up.
In 1961, about "200 girls from the United States and other countries" paraded "through the halls of the Palace of Versailles...to curtsey before Princess Alix Napoleon, wife of the great-grandnephew of Napoleon Bonaparte."
In 1976, she went to the Iranian Embassy for the Shah's birthday, being described at that time in the press as "one of the two most royal ladies of France -- Princess Napoleon Bonaparte The elegant, lovely-looking Alix..."
She was an honorary member of The Napoleonic Society of America (1983-2006), which later merged with The Napoleonic Alliance to form The Napoleonic Historical Society in 2006. More recently, she also gave Havana’s Napoleonic Museum "part of a porcelain dinner service presented by Napoleon Bonaparte to his brother Jerome on his wedding day."
, France. They had four children:
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the Imperial throne of France
Emperor of the French
The Emperor of the French was the title used by the Bonaparte Dynasty starting when Napoleon Bonaparte was given the title Emperor on 18 May 1804 by the French Senate and was crowned emperor of the French on 02 December 1804 at the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, in Paris with the Crown of...
of the House of Bonaparte from 1926 until his death. Bonapartists regarded her as "Empress of the French" in pretense for several decades in the 20th century.
She was the daughter of Albéric, comte
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
de Foresta. Although she was the only consort of the surviving Imperial line not born a princess, her family had been nobles in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
since the 13th century, becoming counts palatine
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
in 1330, constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s of Venice in 1425, then retainers of the powerful Doria
Doria
Doria, originally de Auria , meaning "the sons of Auria", and then de Oria or d'Oria, is the name of an old and extremely wealthy Genoese family who played a major role in the history of the Republic of Genoa and in Italy, from the 12th century to the 16th century.-Origins:According to legend, a...
family in Genoa. They settled in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, France early in the 16th century, where they acquired twenty-two manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
s and the title of marquis
Marquis
Marquis is a French and Scottish title of nobility. The English equivalent is Marquess, while in German, it is Markgraf.It may also refer to:Persons:...
by 1651. Ironically, the Forestas distinguished themselves during the French Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
as courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
s loyal to the House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
, and to Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord
Henri, comte de Chambord was disputedly King of France from 2 to 9 August 1830 as Henry V, although he was never officially proclaimed as such...
in particular. Long established as squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
s of large estates and rice paddies
Paddy field
A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing rice and other semiaquatic crops. Paddy fields are a typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Paddies can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such...
in the Camargue
Camargue
The Camargue is the region located south of Arles, France, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhône River delta. The eastern arm is called the Grand Rhône; the western one is the Petit Rhône....
, the Forestas often welcomed Charles and his siblings there while they were growing up.
In 1961, about "200 girls from the United States and other countries" paraded "through the halls of the Palace of Versailles...to curtsey before Princess Alix Napoleon, wife of the great-grandnephew of Napoleon Bonaparte."
In 1976, she went to the Iranian Embassy for the Shah's birthday, being described at that time in the press as "one of the two most royal ladies of France -- Princess Napoleon Bonaparte The elegant, lovely-looking Alix..."
She was an honorary member of The Napoleonic Society of America (1983-2006), which later merged with The Napoleonic Alliance to form The Napoleonic Historical Society in 2006. More recently, she also gave Havana’s Napoleonic Museum "part of a porcelain dinner service presented by Napoleon Bonaparte to his brother Jerome on his wedding day."
Family
Louis, Prince Napoléon married Alix de Foresta on 16 August 1949 at Linières-BoutonLinières-Bouton
Linières-Bouton is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
, France. They had four children:
- Prince Charles Marie Jérôme Victor (born October 19, 1950) who claims headship of the House of Bonaparte and the title, "Le Prince Napoléon".
- Princess Cathérine Elisabeth Albérique Marie (born 19 October 1950), who wed, firstly, Nicolò San Martino d'Agliè dei marchesi di Fontaneto con San Germano (born 3 July 1948) on June 4, 1974, in PranginsPranginsPrangins is a municipality in the district of Nyon in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located on Lake Geneva.-Geography:Prangins has an area, , of . Of this area, or 54.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 13.1% is forested...
, SwitzerlandSwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and divorced in 1982 without issue. She wed, secondly, Jean-Claude Dualé (born 3 November 1936 in Medjez-el-Bab, TunisiaTunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
) on October 22, 1982, in Paris, France, and had two children:- Charlotte Dualé was born October 13, 1983, in Paris.
- Mario Dualé was born October 29, 1985, in La Celle-Saint-CloudLa Celle-Saint-CloudLa Celle-Saint-Cloud is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.-Transport:...
, France.
- Laure Clémentine Geneviève Bonaparte (b. 8 October 1952 in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) married Jean-Claude Lecomte (b. 15 Mar 1948 in Ax-les-ThermesAx-les-ThermesAx-les-Thermes is a commune in the Ariège department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southwestern France.It lies at the confluence of the Ariège River with three tributaries, 26 miles SSE of Foix by rail...
, France) on December 23, 1982, and had a son and two daughters:- Clément Louis Lecomte (born in 1995)
- Charlotte Lecomte
- Marion Lecomte
- Prince Jérôme Xavier Marie Joseph Victor (born 14 January 1957).
