Charles, Prince Napoléon facts for kids
Charles, Prince Napoléon (born Charles Marie Jérôme Victor Napoléon on 19 October 1950) is a French politician. He is considered by some to be the current leader of the Imperial House of France. This means he is a descendant and heir to the legacy of his famous great-great-granduncle, Emperor Napoléon I.
However, some people who support the Bonaparte family (called Bonapartists) believe that Charles's son, Jean-Christophe, is the true head of the family. If Charles were to become emperor, he would be known as Napoleon VII.
Quick facts for kids Charles |
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| Prince Napoléon | |||||
Charles in 2008
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| Head of the House of Bonaparte | |||||
| Period | 3 May 1997 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Louis, Prince Napoléon | ||||
| Heir Apparent | Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon | ||||
| Born | 19 October 1950 Boulogne-Billancourt, France |
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| Spouse |
Princess Béatrice of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
(m. 1978; div. 1989)Jeanne-Françoise Valliccioni
(m. 1996) |
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| Issue | Princess Caroline Napoléon Prince Jean-Christophe Napoléon Princess Sophie Napoléon Princess Anh Napoléon (adopted) |
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| House | Bonaparte | ||||
| Father | Louis, Prince Napoléon | ||||
| Mother | Alix de Foresta | ||||
| Religion | Catholicism | ||||
| Member of the Nemours Municipal Council | |||||
| In office 21 March 2008 – 3 December 2008 |
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| Deputy Mayor of Ajaccio | |||||
| In office 25 March 2001 – 16 March 2008 |
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| Mayor | Simon Renucci | ||||
| Personal details | |||||
| Other political affiliations |
PS DVG MoDem (2007–2008) |
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Contents
Family History of Charles Bonaparte
Charles is the elder son of Louis, Prince Napoléon (1914–1997). This makes him a great-great-grandson of Jérôme Bonaparte, who was King of Westphalia and Napoléon I's youngest brother. Since Napoléon I and Napoléon III (another French Emperor) did not have male descendants who survived, Jérôme's family line is the only one left from the Imperial Bonapartes.
Scientists have even studied DNA from Napoléon I and compared it to Charles's DNA. They found a strong match, which confirmed that Charles is indeed from the male line of the Imperial House of Bonaparte.
Charles's Mother and Childhood
Charles's mother is Alix de Foresta, born in 1926. Her family was noble in Italy and France for many centuries. They were known for being loyal to the French royal family, even after the Bonapartes came to power. Charles and his siblings often visited their mother's family estates in France when they were growing up.
Charles was born in Boulogne-Billancourt, France, on the same day as his twin sister, Princess Catherine. He was baptized by Archbishop Angelo Roncalli, who later became Pope John XXIII. Charles spent much of his childhood at his family's home in Switzerland, called Villa Prangins, near Lake Geneva. He also has two younger siblings: Princess Laure (born 1952) and Prince Jérôme (born 1957).
Education and Career
Charles went to school in Abondance, France. He also spent a year studying German in the Black Forest. He earned a doctorate degree in economics from the Sorbonne, a famous university in Paris.
Charles has written several books. These include "History of Urban Transportation" and "Bonaparte and Paoli." He also wrote "The Bonapartes, Rebels at Heart" and "For a New Republic." He often speaks publicly about his political ideas.
Professionally, Charles has worked as a banker, a financial planner, and a real estate developer. He has also been a visiting professor at the American Institute on Foreign Policy.
Marriage and Children
On 19 December 1978, Charles married Princess Béatrice of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. She was a distant cousin.
Charles and Béatrice had two children:
- Princess Caroline Bonaparte (born 24 October 1980). She married Eric Alain Marie Quérénet-Onfroy de Bréville. They have two children:
- Elvire Quérénet-Onfroy de Breville (born 8 August 2010)
- Augustin Quérénet-Onfroy de Breville (born 12 February 2013)
- Jean-Christophe, Prince Napoléon (born 11 July 1986). He married Countess Olympia von und zu Arco-Zinneberg. They have one child:
- Prince Louis Bonaparte (born 7 December 2022)
Charles and Béatrice divorced on 2 May 1989.
On 28 September 1996, Charles married Jeanne-Françoise Valliccioni in a civil ceremony. They already had a daughter together:
- Princess Sophie Catherine Bonaparte (born 18 April 1992).
In 1998, Charles and Jeanne-Françoise adopted a daughter from Vietnam:
- Princess Anh Bonaparte (born 22 April 1998).
Disagreement Over Family Leadership
Charles was officially recognized as the future head of the Bonaparte family while his father, Prince Louis Napoléon, was alive. However, after his father passed away in 1997, his will was made public. It stated that Charles should not become the head of the family. Instead, his father wanted Charles's son, Jean-Christophe, who was 11 years old at the time, to take over.
The lawyer who handled Prince Louis Napoléon's will said that Charles had moved away from the Bonaparte family's traditions. This was because Charles publicly supported "republican and democratic ideas." Also, he remarried without his father's permission, which was against the old rules of the imperial family.
Old Rules and Traditions
Prince Louis Napoléon's will referred to old rules and traditions to explain his decision:
- Old Imperial Laws: These laws from the time of Napoléon III stated that family members could not marry without the Emperor's permission. If they did, they would lose their rights to the throne.
- Family Traditions: Historically, some Bonaparte leaders, like Napoléon I, had changed the order of who would inherit the leadership. They sometimes excluded family members due to disagreements. For example, Napoléon III's son tried to exclude his cousin from leading the family.
Charles believes his father's decision was influenced by others. He also argues that the old rules about marriage don't apply to his situation. He says that divorce didn't exist when those rules were made. He also points out that his father's will was written before his second marriage. Charles believes that the Bonaparte tradition means the oldest son should naturally be the heir.
Charles also clarified that his family's legal last name was always "Napoléon." He says it was changed by mistake on his birth certificate. When he asked for it to be corrected, the change was also applied to his father's name, but it was not his idea.
Despite these disagreements, Charles and his son, Jean-Christophe, have not had public fights. Charles has said there will "never be conflict between us." They have even appeared together in a documentary, showing a friendly relationship. However, some magazines now refer to Jean-Christophe as "the Prince Napoleon," recognizing him as the head of the family. Charles continues to state that he is the head of the family based on tradition.
Charles believes that his republican views are not against the Bonaparte family's history. He points out that Napoléon I himself was a republican leader (First Consul) before becoming Emperor.
Political Career
In 2001, Charles moved to Corsica and ran in the local elections in Ajaccio. He joined a group that won the election. He then served as the second deputy mayor, in charge of the city's tourism.
In 2008, Charles planned to run for mayor of Nemours. He led a group called "Ensemble Pour Les Nemouriens." However, he was defeated in the election.
Images for kids
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Robot for kids
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Bonaparte para niños
