Michel Roger Lafosse facts for kids

Michel Roger Lafosse, born in Watermael-Boitsfort, Brussels, Belgium, later became known as Michael James Alexander Stewart of Albany. He says he is a descendant of Charles Edward Stuart, also known as "Bonnie Prince Charlie." Charles Edward Stuart was a famous figure who tried to reclaim the throne of Scotland.

Since 1979, Lafosse has called himself "HRH Prince Michael James Alexander Stewart, 7th Count of Albany." He claims that one of his ancestors used the title "Count of Albany." He also says he has rights to other noble titles, like Count of Blois and Duke of Aquitaine.

The Royal House of Stuart and Claims

The House of Stuart was a royal family that ruled Scotland and later England. The male line of this family ended in 1807 with the death of Henry Benedict Stuart. His older brother, Charles Edward Stuart, had only an illegitimate daughter, Charlotte Stuart. After Henry's death, the claim to the British throne passed to other European royal families.

However, Michel Roger Lafosse says this history is wrong. He claims that Charles Edward Stuart secretly ended his marriage to Princess Louise of Stolberg-Gedern. Lafosse says Charles then secretly married another woman, Marguerite O'Dea d'Audibert de Lussan, in 1786. According to Lafosse, they had a son named Edward James Stuart, from whom he says he is descended.

Lafosse states that his parents were "HRH Princess Renee Stewart" and "Gustave Lafosse de Chatry." He has presented a detailed family tree to support his claim of being a descendant of the last Stuart King of Scotland.

Disputes About Lafosse's Background

There are different ideas about who Lafosse's real parents and ancestors were. Lafosse says he was born on April 21, 1958, in the Ville de Bruxelles area. He claims his parents were Baron Gustave Joseph Fernand Clément Lafosse and Princess Renée Julienne Stewart.

However, in 2002, officials in Brussels said that Lafosse's birth certificate was not real. They stated that their records show he was born in Brussels on April 21, 1958, in the Watermael-Boitsfort area. According to their records, his parents were Gustave Joseph Clément Fernand Lafosse, a shopkeeper, and Renée Julienne Dée, a business employee.

Peter Piniski, a writer, has also questioned Lafosse's claims. Piniski pointed out that Charles Edward Stuart was already married when Lafosse claims he secretly remarried. He also noted that Charles was very ill during that time. Piniski said that historians have never found any evidence of this secret marriage or child.

Lafosse also claimed to be the "President of the European Council of Princes." He said he took over this role from Archduke Otto of Austria. But Archduke Otto later said he had never been president or even a member of such a group. He had never heard of it.

The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland Book

Michel Roger Lafosse wrote a book called The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland: The True Story of the Royal House of Stewart and the Hidden Lineage of the Kings and Queens of Scots. It was published in Shaftesbury, England, in 1998.

In this book, Lafosse claims to share new information about Charles Edward Stuart's life when he was living away from Britain. Lafosse, who says he is a descendant of Charles, includes stories in the book about secret marriages and births within the Royal House of Stuart. This includes the claim that Charles Edward Stuart's first marriage was secretly ended, and he then remarried Marguerite O'Dea d'Audibert de Lussan.

Recent Activities

Michel Roger Lafosse was born in Belgium. In the 1990s, he became a British citizen and started using the name Michael James Alexander Stewart of Albany.

His website mentioned that he was a diplomat for a group called the Federation of Autonomous Priories of the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta. He also claimed to be a cultural attaché at an embassy in the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. He stated he received a United Nations medal in 2001 under the name "Albany."

Lafosse also claimed to be a leader of "The Imperial and Royal Dragon Court and Order" in Britain.

In June 2006, a newspaper reported that Lafosse was going to lose his British citizenship and be sent back to Belgium. This was because it was believed he had used a fake birth certificate. Later, in July 2006, the same newspaper reported that Lafosse had sold his house in Edinburgh and moved back to Belgium to live with his mother.

He also co-authored another book in 2006, titled The Knights Templar of the Middle East: The Hidden History of the Islamic Origins of Freemasonry.

See also

• Anthony William Hall, another person who made claims about royal descent.