Philippe de Gaulle facts for kids

Philippe Henri Xavier Antoine de Gaulle (born December 28, 1921 – died March 13, 2024) was a French admiral and a senator. He was the oldest child of General Charles de Gaulle. His father was the first president of the French Fifth Republic. His mother was Yvonne de Gaulle. Philippe was the last of his siblings to pass away.

Early Life and Education

Philippe de Gaulle was born in Paris, France, on December 28, 1921. He was baptized in a church in Paris the next year. He went to the Collège Stanislas de Paris for school. This was the same school his father had attended. After finishing school, he decided to join the French Navy.

Some people believe he was named after General Philippe Pétain. His father greatly admired Pétain at the time. However, Charles de Gaulle said Philippe was named after an old family ancestor.

Serving in World War II

Philippe during the Second World War

When France was invaded in 1940, Philippe was a student at the École Navale, a naval academy. He did not hear his father's famous radio speech asking French people to resist. But he managed to escape to the United Kingdom. There, he joined the Free French Naval Forces. This was a group of French soldiers who continued fighting against Germany.

During Second World War, Philippe fought in important naval battles. He was part of the Channel campaign and the Battle of the Atlantic. In 1943, he became a sub-lieutenant. He then joined an armored regiment of marines. This group was part of the 2nd Armoured Division.

On August 25, 1944, Philippe helped in the liberation of Paris. This was when Paris was freed from German control. He was sent to demand the surrender of German soldiers. They were hiding in the Palais Bourbon, a government building. He went alone and without a weapon. He successfully negotiated their surrender. He also fought in the Vosges mountains during the winter of 1944–1945.

Naval Career After the War

Vice-admiral de Gaulle leaving the Colbert in Amsterdam, 1976

After the war, Philippe de Gaulle continued his career in the navy. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1948. In 1952, he took command of a naval aviation squadron. He continued to rise through the ranks. He became a corvette captain in 1956 and a frigate captain in 1961. He commanded the fast frigate Le Picard during this time.

He also became a French Naval Aviation pilot. From 1964 to 1966, he was the naval aviation commander for the Paris area. In 1966, he was promoted to capitaine de vaisseau. He commanded the missile-launching frigate Suffren from 1967 to 1968.

In 1971, he became a rear-admiral. He then commanded a naval group for testing and measurement. He was promoted to vice-admiral in 1975. From 1976 to 1977, he commanded the Atlantic Fleet. He became a squadron vice-admiral in 1977. Finally, in 1980, he was promoted to the highest rank: admiral. He finished his military career as the Inspector General of the Navy. He retired in 1982.

Political Life

After his long military career, Philippe de Gaulle entered politics. From 1986 to 2004, he served as a senator for Paris. He was part of the RPR and later the UMP political parties. He was reelected in 1995.

Some political groups, called "Gaullists," believed he was the true follower of his father's ideas. However, Philippe de Gaulle's political influence remained quite small.

Family Life

Burial place of Henriette de Gaulle at Colombey-les-Deux-Églises

On December 30, 1947, Philippe de Gaulle married Henriette de Montalembert Cers. She was born in 1929 and passed away in 2014. Her family was related to the famous Marquis de Montalembert. An admiral who fought with Philippe in the war blessed their marriage.

Philippe and Henriette had four sons:

• Charles de Gaulle (born 1948): He became a corporate lawyer and a Member of the European Parliament.
• Yves de Gaulle (born 1951): He worked as a technocrat and was a general secretary for a large company.
• Jean de Gaulle (born 1953): He was a deputy (like a representative) for different areas in France.
• Pierre de Gaulle (born 1963)

In his later years, Philippe de Gaulle lived in a special care home. He later moved to Les Invalides in Paris. This is a military retirement home for veterans. He turned 100 years old in 2021. He passed away at Les Invalides on March 13, 2024, at the age of 102. After a private funeral, President Emmanuel Macron led a national tribute to him.

Awards and Honours

Philippe de Gaulle received many important awards for his service:

• Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (2005): This is the highest French order of merit.
• Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit: Another very high French award.
• War Cross 1939–1945: An award for bravery during World War II.
• Medal of Aeronautics: An award for contributions to aviation.

His father, Charles de Gaulle, never gave him the Order of Liberation. This was a special award for those who fought bravely for Free France. Charles de Gaulle said that everyone knew Philippe was his "first companion." He probably did not want people to think he was showing favoritism. However, many people believed Philippe deserved this honour. He joined Free France right away and served in the army for five years.