⭐ Royal Romance: Prince Henri d'Orléans Marries Duchess Marie-Thérèse of Württemberg in 1957

On this day in 1957, a significant event took place in the world of European royalty. The marriage of Prince Henri d'Orléans and Duchess Marie-Thérèse of Württemberg marked a union between two prominent families, bringing together a rich history of royal connections. This article delves into the details of their special day, highlighting the cultural and historical significance of the occasion. The story of Prince Henri and Duchess Marie-Thérèse began several years prior, when they first met at a ball in Munich hosted by the Thurn and Taxis family. It was there that Prince Henri was drawn to Duchess Marie-Thérèse, and their relationship blossomed. The couple's engagement was announced, and their wedding day was met with great fanfare, with the French monarchists even ringing the great bell of Notre-Dame Cathedral to celebrate the union1.

Henri & Marie-Thérèse.

The Royal Chapel of Dreux.

The invitation to the royal wedding.

Sixty-five years ago today, Prince Henri d'Orléans, Count of Clermont, and Duchess Marie-Thérèse of Württemberg were married at Dreux.

The first photo of Henri: the prince is held by his mother, the Countess of Paris, while his older sister Princess Isabelle plants a kiss on his forehead.

The Duke of Guise holds his grandson during Prince Henri's baptism. The Count of Paris and little Princess Isabelle look on.

A tender moment: the Duke of Guise and his grandson Prince Henri.

Prince Henri, aged 2 1/2.

Prince Henri, aged four.

Prince Henri d'Orléans was born in exile, at the Manoir d'Anjou near Brussels, on 14 June 1933. The Manoir d'Anjou was then the residence of the pretender to the throne of France, Prince Jean, Duke of Guise, who had inherited it from his cousin, Prince Philippe, Duke d'Orléans, who died in 1926. The birth of the young prince was greeted with great jubilation, and the story goes that the French monarchists then found a way to ring the great bell of Notre-Dame to celebrate this event.

On the day of his baptism, 5 July 1933 (exactly 24 years before his wedding day) his grandfather, the Duke of Guise, made him swallow a few drops of Jurançon wine and rubbed his lips with a pod of garlic, in memory of the tradition attached to the birth of King Henri IV.

The prince's childhood was spent in Belgium, either with his grandparents or at the Château d'Agimont, his parents' residence, very close to the French border. He came to France early, during the visits that the Countess of Paris could make there, since she was not affected by the law of exile.

When war was declared in 1939, Prince Henri d'Orléans was on a trip to Brazil with the royal family. The Count of Paris returned hastily to Europe and offered to serve his country on the military field, an opportunity that was refused to him: he was to enlist in the Foreign Legion during the invasion of France and to know the fate of the armed forces of his country under the name of Orliac, and the uniform of a 2nd class soldier in the Foreign Legion. His eldest son Prince Henri, as well as all Henri's brothers and sisters, left at this time with Madame the Countess of Paris for Morocco, where the royal family lived until 1942.

In 1943, the Royal House of France moved to Pamplona, then, at the end of the war, to Portugal near Cintra, in a rural property, the Quinta dos Anjinhos. The family of the Count of Paris then consisted of ten children, and Prince Henri and his sister Princess Isabelle well understood the constraints and duties of all the eldest siblings of large families. Henri continued his studies with French professors, occupying his spare time by participating in agricultural work or writing and printing with his brothers and sisters a small newspaper, entitled first We Ten, then We Eleven, after the birth of Prince Thibaut.

In 1948, he traveled with his brother Prince François - thanks to special permission - on a long trip through France, then, in October of the same year, he was authorised, by way of derogation of the Law of Exile, to continue his studies at the Lycée Longchamp in Bordeaux.

After his baccalaureate, Prince Henri entered the School of Political Science.

Duchess Marie-Thérèse, aged four.

Duchess Marie-Thérèse, aged eight.

Duchess Marie-Thérèse of Württemberg was born at Schloß Altshausen on 12 November 1934; she was the fourth child and third daughter of Duke Philipp, head of the Royal House of Württemberg and his second wife, Archduchess Rosa of Austria.

The childhood of the young duchess passed in the residences of Altshausen and Friedrichshofen, on Lake Constance, or in Austria. After having undertaken her early studies with her siblings, then at the monastery of Saint Lioba, in Wald, Württemberg, she took interpreting courses in Munich at the end of which she graduated, then at the University of Tübingen the duchess enrolled in childcare welfare courses. Marie-Thérèse had planned a career as an interpreter for the United Nations.

Marie-Thérèse and Henri show her engagement ring.

The newly-engaged couple walking through the halls of Altshausen.

Marie-Thérèse and Henri in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

In 1959, Marianne Andrau spoke with Prince Henri, Count of Clermont, as well as with Princess Marie-Thérèse, Countess of Clermont, during the course of Mme Andrau's writing of the book, Famille royale à la mode de France. Henri spoke of how he met Marie-Thérèse, and how their relationship progressed until they became engaged:

Princess Marie-Thérèse: "It is all the same a chance, that since the famous marriage of Marie od France with my ancestor the Duke of Württemberg, our family became Catholic. Thus, between us, no difference."

Prince Henri: "That's what I said to myself when, after meeting you in 1955 at that ball given in Munich by the Thurn and Taxis, I wanted to know more about you.

I noticed Marie-Thérèse the evening of that ball. I cannot say, however, what in her caught my attention. I don't remember how she was dressed. She was wearing a light dress... I think. What I noticed right away were her eyes... her blue eyes. Very large, very soft perhaps, but at the same time... firm. I found this to be very pleasing."

Mme Andrau: "So, Monseigneur, you invited this young girl in a light dress and with blue eyes to dance?"

Prince Henri: "Yes, but I only danced with her once that night. Everyone was asking for it. And since I knew very little about her... I contented myself with observing her from afar. But I had remembered it. I had spoken about it to Papa, who had told me that he held her family in high esteem. He himself considered Duchess Marie-Thérèse to be a serious and agreeable young woman.

Long after... three months it seems to me, I saw the Duchess Marie-Thérèse again at home. She had friends in France, she had come to Paris, she called. I guessed then that she didn't mind seeing me again. She could have not phoned, right?

Duchess Marie-Thérèse then came to lunch at Louveciennes. We couldn't talk much. The whole family was there. Then she came to Portugal in the summer. Unfortunately I was not there. I had work in Paris. Anyway, I hadn't decided to rush things. I wasn't sure what shape they would take. I thought: "We have to wait. We have to see..."

In September, we invited Marie-Thérèse to Louveciennes. There, we finally had the time to speak a little more freely. We had many common tastes that we discovered little by little. But she is much more savvy in music than I am. I liked this young woman more and more. However, I did not envisage marriage with her; just a friendship.

It was after he left that we started writing to each other. Then, in October, my parents and we were invited to 'chez euz', in Germany. Their welcome was very family-like. At the beginning, my brothers, my sisters, and I had a certain reservation vis-à-vis the young Württembergs. They were less exuberant than our family. It is only an appearance, with them, a little cold. But they are easily warmed up and they are charming.

So I stayed there, four or five days. I found Marie-Thérèse always very kind and affectionate. But I haven't asked her anything yet. I wanted to know if our budding feelings were solid.

Despite this, on my return, I had to put up with the jokes of my brothers and my sisters; those of Michael of Greece too. Me, I was silent. I didn't want to commit myself lightly, marriage is very important to me.

Finally, during the summer of 1956, when we were leaving for the mountains, Isabelle, Hélène, François and myself, Marie-Thérèse accompanied us to Chamonix. It was very nice. Then she went back home.

Me, after three days, I was seized with violent headaches. I had to abandon the caravan. It was too cold and I have a sensitive liver. But, naturally, my brothers and sisters didn't want to believe my discomfort. 'It's not altitude sickness you have, they said, it's heartsickness.'

In fact, I immediately went from Chamonix to Württemberg. And this time, I was determined to get married if Duchess Marie-Thérèse was too."

The betrothal of the prince and the duchess was officially announced on 14 November 1956.

The couple in the hôtel de ville de Dreux. With them are the Count and Countess of Paris, Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, King Umberto II of Italy, the Count of Barcelona, and King Pavlos of Greece (obscured).

Prince Henri signs the marriage registry.

Duchess Marie-Thérèse signs the marriage registry.

Before their religious wedding, Prince Henri d'Orléans and Duchess Marie-Thérèse of Württemberg were civilly married at the mairie de Dreux. The prince's witnesses were the Count of Barcelona and the King of the Hellenes. The duchess's witnesses were her brothers Duke Ludwig and Duke Carl of Württemberg.