Le duc de Montpensier
(1824-1890)
1 August 1861

Volume 4, page 296, sitting number 5283. 

Born on 31 July 1824 at the Château of Neuilly, Prince Antoine d’Orléans was the sixth son of Louis-Philippe I, King of the French.

On 10 October 1846 he married the Infanta Maria Luisa Fernanda of Spain, daughter of King Ferdinand VII and younger sister of Queen Isabel II, although the marriage was in breach of the terms of the reciprocal renunciation of rights of succession to the Spanish Crown by Philippe, duc d’Orléans in 1712/13.  

The duc de Montpensier was created an Infante of Spain on 10 October 1859, and all the children of the union became Infante / Infanta. However, none of Prince Antoine’s sons obtained French titles and on his death the title ‘duc de Montpensier’ reverted to the House of Orléans. 

The couple had nine children but only five of them reached adulthood.  

Prince Antoine, duc de Montpensier, died on 4 February 1890 at Sanlùcar de Barrameda in southern Spain. 

The duke was an early collector of photography. His collection was dispersed after his death.