Figure 1.--The photos here show the Bonaparte children, brother and sister--Prince Louis and Princess Marie Napoleon aged 7 and 9 years with their mother. They are wearing coordinated casual outfits 1921. In these photos taken with his sister he resembles very much the style of hair style worn by his Belgium royal cousins. In the first picture it looks as though he is wearing a dress, identical to that of his older sister. In the second, one can see that it is a co-ordinating short pants outfit. I don’t know whether one would call it a romper or a play suit. It looks to be an all in one outfit. The bobbed hair is virtually identical to that of his sister. Put your cursor on the image to see the second portrait.

Louis Napoleon was the son of Bonaparte claimant Victor Napoleon, at the time often referred to ax Prince Napoleon. Louis was not directly related to the Emperor, but rather his younger brother Jerome. His mother was Princess Clementine of Belgium (daughter of King Leopold II of Belgium. Louis and his older sister Marie lived with their parents in Brussels. As he was a claimant to the Imperial throne of France, he could not live in France. French law banned members of the French royal family (both the Bourbons and the Bonapartes) from residing in France. He was educated in French-language schools in both Brussels, Belgium and Lausanne in Switzerland. They seem to have moved in the same social cirles as their Belgiasn royal cousins and were dressed similarly. The photos here show the Bonaparte children, brother and sister, wearing coordinated outfits taken in 1921. In these photos taken with his sister resembles very much the style of cvlothes and hair style worn by their Belgium royal cousins. The increasingly casual styles are also evident. In the first picture it looks as though Louis is wearing a dress, identical to that of his older sister. In the second, one can see that it is a co-ordinated shorts outfit. I don’t know whether one would call it a romper or a play suit. It looks to be an all in one outfit. The bobbed hair is virtually identical to that of his sister. Louis was a hero in the French Resistance during World War II.

Parents

Louis Napoleon was the son of Bonaparte claimant Victor Napoleon, at the time often referred to as Prince Napoleon. Victor became the Bonaparte claimant when the Prince Imperial was killed by of all people, a Zulu warrior (1879). Louis was not directly related to the Emperor, Napoleon I. but rather his younger brother Jerome. Louis' mother was Princess Clementine of Belgium. She was the daughter of King Leopold II of the Belgians and his much abused wife, Archduchess Marie Henriette of Austria. The Emperor Napoleon III was a cousin of his father and related to The Emperor Napoleon I though another brother -- Louis.

Sister

Princess Marie Clotilde Eugénie Alberte Laetitia Généviève Bonaparte was born in Brussels (1912). They were close in age and raised together so they much have been very close. Mother even dressed them alike. She married Comte Serge de Witt (1891-1990) in Cendrieux, France (1938). It must have been a successful marriage. They had 10 children. She died at the Château de la Pommerie in Cendrieux, France (1996).

Childhood

Louis was born in Brussels, Belgium (1914). This was of course the year that Germany launched World War I by invading Belgium. I believe the family remained in German occupied Belgium during the War, but have few details at this time. French law at the time forbade heirs of the former French ruling dynasties (Bourbon and Bonaparte) from living in France. Louis and his older sister Marie lived with their parents in Brussels. As he was a claimant to the Imperial throne of France, he could not live in France. French law banned members of the French royal family (both the Bourbons and the Bonapartes) from residing in France. Prince Louis spent some time in England where he stayed with Empress Eugénie, the widow of Napoleon III, who Queen Victoria had offered refuge.

Childood Clothes

Victor Napoleon and his family seems to have moved in the same social cirles as the Belgian royal family. This the children knew the Belgian princes and princess. This of course was because their mother was a Belgian princess herself. Louis and his sister were dressed similarly as younger children. The photos here show the Bonaparte children, brother and sister, wearing coordinated outfits taken (1921) (figure 1). Marie wers a white dress with white socks and strap shoes. Louis wears a similar outfit, but with short pants. In these photos taken with his sister resembles very much the style of clothes and hair style worn by their Belgium royal cousins whic is logical as their mother herself was a Belgian royal. The increasingly casual styles are also evident. In the first picture it looks as though Louis is wearing a dress, identical to that of his older sister. In the second, one can see that it is a co-ordinated shorts outfit. I don’t know whether one would call it a romper or a play suit. It looks to be an all in one outfit. Louis' bobbed hair is virtually identical to that of his sister.

Education

Louis was educated in French-language schools in both Brussels, Belgium and Lausanne in Switzerland. This included Leuven in Belgium.

Dynastic Status

He was the son of Bonaparte pretender, Victor, Prince Napoléon and his wife. His titular title was 5th Prince de Montfort. His father died (1926). Prince Louis thus succeeded as the Bonapartist claimant to the French throne at the age of 12 years. His mother acted as regent until he came of age. Thus his title became Napoleon VI--the claimant to the Imperial throne of France of the Bonaparte dynasty.

World War II (1939-45)

Louis was a hero in the French Resistance during World war II. After the Germans launched World War II by invading Polans, Prince Louis wrote to French primeminister, Édouard Daladier, and asked to be allowed to serve in the French Army. When his offer was refused, he joined the French Foreign legion unfer the nom de guerre of Louis Blanchard. He was involved in some fighting in North Africa, but was demobilised in 1941. As part of the French surrebnder to the Germans (June 1940), there were limits on the size of the French army. (This was tailored on the World War I Versailles Treaty.) It was at this time he joined the French Resistance, a very dangerous step. He then ried to cross the Pyrenees into Spain so he could join up with the Free French in Britain, but was arrested by the Germans. He was held in various German prisons. After his release, he joined the Organisation de Résistance dans l'Armee under with the name Louis Monnier. He worked in the Charles Martel Brigade along with a cousin, Prince Joachim Murat, Murat was killed (July 1944). Prince Louis had a narrow escape short afterwards (August 1944). He was part of a seven-man patrol which the Germans intercepted. Prince Louis was the survivor, but wounded. Following his recovery he joined the Alpine Division of the reinsituted French asrmy and was decorated for bravery.

Created: 7:37 AM 2/8/2011
Last updated: 5:55 AM 7/28/2011