A TimesOnline article dated today states that the Duc d'Vendome, Jean d'Orleans, is launching a formal bid to restore the Kingdom of France. Aside from the murky issue of the succession, something about this prevents me from being as encouraged as I might be. This is largely because the launching of this restoration effort is tied to the release of a new book by the prince which is, essentially, a long interview on the subject of the French monarchy. I hope this is not simply some sort of publicity stunt designed to sell books and bring about momentary gain without a real care for the long-term success of a royalist movement and the restoration of the matchless Kingdom of France. That being said, putting that issue and the contested succession aside, it all sounds very good to me. According to the article the Prince states that the French Revolution was a mistake (I know, far too soft a word but...baby steps) and has called for a return to the traditional values and national culture of the era of the Bourbon monarchy. How exactly he plans to unite the deeply fractured French monarchists, to say nothing of bringing the republicans to their senses. Nonetheless, I am thrilled that the effort is being made, regardless of the reason, I am thrilled it is gaining at least some attention and any movement, however slight, toward a return to the ancien regime, is a move in the right direction.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Launch of French Restoration Effort
A TimesOnline article dated today states that the Duc d'Vendome, Jean d'Orleans, is launching a formal bid to restore the Kingdom of France. Aside from the murky issue of the succession, something about this prevents me from being as encouraged as I might be. This is largely because the launching of this restoration effort is tied to the release of a new book by the prince which is, essentially, a long interview on the subject of the French monarchy. I hope this is not simply some sort of publicity stunt designed to sell books and bring about momentary gain without a real care for the long-term success of a royalist movement and the restoration of the matchless Kingdom of France. That being said, putting that issue and the contested succession aside, it all sounds very good to me. According to the article the Prince states that the French Revolution was a mistake (I know, far too soft a word but...baby steps) and has called for a return to the traditional values and national culture of the era of the Bourbon monarchy. How exactly he plans to unite the deeply fractured French monarchists, to say nothing of bringing the republicans to their senses. Nonetheless, I am thrilled that the effort is being made, regardless of the reason, I am thrilled it is gaining at least some attention and any movement, however slight, toward a return to the ancien regime, is a move in the right direction.
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I will follow this with great interest. Perhas the tide is shifting back to the old order.
ReplyDeleteWe can only hope. France does, and I think should, hold a special significance for all monarchists both because of the glory and grandeur that was royal France and because of the horror that was the French Revolution and the number of radical republicans who have taken their inspiration from it. If monarchy was to make a comeback in France it would be like a knife to the heart of the revolutionary republican ideology.
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