What is House of Orléans?
[[File:Coat of arms of the Duke of Orléans (as prince of the blood).png|thumb|right|200px|The arms used by members of the House of Orléans, showing the coronet of their rank of [[Prince of the blood]] at court.]] The '''House of Orléans''' was a French [[Nobility|noble]] and [[royal family]]. It descends from [[Louis XIV of France]] and his only brother [[Philippe, Duke of Orléans]]. The families main traditional home was the [[Palais Royal]] in [[Paris]]. The family later became very powerful during the reign of [[Louis Philippe I]]. He ruled [[France]] under the title ''King of the French''. The king successfully married his children into other royal families of [[Europe]]. The present head of the house is [[Henri, Count of Paris (born 1933)|Prince Henri of Orléans]]. He is known as the [[Count of Paris]]. He also claims the title King of the French, but is known simply as ''His Royal Highness The Count of Paris'' and sometimes the ''Duke of France''. However, the titles are not officially recognised because France is no longer a [[monarchy]]. Henri has been a [[Pretender|claimant]] to the throne since 1999. The Count was married to [[Duchess Marie Thérèse of Württemberg]]. She is herself a daughter of a one-time claimant to the throne of [[Kingdom of Württemberg|Württemberg]]. [[Category:House of Orléans| ]] {{hist-stub}}