Prince Michel of Bourbon-Parma (Michel Marie Xavier Waldemar Georg Robert Karl Eymar; 4 March 1926 – 7 July 2018)[1] was a French businessman, soldier and racing car driver, who was a member of deposed sovereign ducal House of Bourbon-Parma.
Prince Michel grew up in Paris, where his father worked for a propane gas tank manufacturer. In 1940, Prince Michel and his family fled the German invasion and left for New York City,[3] where his mother worked in a hat shop. Michel was enrolled in a Jesuit school in Montreal.[4]
Three years later at age 17 he joined the U.S. Army with his father's permission and was appointed lieutenant.[3] Serving in Operation Jedburgh, he was parachuted into Nazi-occupied France as part of a three-man sabotage team (with Maj. Tommy Macpherson and Sgt O. A. Brown) to operate deep behind German lines.[5]
After the liberation of France Prince Michel was deployed to Indochina in order to fight against the Viet Minh.[3] Dropped on 28 August 1945 by parachute, he was captured the same day by the Vietnamese resistance, who kept him for eleven months, during which his group of six captives attempted several escapes and were recaptured.[3] They were led from camp to camp through the dense jungle, bound together with strips of bamboo. Each lived on a bowl of rice a day. Toward the end of the ordeal, the men were asked to sign statements saying that they had been well treated, which they refused. Four of them were killed before the two survivors finally made it back to France due to the French negotiating a ceasefire agreement with the Viet Minh at the Geneva Conference. Prince Michel was one of 3000 prisoners to survive of the 12,000 French prisoners taken by the Viet Minh. A chevalier of France's Legion of Honour, for his services during war, he was also awarded the British Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre.[6]
Demobilized at the age of 20 the prince became a race car driver, participating in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1964 [7] and 1966. Both times his car failed to finish. In 1964 he also raced in the Tour de France Automobile where he finished second. At the Monaco Grand Prix in 1967, he was a nearby spectator when the Lorenzo Bandiniaccident occurred: With the help of a marshal he managed to extract the driver from the burning wreck of his Ferrari.
Following a civil wedding in Paris on 23 May 1951, on 9 June 1951, the thirtieth anniversary of his parents' wedding, he married religiously at Chaillot, Princess Yolande de Broglie-Revel (1928–2014), daughter of Prince Joseph de Broglie-Revel (1892–1963) and his wife, Marguerite de La Cour de Balleroy (1901-1976).[2][3]
Although the couple separated legally on 26 June 1966 and reconciled 19 December 1983,[6] the marriage ended in divorce in 1999.[3] They had five children together:[3]
Princess Inès Marie Joseph Margarethe Yolande Tatiana of Bourbon-Parma (9 May 1952 – 20 October 1981). She had a daughter out of wedlock:
Marie Mélodie de Bourbon (born Geneva, 4 June 1977). Adopted by her grandfather, Prince Michel, 20 November 1982.[2]
Prince Erik Marie Joseph René Michel Pierre of Bourbon-Parma (28 August 1953 – 21 January 2021 in Copenhagen), married in Ledreborg, Denmark, on 8 August 1980 Countess Lydia af Holstein-Ledreborg (born 22 February 1955), daughter of Princess Marie Gabriele of Luxembourg, divorced in 1999. They had five children:[2]
Princess Antonia Monica Charlotte Marie of Bourbon-Parma (born Roskilde, 10 June 1981)
Princess Marie Gabrielle Yolande Camilla Philippine of Bourbon-Parma (born Paris, 23 December 1982)
Princess Alexia Thérèse Sybille Erica Marie of Bourbon-Parma (born Palm Beach, Florida, 7 March 1985), married in 2007 Fabian Davis.
Prince Michel Knud John Joseph Marie of Bourbon-Parma (born Roskilde, 12 February 1989)
Prince Henri Luitpold Antoine Victor Marie Joseph of Bourbon-Parma (born Roskilde, 14 October 1991). Married in 2020 to his second cousin,[citation needed]Archduchess Gabriella of Austria. They have two daughters: Victoria and Anastasia.[citation needed]
Princess Sybil Marie Josephine Anne Victorie of Bourbon-Parma (born Paris, 10 November 1954), married in 1997 Craig Richards.
Princess Victoire Maria Pia Joseph Philippe Isaure of Bourbon-Parma (8 November 1957 – 2001), married on 26 February 1974 in Beaumont-le-Roger and divorced before 1988, Baron Ernst von Gecmen-Waldek (born Prague, 11 July 1943) before remarrying in 1993, with Carlos Ernesto Rodriguez. She had two children with Baron Ernst:[2]
Baroness Tatiana von Gecmen-Waldek (born 22 June 1974), married Michael Berger-Sandhofer in September 1995 in Versailles.
Baron Vincent Nicholas von Gecmen-Waldek (born 30 August 1981)
Prince Charles-Emmanuel Joseph Jacques Hély of Bourbon-Parma (born Paris, 3 June 1961), married on 25 May 1991, Constance de Ravinel (born Paris, 18 July 1971), daughter of Yves, Baron de Ravinel and his wife, Alix de Castellane-Esperron (of the Dukes of Almazán de Saint Priest).[6] They have four children:[2]
Prince Amaury of Bourbon-Parma (born Amaury Yves Michel Marie Joseph in Boulogne-Billancourt, 30 October 1991), who is engaged to Pelagie de Mac Mahon, daughter of the 4th Duke of Magenta.
Princess Charlotte of Bourbon-Parma (born Charlotte Alexe Yolande Marie Joseph in Boulogne-Billancourt, 18 July 1993), married in June 2022, Javier Valladares Urruela.
Princess Elizabeth of Bourbon-Parma (born Elizabeth Flore Angélique Marie Joseph in Boulogne-Billancourt, 12 June 1996)
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parme (born Zita Angélique Inès Marie Joseph in Boulogne-Billancourt, 1 April 1999)
Prince Michel had a daughter out of wedlock with Laure Le Bourgeois (born 1950):
Amélie (born 13 March 1977), legally adopted by her father on 5 June 1997, assuming the surname "de Bourbon de Parme"[2]
In 2003 he married Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma (1934), daughter of King Umberto II and Maria José of Belgium, who had divorced Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia.
^. Archived from the original on 2018-07-09. Retrieved 2018-07-08.
^ abcdefgWillis, Daniel. The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain. Clearfield, Baltimore, 2002. pp. 422-425. ISBN0-8063-5172-1.
^ abcdefgde Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. ‘’Le Petit Gotha’’. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, pp. 594-595. (French) ISBN2-9507974-3-1
(in French) Michel de Bourbon, En parachute, Presses de la Cité, 1949 ASIN B0000DPIAZ
(in Danish) Michel de Bourbon, Faldskaermsjaeger : Fra den franske maquis til Indo-Kinas jungle, Hasselbalch, 1949
(in French) Michel de Bourbon-Parme et Jean-Louis Tremblay, Un prince dans la tourmente, Nimrod, 2010 ISBN291524328X
January 28, 2023
prince, michel, bourbon, parma, michel, marie, xavier, waldemar, georg, robert, karl, eymar, march, 1926, july, 2018, french, businessman, soldier, racing, driver, member, deposed, sovereign, ducal, house, bourbon, parma, prince, michelmichel, bourbon, parma, . Prince Michel of Bourbon Parma Michel Marie Xavier Waldemar Georg Robert Karl Eymar 4 March 1926 7 July 2018 1 was a French businessman soldier and racing car driver who was a member of deposed sovereign ducal House of Bourbon Parma Prince MichelMichel of Bourbon Parma in 1948Born 1926 03 04 4 March 1926Paris FranceDied7 July 2018 2018 07 07 aged 92 Neuilly sur Seine FranceSpousePrincess Yolande de Broglie Revel m 1951 div 1999 wbr Princess Maria Pia of Savoy m 2003 wbr IssuePrincess Ines Prince Erik Princess Sybil Mrs RichardsPrincess Victoire Mrs Rodriguez Prince Charles EmmanuelNamesMichel Marie Xavier Waldemar Georg Robert Karl EymarHouseBourbon ParmaFatherPrince Rene of Bourbon ParmaMotherPrincess Margaret of DenmarkReligionRoman CatholicismHe was a son of Prince Rene of Bourbon Parma and his wife Princess Margaret of Denmark Paternally he was a grandson of Robert I Duke of Parma 1848 1907 while through his mother he was a great grandson of Christian IX of Denmark Prince Michel was also the younger brother of Queen Anne of Romania 2 Contents 1 Biography 2 Marriages and children 3 Ancestry 4 References 5 BibliographyBiography EditPrince Michel grew up in Paris where his father worked for a propane gas tank manufacturer In 1940 Prince Michel and his family fled the German invasion and left for New York City 3 where his mother worked in a hat shop Michel was enrolled in a Jesuit school in Montreal 4 Three years later at age 17 he joined the U S Army with his father s permission and was appointed lieutenant 3 Serving in Operation Jedburgh he was parachuted into Nazi occupied France as part of a three man sabotage team with Maj Tommy Macpherson and Sgt O A Brown to operate deep behind German lines 5 After the liberation of France Prince Michel was deployed to Indochina in order to fight against the Viet Minh 3 Dropped on 28 August 1945 by parachute he was captured the same day by the Vietnamese resistance who kept him for eleven months during which his group of six captives attempted several escapes and were recaptured 3 They were led from camp to camp through the dense jungle bound together with strips of bamboo Each lived on a bowl of rice a day Toward the end of the ordeal the men were asked to sign statements saying that they had been well treated which they refused Four of them were killed before the two survivors finally made it back to France due to the French negotiating a ceasefire agreement with the Viet Minh at the Geneva Conference Prince Michel was one of 3000 prisoners to survive of the 12 000 French prisoners taken by the Viet Minh A chevalier of France s Legion of Honour for his services during war he was also awarded the British Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre 6 Demobilized at the age of 20 the prince became a race car driver participating in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1964 7 and 1966 Both times his car failed to finish In 1964 he also raced in the Tour de France Automobile where he finished second At the Monaco Grand Prix in 1967 he was a nearby spectator when the Lorenzo Bandini accident occurred With the help of a marshal he managed to extract the driver from the burning wreck of his Ferrari Prince Michel started civilian life at the age of 20 engaging in business over the following decades He worked for a company that had created the Zodiac inflatable rubber boat which enjoyed huge commercial success after the war Later he negotiated contracts for French companies which with Mohammad Reza Pahlavi Shah of Iran until he was deposed in the Islamic revolution of 1979 In later life he lived between his house in Neuilly sur Seine France and his house in Palm Beach Florida citation needed Marriages and children EditFollowing a civil wedding in Paris on 23 May 1951 on 9 June 1951 the thirtieth anniversary of his parents wedding he married religiously at Chaillot Princess Yolande de Broglie Revel 1928 2014 daughter of Prince Joseph de Broglie Revel 1892 1963 and his wife Marguerite de La Cour de Balleroy 1901 1976 2 3 Although the couple separated legally on 26 June 1966 and reconciled 19 December 1983 6 the marriage ended in divorce in 1999 3 They had five children together 3 Princess Ines Marie Joseph Margarethe Yolande Tatiana of Bourbon Parma 9 May 1952 20 October 1981 She had a daughter out of wedlock Marie Melodie de Bourbon born Geneva 4 June 1977 Adopted by her grandfather Prince Michel 20 November 1982 2 Prince Erik Marie Joseph Rene Michel Pierre of Bourbon Parma 28 August 1953 21 January 2021 in Copenhagen married in Ledreborg Denmark on 8 August 1980 Countess Lydia af Holstein Ledreborg born 22 February 1955 daughter of Princess Marie Gabriele of Luxembourg divorced in 1999 They had five children 2 Princess Antonia Monica Charlotte Marie of Bourbon Parma born Roskilde 10 June 1981 Princess Marie Gabrielle Yolande Camilla Philippine of Bourbon Parma born Paris 23 December 1982 Princess Alexia Therese Sybille Erica Marie of Bourbon Parma born Palm Beach Florida 7 March 1985 married in 2007 Fabian Davis Prince Michel Knud John Joseph Marie of Bourbon Parma born Roskilde 12 February 1989 Prince Henri Luitpold Antoine Victor Marie Joseph of Bourbon Parma born Roskilde 14 October 1991 Married in 2020 to his second cousin citation needed Archduchess Gabriella of Austria They have two daughters Victoria and Anastasia citation needed Princess Sybil Marie Josephine Anne Victorie of Bourbon Parma born Paris 10 November 1954 married in 1997 Craig Richards Princess Victoire Maria Pia Joseph Philippe Isaure of Bourbon Parma 8 November 1957 2001 married on 26 February 1974 in Beaumont le Roger and divorced before 1988 Baron Ernst von Gecmen Waldek born Prague 11 July 1943 before remarrying in 1993 with Carlos Ernesto Rodriguez She had two children with Baron Ernst 2 Baroness Tatiana von Gecmen Waldek born 22 June 1974 married Michael Berger Sandhofer in September 1995 in Versailles Baron Vincent Nicholas von Gecmen Waldek born 30 August 1981 Prince Charles Emmanuel Joseph Jacques Hely of Bourbon Parma born Paris 3 June 1961 married on 25 May 1991 Constance de Ravinel born Paris 18 July 1971 daughter of Yves Baron de Ravinel and his wife Alix de Castellane Esperron of the Dukes of Almazan de Saint Priest 6 They have four children 2 Prince Amaury of Bourbon Parma born Amaury Yves Michel Marie Joseph in Boulogne Billancourt 30 October 1991 who is engaged to Pelagie de Mac Mahon daughter of the 4th Duke of Magenta Princess Charlotte of Bourbon Parma born Charlotte Alexe Yolande Marie Joseph in Boulogne Billancourt 18 July 1993 married in June 2022 Javier Valladares Urruela Princess Elizabeth of Bourbon Parma born Elizabeth Flore Angelique Marie Joseph in Boulogne Billancourt 12 June 1996 Princess Zita of Bourbon Parme born Zita Angelique Ines Marie Joseph in Boulogne Billancourt 1 April 1999 Prince Michel had a daughter out of wedlock with Laure Le Bourgeois born 1950 Amelie born 13 March 1977 legally adopted by her father on 5 June 1997 assuming the surname de Bourbon de Parme 2 In 2003 he married Maria Pia of Bourbon Parma 1934 daughter of King Umberto II and Maria Jose of Belgium who had divorced Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia Ancestry Edit8 Charles III Duke of Parma4 Robert I Duke of Parma9 Princess Louise of Artois2 Prince Rene of Bourbon Parma10 Miguel I of Portugal5 Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal11 Princess Adelaide of Lowenstein Wertheim Rosenberg1 Prince Michel of Bourbon Parma12 Christian IX of Denmark6 Prince Valdemar of Denmark13 Princess Louise of Hesse Kassel3 Princess Margaret of Denmark14 Prince Robert Duke of Chartres7 Princess Marie of Orleans15 Princess Francoise of OrleansReferences Edit Morto a Parigi il principe Michele di Borbone Parma Gazzetta di Parma Archived from the original on 2018 07 09 Retrieved 2018 07 08 a b c d e f g Willis Daniel The Descendants of King George I of Great Britain Clearfield Baltimore 2002 pp 422 425 ISBN 0 8063 5172 1 a b c d e f g de Badts de Cugnac Chantal Coutant de Saisseval Guy Le Petit Gotha Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery Paris 2002 pp 594 595 French ISBN 2 9507974 3 1 Prince Michel profile Palm Beach Daily News http www palmbeachdailynews com news news french born prince and part time palm beacher mich nMC5Y BBC News Allied bandits behind enemy lines http news bbc co uk 1 hi uk 8085383 stm a b c Enache Nicolas La Descendance de Marie Therese de Habsburg ICC Paris 1996 p 418 French ISBN 2 908003 04 X Ford Anglia 105E 1964 Monte Carlo Rally Report http anglia models co uk race 1964 montewu htm Genealogical DataBibliography Edit in French Michel de Bourbon En parachute Presses de la Cite 1949 ASIN B0000DPIAZ in Danish Michel de Bourbon Faldskaermsjaeger Fra den franske maquis til Indo Kinas jungle Hasselbalch 1949 in French Michel de Bourbon Parme et Jean Louis Tremblay Un prince dans la tourmente Nimrod 2010 ISBN 291524328X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Prince Michel of Bourbon Parma amp oldid 1134967073, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
