Turns out the whole "Frankie taking Henri under his wing" isn't quite as ASB as it seems:
Frankie Goes to the Hofburg, or Napoléon II, Regent of Austria?
This François is full of good ideas in regards to the sebastian/Maria match. I have to wonder, will he ever get married and produce children himself?
Last Year at Bad Ischl
Soundtrack: Thomas Ambrose Mignon, "Je Suis Titania la Blonde"
*opening scene is a garden or a conservatory* *an older woman is sitting at an easel* *she is busy with a portrait of a young woman* *the young woman is seated in a chair*
Painter: *impatiently* *grandmotherly* Your Royal Highness, must you move around so much?
Young Woman: my apologies Madame la Baronne *assumes the "pose" once more* you were saying, your Royal Highness?
Young Man: I was saying that I discovered this place quite by chance. I was out walking and I got caught in a most dreadful thunderstorm, but the area is so beautiful, you and your mother simply must come visit. The castle is almost finished, and it will be something to see.
Young Woman: must, Monsieur? Who's must is this? Your must or my must?
Young Man: only if you wish it, Louise.
Louise: *forgets herself for a moment and turns her head* now you go too far, sir. What must Baronne de Neuville think to hear you call me that.
Baronne de Neuville: *from behind her easel* that I think I will stop working on this portrait, your Royal Highness. Clearly you having company makes it a wasted effort
Young Man: please don't stop on our account, Madame la Baronne, I shall hold Louise still if I have to so that you can finish.
Neuville: *sotto voice* I'd love to see you try
Young Man: did you say something, Madame?
Neuville: *smiles sweetly* nothing at all, Prince Maximilian, nothing at all.
Louise: isn't it rather lonely there? Out in the wilderness.
Maximilian: That's the sort of place I like best-
Louise: you enjoy being outdoors?
Maximilian: very much.
Louise: do you think there are fossils at your- what did you call it, Hohen-
Maximilian: Hohenschwangau.
Louise: *dutifully repeats* Hohenschwangau
Maximilian: forgive me for asking but what are...fossils?
Louise: you've never heard of fossils?
Maximilian: *shakes head* is it a type of plant?
Louise: *you can see she wants to laugh* *but she remembers her promise to Neuville* *presses her lips into a thin line* no. It's not a type of plant. Although some of them are. Its the...petrified remains of ancient animals or plants. My brother and I's tutor, Monsieur Barrande[1], enjoys looking for them when he goes walking. Sometimes we look for them too. He used to correspond with Baron Cuvier, Monsieur Barrande that is. Henri and I are having a competition to see who can find the most interesting one-
Maximilian: that sounds...fascinating.
Louise: *getting more animated* some of them have six legs, and some of them have eight, some have none...and they look sea-shells. Henri even gave my a copy of Baron Cuvier's Discours sur les revolutions de la surface du globe for my birthday.
Maximilian: is that so?
Louise: of course, Grandpère and Tante Thérèse think it's a pile of nonsense. They say that Cuvier's "grand catastrophe" was Noah's flood, but I don't think so. I think some of those creatures in that Discours' pictures must've looked very strange...but I suppose it looks no stranger than a kangaroo looks like- have you ever seen a kangaroo, Max?
Maximilian: no...no I haven't.
Louise: it's an awfully funny looking creature. It has a face like a deer and a back end a bit like a gigantic rabbit. And it has a tail. And a pouch.
Maximilian: a pouch?
Louise: it puts its babies in there until they're old enough to jump around by themselves.
Maximilian: jump around? *he's looking at Louise like she's making this up as she goes along*
Louise: *nods*
Young Man: *enters* *bows*
Maximilian: *looks rather relieved* ah...Madame Louise may I introduce my cousin, Maximilian von Leuchtenberg.
Louise: *as the other Max kisses her hand* how do you do?
Young man: *correcting* Max de Beauharnais, your Royal Highness
Louise: *standing up* Monsieur François' nephew?
Neuville: Your Royal Highness!
Louise: *sits back down again immediately* sorry, Baronne.
Max de Beauharnais: Monsieur François?
Louise: the duc de Reichstadt. He is your uncle, no?
Max de Beauharnais: *half chuckling as he realizes* yes, yes he is.
Maximilian: *bit of a sourpuss* Madame Louise was just telling me about a...what did you call it?
Louise: a kangaroo.
Max de Beauharnais: you have a kangaroo in Vienna?
Louise: no, but Tante Thérèse used to have them at Villeneuve-sur-l'Etang, at Saint Cloud?
Max de Beauharnais: my grandmother had some at Malmaison. Or, at least, that's what my brother used to tell me.
Louise: my condolences on his death.
Max de Beauharnais: gratitude, your Royal Highness, I can tell you mean it
Louise: oh? *smiles* Do I just have one of those faces?
Max de Beauharnais: because when people have met me since he died, they usually express their condolences before they say "good morning".
Maximilian: do you know what a fossil is, Max?
Max de Beauharnais: *to Louise* did he just learn what that is?
Louise: you're interested in fossils?
Max de Beauharnais: *smiles* I've been known to dabble. *the conversation goes on* *and while they still include Max of Bavaria* *he grows increasingly annoyed at the pair having so much in common* *particularly with regard to the sciences*
[1] This would be Joachim Barrande, the French engineer, geologist and amateur palaeontologist. He was the under-tutor to Henri de Chambord until 1832 (when he was fired for his non-absolutist views) but remained Henri's financial advisor until 1845. Yes, he and Henri would go on fossil hunts, he actually died while visiting Henri's home in 1883. Louise sharing several classes with her brother is also not unusual, since there are several records that she did this OTL as well. Barrande was in correspondence with some of the more famous names in archaeology, palaeontology and geology of the day (like Cuvier, Murchinson, the duke of Sussex) and found his works analyzing rock formations and theories about fossil groupings (although he rejected the theory of evolution) were quoted (in several places, and at length) by Charles Darwin in his famous paper, On The Origin of the Species. On an unrelated note, Barrande's brother, Joseph, was also involved in the building and planning of the Saint-Petersburg to Moscow railway.
*opening scene is a garden or a conservatory* *an older woman is sitting at an easel* *she is busy with a portrait of a young woman* *the young woman is seated in a chair*
Painter: *impatiently* *grandmotherly* Your Royal Highness, must you move around so much?
Young Woman: my apologies Madame la Baronne *assumes the "pose" once more* you were saying, your Royal Highness?
Young Man: I was saying that I discovered this place quite by chance. I was out walking and I got caught in a most dreadful thunderstorm, but the area is so beautiful, you and your mother simply must come visit. The castle is almost finished, and it will be something to see.
Young Woman: must, Monsieur? Who's must is this? Your must or my must?
Young Man: only if you wish it, Louise.
Louise: *forgets herself for a moment and turns her head* now you go too far, sir. What must Baronne de Neuville think to hear you call me that.
Baronne de Neuville: *from behind her easel* that I think I will stop working on this portrait, your Royal Highness. Clearly you having company makes it a wasted effort
Young Man: please don't stop on our account, Madame la Baronne, I shall hold Louise still if I have to so that you can finish.
Neuville: *sotto voice* I'd love to see you try
Young Man: did you say something, Madame?
Neuville: *smiles sweetly* nothing at all, Prince Maximilian, nothing at all.
Louise: isn't it rather lonely there? Out in the wilderness.
Maximilian: That's the sort of place I like best-
Louise: you enjoy being outdoors?
Maximilian: very much.
Louise: do you think there are fossils at your- what did you call it, Hohen-
Maximilian: Hohenschwangau.
Louise: *dutifully repeats* Hohenschwangau
Maximilian: forgive me for asking but what are...fossils?
Louise: you've never heard of fossils?
Maximilian: *shakes head* is it a type of plant?
Louise: *you can see she wants to laugh* *but she remembers her promise to Neuville* *presses her lips into a thin line* no. It's not a type of plant. Although some of them are. Its the...petrified remains of ancient animals or plants. My brother and I's tutor, Monsieur Barrande[1], enjoys looking for them when he goes walking. Sometimes we look for them too. He used to correspond with Baron Cuvier, Monsieur Barrande that is. Henri and I are having a competition to see who can find the most interesting one-
Maximilian: that sounds...fascinating.
Louise: *getting more animated* some of them have six legs, and some of them have eight, some have none...and they look sea-shells. Henri even gave my a copy of Baron Cuvier's Discours sur les revolutions de la surface du globe for my birthday.
Maximilian: is that so?
Louise: of course, Grandpère and Tante Thérèse think it's a pile of nonsense. They say that Cuvier's "grand catastrophe" was Noah's flood, but I don't think so. I think some of those creatures in that Discours' pictures must've looked very strange...but I suppose it looks no stranger than a kangaroo looks like- have you ever seen a kangaroo, Max?
Maximilian: no...no I haven't.
Louise: it's an awfully funny looking creature. It has a face like a deer and a back end a bit like a gigantic rabbit. And it has a tail. And a pouch.
Maximilian: a pouch?
Louise: it puts its babies in there until they're old enough to jump around by themselves.
Maximilian: jump around? *he's looking at Louise like she's making this up as she goes along*
Louise: *nods*
Young Man: *enters* *bows*
Maximilian: *looks rather relieved* ah...Madame Louise may I introduce my cousin, Maximilian von Leuchtenberg.
Louise: *as the other Max kisses her hand* how do you do?
Young man: *correcting* Max de Beauharnais, your Royal Highness
Louise: *standing up* Monsieur François' nephew?
Neuville: Your Royal Highness!
Louise: *sits back down again immediately* sorry, Baronne.
Max de Beauharnais: Monsieur François?
Louise: the duc de Reichstadt. He is your uncle, no?
Max de Beauharnais: *half chuckling as he realizes* yes, yes he is.
Maximilian: *bit of a sourpuss* Madame Louise was just telling me about a...what did you call it?
Louise: a kangaroo.
Max de Beauharnais: you have a kangaroo in Vienna?
Louise: no, but Tante Thérèse used to have them at Villeneuve-sur-l'Etang, at Saint Cloud?
Max de Beauharnais: my grandmother had some at Malmaison. Or, at least, that's what my brother used to tell me.
Louise: my condolences on his death.
Max de Beauharnais: gratitude, your Royal Highness, I can tell you mean it
Louise: oh? *smiles* Do I just have one of those faces?
Max de Beauharnais: because when people have met me since he died, they usually express their condolences before they say "good morning".
Maximilian: do you know what a fossil is, Max?
Max de Beauharnais: *to Louise* did he just learn what that is?
Louise: you're interested in fossils?
Max de Beauharnais: *smiles* I've been known to dabble. *the conversation goes on* *and while they still include Max of Bavaria* *he grows increasingly annoyed at the pair having so much in common* *particularly with regard to the sciences*
[1] This would be Joachim Barrande, the French engineer, geologist and amateur palaeontologist. He was the under-tutor to Henri de Chambord until 1832 (when he was fired for his non-absolutist views) but remained Henri's financial advisor until 1845. Yes, he and Henri would go on fossil hunts, he actually died while visiting Henri's home in 1883. Louise sharing several classes with her brother is also not unusual, since there are several records that she did this OTL as well. Barrande was in correspondence with some of the more famous names in archaeology, palaeontology and geology of the day (like Cuvier, Murchinson, the duke of Sussex) and found his works analyzing rock formations and theories about fossil groupings (although he rejected the theory of evolution) were quoted (in several places, and at length) by Charles Darwin in his famous paper, On The Origin of the Species. On an unrelated note, Barrande's brother, Joseph, was also involved in the building and planning of the Saint-Petersburg to Moscow railway.
I have a personal loathing of most things Coburg-related (especially OTL Prince Albert), and while ordinarily I'm a Maria-Auguste de Beauharnais supporter, I have a softspot for Sebastian as well. He's one of those historical characters that gets massively overlooked and, had he been on the "right" side of history, I think could've had some very interesting effects - like the cavalry/navy of OTL
that I'm still undecided about. As I've said before I'd like him to have a family, but I think he falls between two stools as being "too important" (son and grandson of an emperor) and "not important enough" (he's essentially living on his grandfather's charity since all his "fortune" is in his mom's hands).
think it would need to avoid the whole "let's try to conquer Spain" bit
no, what's it about?
The protagonist, Dismas, is a relic master. He locates and authenticates relics on behalf of wealthy clients looking to pursue them. The book features a few real people including a monarch ad an artist. Lore around the shroud of Turin plays a part in the story. It's largely comedic in tone.
Goodreads link.
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In case anyone is interested, this is a rough outline of Henri's OTL education:
Up until age 6, his governess was the duchesse de Gontaut.
The original governor Charles X selected for Henri was the duc de Montmorency, a man so old-fashioned he'd have thought that the education Henri got OTL was "radical" and "new age". Fortunately, Montmorency suffered a stroke and died in March 1826, raising the question of governor once more.
The choice was between the Prince de Polignac and the marquis de Riviere. Charles X chose with his heart not his head, as he explained to Gontaut's protests:
Fortunately, Riviere died before he could make any "delible" mark on his pupil. After which Bordeaux found himself under the tutelage of the Baron de Damas, an equally fanatical Ultra. To round out this education, the bishop of Strasbourg - Claude Tharin - who was pro-Jesuit, anti-freedom of the press
Nor was it just there, since Henri was constantly watched by Monsieur Lavillate (I can't find a first name):
The only competent person in the entire education staff was one Joachim Barrande.
On another occasion he said to Chambord:
Frayssinous took Fenelon (the tutor to Louis XIV's grandson in the 1690s!) as his model. In the 1830s!
Even allowing for the biases of an article that is heavy anti-monarchist, none of these men (save Barrande) should've been allowed near the education of any child in 1790, to say nothing of 1830.
It struck me that, if Barrande had been allowed to stay in place instead of being dismissed, Henri could've had a "reasonably" modern education. Things like railways, Cuvier, Darwin, Mendel and history (and a far more modern education than Louis Philippe's kids got) included alongside religious instruction and royal prerogative. All it really needed was an impartial observer "outisde" the Bourbon bubble - the duchesse de Berri and Chateaubriand, while they had much going for them, were always going to have a hard sell of it. - who had the ability to stand up to Charles X. Which is where Frankie steps in: he crashes into the Bourbon family with the subtlety of a battering ram before they've even unfastened their gloves/coats. The tutors he appoints (Baumgartner, Forestri, etc) are ones that tutored him. Not like Charles can say "hey, no thanks" or call any of those men "liberal" when Emperor Franz would probably recoil at the very notion of his grandson being given a liberal education.
Up until age 6, his governess was the duchesse de Gontaut.
The original governor Charles X selected for Henri was the duc de Montmorency, a man so old-fashioned he'd have thought that the education Henri got OTL was "radical" and "new age". Fortunately, Montmorency suffered a stroke and died in March 1826, raising the question of governor once more.
The choice was between the Prince de Polignac and the marquis de Riviere. Charles X chose with his heart not his head, as he explained to Gontaut's protests:
Fortunately, Riviere died before he could make any "delible" mark on his pupil. After which Bordeaux found himself under the tutelage of the Baron de Damas, an equally fanatical Ultra. To round out this education, the bishop of Strasbourg - Claude Tharin - who was pro-Jesuit, anti-freedom of the press
Nor was it just there, since Henri was constantly watched by Monsieur Lavillate (I can't find a first name):
None of the men were actually qualified to do the job (they'd be called "diversity hires" nowadays), they were chosen because they were for the king and the church and against the establishment 1789-1814.
The only competent person in the entire education staff was one Joachim Barrande.
Henri hated learning foreign languages, yet spoke fluent Italian, Latin and German. Latin to read Caesar's Commentaries in the original and German because he enjoyed Schiller.
Finally, after many "perambulations", Charles (via Cardinal Latil - who had exercised a near Svengali hold on the king since 1804) asked the pope for two new Jesuit teachers for Henri in 1833/34. This caused much consternation, even among the Legitimists who remarked "a monk will become king of French". The Jesuits didn't last (fortunately) but their replacement was a man of no better mindset: Monseigneur de Frayssinous
On another occasion he said to Chambord:
Frayssinous took Fenelon (the tutor to Louis XIV's grandson in the 1690s!) as his model. In the 1830s!
Even allowing for the biases of an article that is heavy anti-monarchist, none of these men (save Barrande) should've been allowed near the education of any child in 1790, to say nothing of 1830.
It struck me that, if Barrande had been allowed to stay in place instead of being dismissed, Henri could've had a "reasonably" modern education. Things like railways, Cuvier, Darwin, Mendel and history (and a far more modern education than Louis Philippe's kids got) included alongside religious instruction and royal prerogative. All it really needed was an impartial observer "outisde" the Bourbon bubble - the duchesse de Berri and Chateaubriand, while they had much going for them, were always going to have a hard sell of it. - who had the ability to stand up to Charles X. Which is where Frankie steps in: he crashes into the Bourbon family with the subtlety of a battering ram before they've even unfastened their gloves/coats. The tutors he appoints (Baumgartner, Forestri, etc) are ones that tutored him. Not like Charles can say "hey, no thanks" or call any of those men "liberal" when Emperor Franz would probably recoil at the very notion of his grandson being given a liberal education.
Death in the Family
Soundtrack: Charles Valentin Alkan Marcia Funebra sulla morte d'un Pappagallo
*interior of the Tuileries Palace* *Louis Philippe is sitting at his desk, talking to Madame Adélaïde*
Usher: the duc de Broglie, your Majesty.
Louis Philippe: *doesn't even look up*
Broglie: your Majesty.
Louis Philippe: *grunts*
Broglie: I have just received the report from Rome by the Comte de Saint-Aulaire. It's rather... Concerning sire.
Louis Philippe: more concerning than the duc de Reichstadt being allowed out of his jail cell in Vienna?
Broglie: yes, sire.
Louis Philippe: *finally looks at the duc with "well, tell me about it" expression*
Broglie: Madame Bonaparte - the late General Bonaparte's mother - has died, as you well know.
Madame Adélaïde: *boredly* and next he'll be telling us that the sky is blue or that if I drop my knitting it will fall to the floor. *normal tone* Madame Bonaparte was old. Old people die. That is a truism of life.
Broglie: it's not so much that she is dead than... What happened afterwards.
Louis Philippe: let me guess, her corpse sat up and said her son won't allow her to heaven unless she brings her grandson with her?
Adélaïde: or perhaps you wish to tell us that the Bonaparte's are squabbling amongst one another like they always have.
Broglie: *makes a "well, yes, but" expression*
Louis Philippe: I wouldn't trust the Comte de Saint-Aulaire. His support for the pretender's son is why I sent him to Rome in the first place. Let him keep company with his former comrades and we still benefit from what he tells us.
Broglie: the report from the comte was not about Madame Bonaparte's death, sire, it was that the pope has granted a dispensation of marriage to Queen Marie [of Portugal]-
Louis Philippe: *face clouds* and since this is bad news, no doubt the Bonaparte boy thinks he can wear his father's boots in Lisbon. *scoffs* bah! His father couldn't hold Spain with an entire armée, and he thinks fucking his way into the queen's bed will do it?
Broglie: *slightly annoyed at "just let me finish" look* actually, Majesty, the dispensation was to release her from her marriage contract to the Prince Ferdinand of Coburg-
Adélaïde: has his Holiness gone insane. He'll anger Austria, Belgium, England, by doing that!
Broglie: - and issued a second dispensation to allow her to marry Dom Sébastien.
Louis Philippe: but he's a Carlist! Austria will never support this! Not when Ferdinand was their candidate!
Broglie: I've just come from seeing Comte Apponyi [1] and he knew nothing of this.
Louis Philippe: his grandfather will be furious.
Broglie: that is what I also thought. Until I heard that the Comte de Saint-Priest [2] had been stripped of his accreditation in Portugal. By the queen. Publicly at court. Then she declared her willingness to marry her cousin. And made some... Most unladylike remarks about Ferdinand-
Adélaïde: *I told you so tone* I suppose we can't expect much different from a girl as badly brought up as she is.
Broglie: General Àlava [3] has naturally mentioned that the Spanish government is alarmed by these developments.
Louis Philippe: assure Ambassador Àlava that France and England stand ready to honour our promise to defend Spain against the Carlists.
Broglie: *gulps*
Louis Philippe: what?
Broglie: when General Àlava made his protests in London, Milord Melbourne told him that... England is not looking for a second Siege of Badajoz. And even Lord Guellington[4] told him that he is not looking for his own Vaterloo.
Louis Philippe: and the king?
Broglie: seemed inclined to agree with them [5].
Louis Philippe: that is no matter... France is more than capable of shouldering the burden alone. We have driven Bonaparte off twice already, and that was the father who had he been in the royalist army, I would've admired. This is a wet behind the ears whelp who-
Broglie: has made it that your Majesty cannot get involved in Spain without it looking suspiciously like a second Peninsular War.
Louis Philippe & Adélaïde: *Pikachu faces*
Broglie: General Àlava also reported disturbing news from Rome.
Adélaïde : *tiredly* are we back on this topic?
Broglie: did we ever leave it Madame?
Louis Philippe: what is so disturbing.
Broglie: it's regarding Madame Bonaparte's funeral.
Louis Philippe: Europe will pay more attention when her grandson joins her and his father.
Broglie: somehow... Nobody's quite sure how, but the young man managed to have them agree to hold the funeral in St. John Lateran[6]. The oration was given by Cardinal Bernetti[7]. All of Madame Bonaparte's children were there... The king of Spain, the prince of Musignano, the king of Holland, the queen of Naples and the king of Westphalia-
Adélaïde: children attending the funeral of their mother is not newsworthy. Even if she was buried in the wrong church.
Broglie: the kings of Spain and Holland, it is well known, Majesty, that they have been separated from their wives since 1815, if not before. Yet the Queen of Spain AND the Queen of Holland both accompanied their husband's at the funeral! All of Madame Bonaparte's grandchildren, even her great-grandchildren, were present. According to Àlava, one could scarcely move in Rome with all the Bonaparte's. And when Monsieur le Duc arrived, it was on the arm of his mother, the Duchess of Parma.
Louis Philippe: is there a point to this seemingly inane itenerary of rather unsurprising - if alarming - facts?
Broglie: *as if quoting from memory* in Monsieur le Duc's train - as for a coronation - walked the Monsieur le comte de Chambord, Dom Miguel of Portugal, Dom Sébastien, Don Carlos' eldest sons, a further three Archdukes from Teschen and Modena and Prince Albert of Coburg.
Louis Philippe: *drops the letter he was holding*
*fade to black*
[1] Antal, Count Apponyi, was appointed ambassador to Paris in 1826 and remained until 1849
[2] Alexis Guignard de Saint-Priest was the French ambassador to Portugal 1835-1836
[3] Miguel Àlava was officially the ambassador to the court of Saint James, but he seems to have been pulling double duty in Paris as well between 1833 and 1838
[4] French was still without a "w" sound at this point, so it generally wound up pronounced as either a hard g (like Guillaume) or a hard v (like vous)
[5] this is OTL, William IV absolutely despised Leopold of Coburg (and the Coburgs in general) so he wouldn't be particularly averse to Ferdinand of Coburg not getting in. Nor would he be averse to Prince Albert being "removed" from Leopold's tutelage, in fact, he might regard that Albert being the protégé of Boney the Ogre's son will well and truly nix Leopold' s plans. Melbourne lacks the backbone of Palmerton and his prime ministership can be summed up as "do nothing" (whether it be for slaves or Catholics)
[6] Rome's cathedral, not St. Peter's as many think
[7] Tomasso Bernetti, until January 1836 the papal secretary of state
*interior of the Tuileries Palace* *Louis Philippe is sitting at his desk, talking to Madame Adélaïde*
Usher: the duc de Broglie, your Majesty.
Louis Philippe: *doesn't even look up*
Broglie: your Majesty.
Louis Philippe: *grunts*
Broglie: I have just received the report from Rome by the Comte de Saint-Aulaire. It's rather... Concerning sire.
Louis Philippe: more concerning than the duc de Reichstadt being allowed out of his jail cell in Vienna?
Broglie: yes, sire.
Louis Philippe: *finally looks at the duc with "well, tell me about it" expression*
Broglie: Madame Bonaparte - the late General Bonaparte's mother - has died, as you well know.
Madame Adélaïde: *boredly* and next he'll be telling us that the sky is blue or that if I drop my knitting it will fall to the floor. *normal tone* Madame Bonaparte was old. Old people die. That is a truism of life.
Broglie: it's not so much that she is dead than... What happened afterwards.
Louis Philippe: let me guess, her corpse sat up and said her son won't allow her to heaven unless she brings her grandson with her?
Adélaïde: or perhaps you wish to tell us that the Bonaparte's are squabbling amongst one another like they always have.
Broglie: *makes a "well, yes, but" expression*
Louis Philippe: I wouldn't trust the Comte de Saint-Aulaire. His support for the pretender's son is why I sent him to Rome in the first place. Let him keep company with his former comrades and we still benefit from what he tells us.
Broglie: the report from the comte was not about Madame Bonaparte's death, sire, it was that the pope has granted a dispensation of marriage to Queen Marie [of Portugal]-
Louis Philippe: *face clouds* and since this is bad news, no doubt the Bonaparte boy thinks he can wear his father's boots in Lisbon. *scoffs* bah! His father couldn't hold Spain with an entire armée, and he thinks fucking his way into the queen's bed will do it?
Broglie: *slightly annoyed at "just let me finish" look* actually, Majesty, the dispensation was to release her from her marriage contract to the Prince Ferdinand of Coburg-
Adélaïde: has his Holiness gone insane. He'll anger Austria, Belgium, England, by doing that!
Broglie: - and issued a second dispensation to allow her to marry Dom Sébastien.
Louis Philippe: but he's a Carlist! Austria will never support this! Not when Ferdinand was their candidate!
Broglie: I've just come from seeing Comte Apponyi [1] and he knew nothing of this.
Louis Philippe: his grandfather will be furious.
Broglie: that is what I also thought. Until I heard that the Comte de Saint-Priest [2] had been stripped of his accreditation in Portugal. By the queen. Publicly at court. Then she declared her willingness to marry her cousin. And made some... Most unladylike remarks about Ferdinand-
Adélaïde: *I told you so tone* I suppose we can't expect much different from a girl as badly brought up as she is.
Broglie: General Àlava [3] has naturally mentioned that the Spanish government is alarmed by these developments.
Louis Philippe: assure Ambassador Àlava that France and England stand ready to honour our promise to defend Spain against the Carlists.
Broglie: *gulps*
Louis Philippe: what?
Broglie: when General Àlava made his protests in London, Milord Melbourne told him that... England is not looking for a second Siege of Badajoz. And even Lord Guellington[4] told him that he is not looking for his own Vaterloo.
Louis Philippe: and the king?
Broglie: seemed inclined to agree with them [5].
Louis Philippe: that is no matter... France is more than capable of shouldering the burden alone. We have driven Bonaparte off twice already, and that was the father who had he been in the royalist army, I would've admired. This is a wet behind the ears whelp who-
Broglie: has made it that your Majesty cannot get involved in Spain without it looking suspiciously like a second Peninsular War.
Louis Philippe & Adélaïde: *Pikachu faces*
Broglie: General Àlava also reported disturbing news from Rome.
Adélaïde : *tiredly* are we back on this topic?
Broglie: did we ever leave it Madame?
Louis Philippe: what is so disturbing.
Broglie: it's regarding Madame Bonaparte's funeral.
Louis Philippe: Europe will pay more attention when her grandson joins her and his father.
Broglie: somehow... Nobody's quite sure how, but the young man managed to have them agree to hold the funeral in St. John Lateran[6]. The oration was given by Cardinal Bernetti[7]. All of Madame Bonaparte's children were there... The king of Spain, the prince of Musignano, the king of Holland, the queen of Naples and the king of Westphalia-
Adélaïde: children attending the funeral of their mother is not newsworthy. Even if she was buried in the wrong church.
Broglie: the kings of Spain and Holland, it is well known, Majesty, that they have been separated from their wives since 1815, if not before. Yet the Queen of Spain AND the Queen of Holland both accompanied their husband's at the funeral! All of Madame Bonaparte's grandchildren, even her great-grandchildren, were present. According to Àlava, one could scarcely move in Rome with all the Bonaparte's. And when Monsieur le Duc arrived, it was on the arm of his mother, the Duchess of Parma.
Louis Philippe: is there a point to this seemingly inane itenerary of rather unsurprising - if alarming - facts?
Broglie: *as if quoting from memory* in Monsieur le Duc's train - as for a coronation - walked the Monsieur le comte de Chambord, Dom Miguel of Portugal, Dom Sébastien, Don Carlos' eldest sons, a further three Archdukes from Teschen and Modena and Prince Albert of Coburg.
Louis Philippe: *drops the letter he was holding*
*fade to black*
[1] Antal, Count Apponyi, was appointed ambassador to Paris in 1826 and remained until 1849
[2] Alexis Guignard de Saint-Priest was the French ambassador to Portugal 1835-1836
[3] Miguel Àlava was officially the ambassador to the court of Saint James, but he seems to have been pulling double duty in Paris as well between 1833 and 1838
[4] French was still without a "w" sound at this point, so it generally wound up pronounced as either a hard g (like Guillaume) or a hard v (like vous)
[5] this is OTL, William IV absolutely despised Leopold of Coburg (and the Coburgs in general) so he wouldn't be particularly averse to Ferdinand of Coburg not getting in. Nor would he be averse to Prince Albert being "removed" from Leopold's tutelage, in fact, he might regard that Albert being the protégé of Boney the Ogre's son will well and truly nix Leopold' s plans. Melbourne lacks the backbone of Palmerton and his prime ministership can be summed up as "do nothing" (whether it be for slaves or Catholics)
[6] Rome's cathedral, not St. Peter's as many think
[7] Tomasso Bernetti, until January 1836 the papal secretary of state
I was actually thinking that... Well, since Jérôme is conveniently widowed and in need of money... While Betsy is a wealthy divorcée... Frankie brokers a marriage. Jérôme and Betsy we'd, but Bo gets regarded as a "naturalized" child, behind Jérôme's kids by Katharina and minus the succession rights. Perhaps something like a pension/estates in Austria/Tuscany
Betsey might not be thrilled about Jérôme - there was an awkward moment in 1837/1838 when they ran into one another after 30 yrs at the Uffizi. Both stopped, stared, pointedly ignored the other and then continued on their merry way. - but half of her battle with the Bonaparte's was because she wanted Bo to get SOMETHING for the trouble. So a pension/Tuscan vineyard are probably some kind of sufficient recompense to get her to smile and nod. Even if, à la Julie/Hortense I suspect she'll live separately from her husband.
That said, Bo will be absolutely horrified at the prospect of either. He wrote to his grandpa OTL that his mother's ambitions for him "makes one quite ill. I have no desire to sup at banquet tables with princes and duchesses". So I suspect he'll take the estate/pension and bugger off back to the States, leaving his mother, who loved Europe and wrote to her father that "I feel quite at home here. I've finally found my equals and who respect and regard me highly. I don't think I could ever be happy in Baltimore after this". Needless to say, her sojourn didn't last long but she kept going back. First with Bo's elder son, then his younger one. So I suspect Betsy will be quite thrilled to have a rank (Queen of Westphalia) and position in the Bonaparte family. Jérôme might feel a bit differently, but if Frankie's not only the one paying his bills but also removing three mouths sucking at his financial teat (custody of Mathilde, Plon-Plon and their brother) while leaving him to do as he likes... No doubt he'll just ask where do I sign. Even his issue with his OTL third wife (regarding the marriage as morganatic) would be a hard sell. Since Frankie can point out: but uncle, you married her before you became a king. What right do you have to airs and graces to marry her a second time and insist it be morganatic.
Spain would no nothing past issuing a letter of condemnation. After all, the other powers can always switch to supporting Don Carlos' claim to the throne if Spain complies too much.
My rationale is that Frankie is walking a tightrope here. With rather more adroitness than his father. Unlike his father, Frankie feels no loyalty to his aunt and uncle's, so doesn't make half-assed decisions that upset everyone.
After his behavior to his cousins both at the palazzo and at the theatre, he knows there will be many wondering about his dedication to the cause of his father. Persuading the pope (who was personal friends with Letizia) to grant an old woman "a funeral worthy of an emperor's mother" shouldn't be difficult. Especially if Frankie can persuade the Supreme pontiff that *it'll be a good way to quiet those liberals you were complaining about"and makes the pope look "liberal" without actually having to concede anything (Bernetti and Greg XVI were both in attendance on Pius VI and VII in various dealings with Napoléon, so to them, granting a "state funeral" to an old Catholic woman is probably preferable than something like Frankie asking them to crown him emperor of the world in St. Peter's).
And,since its a "state" event he can INSIST to Joseph/Louis that "suck it up uncle" when Julie/Hortense turn up. Julie will likely use her health as an excuse as she did numerous times OTL, and Frankie will ask his cousin in Tuscany to send the cops to bring her if she won't come willingly. Hortense will no doubt object (and the rest of the Bonaparte too) but Frankie can play the "godmother" card (Hortense was his godmommy as a sop to the Beauharnais). Plus, since Eugène's family is likely still in mourning for Auguste de Beauharnais, they will be conspicuously absent. No matter, Frankie can get his friend, Gustaf Vasa to come as well, along with his wife, Louise of Baden, his sisters-in-law and his Beauharnais mother-in-law. The Empress of Brasil and her daughter might attend too.
The grandeur of the funeral also has a beneficial impact on the papal economy. This level of pomp and circumstance - probably equal to Frankie's dad's coronation or his parents' marriage - is going to require clothes, carriages, horses, draperies, liveries, and God knows what else. Since Frankie likely has it planned down to the finest detail (if he doesn't Albert of Coburg is the pedant that will), that means outfits and carriages are likely made/built in Rome or at least, the papal states. The influx of people means that more food, wine and other will be required. Stimulating those industries and trade.
And then, finally, the Bonapartes (that are optimistic that this is going to be the event, he's going to rally the troops) especially by him turning up on the arm of his mother (who most of them disliked for her flakeyness, but he probably told his uncle's if it's a "state" event, excluding my mother "looks odd. And the rest of Europe can continue to sneer down their noses at those Bonapartes. Trust me, I feel your pain." Maybe even remind them his mother's not that bad by saying "I would rather have escorted the Empress Josèphine to the funeral". And even Louis will go "no, this is much better"). But he bamboozles them (and probably all of Europe) by arriving last. "Escorted" by Legitimist, a Migueliist, two Carlists, three Habsburgs and two future kings-consort. While Charles X, Louis Philippe, Nikolai I and Metternich probably all have a collective seizure (and I can imagine Madame Royal going to Henri "are you okay? Where did the bad man hurt you") there's probably also a collective WTF?
But Frankie likely used a similar argument to persuade those - ists to attend as he did for the pope: imagine what it can do for your image. I think there was perhaps some very hardcore wrangling behind the scenes to time it that it didn't look like Miguel /the Carlists were giving an inch to the liberals or that they were not there as Frankie's bitches.
Still, Metternich's description as Frankie as an impresario, Chartres' terming him as a ringmaster and Louis Philippe saying he was allowed out of his cell [at the insane asylum] illustrates what Edmond Dantes says perfectly: one should never be exclusive. When one lives among madmen one should train as a maniac. From one minute to the next, some hothead with no greater reason to seek a quarrel may come and hunt me out on the first flimsy pretext he can find, or send me his seconds, or insult me in public"