Napolean IV survives

Probably nothing important if then France not turn back to Bonapartist state. He would be just claimant for imperial throne.
 
I've sometimes wondered if in a more drawn-out Franco-Prussian War, Napoleon III could have agreed to abdicate in favor of the Prince Imperial.
 
I've sometimes wondered if in a more drawn-out Franco-Prussian War, Napoleon III could have agreed to abdicate in favor of the Prince Imperial.

It would've resulted in the overthrow of the monarchy, all the same. Eugènie would've most likely been regent and she was her husband's complete opposite politically: I know it's a swearword but she was conservative (favouring the church and was firmly in favour of her husband keeping power in his own hands), Napoléon le Troisième was more liberal (Plon-Plon was frigging republican, or at least portrayed himself as such).

As to Napoléon surviving, it might not see the Bonapartists riven by factionalism (his will named Plon-Plon's son as his successor due to the enmity between the Bonapartes and the Beauharnais (of which Napoléon and his father were constant reminders) whicmeant that for the duration of Plon-Plon's life, there were two guys claiming to be Emperor of the French. An interesting thing would be if the Comte de Chambord goes through with his plan of adopting Napoléon as his successor, marries the boy to one of Isabel II of Spain's daughters (a long cherished dream of mother dearest), and the Bonapartes and the Bourbons join forces against the Orléans clan. It'd be like Luke and Darth Vader teaming up to defeat the emperor. But it's maybe too ASB. But if it DOES/CAN happen, Eugènie could see her dream at the Prince Impérial'schristening: "That it would be in my son that the Fifth House would finally take root in the soil of France" become a reality.
 
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