ROYALTY IN FRANCE

Shannon News, 24 July 1928, Page 4

ROYALTY IN FRANCE

TITLE QUESTION RAISED. Discussion as to v.hether Marguerite Watson, as the wife of the Due de Nemours, is a real duchess or not, ha’s mised the question of the status of loyal and imperial titles in France and giA-en the all wool and a yard wide aristocrats a chance to say what they really think about titles. Prince Lncinge-Faucigy, one of the purest blood of all French nobility, is 'against them. .He would like to gee titles suppress/ 1. Titles are bought and sold like shares in the stock-market to-day, the Prince Lucingc-Faucigny declared indignantly. lloAvever, the American girl who has married a bona fide title, the aristocrats generally agree, need have no apprehension as to its desirability. Titles exist in France without explicit recognition by the Government, but Avitkout hindrance either. '

Nobility AA’as abolished in France by the revolution in 1790; it Avas restored again in 1814 after Napoleon had been exiled and royalty AA-as again triumphant. The revolution of .IS4S again put an end to it. but the second Napoleon, reinstated it in 1852. The question was cither overlooked or ignored Avhen the constitution of the Third Republic Avas dniAvn.

There Avere 30,000 noble families in France in 1870. None has been created since, but the number has groAA-n enormously. The reason is there is nothing iu French luav to prevent anyone from putting in front of his name the little preposition “de," Avhieh signifies noble origin.