The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-19 00:00:00

DEATH OF THE DUCHESS OF ORLEANS.

We regret to announce the death of her Royal
Highness the Duchess of Orleans, who expired yes-
terday morning, shortly after 5 o'clock, at her
residence at Richmond, to the inexpressible grief
of her sons, the Count de Paris and the Duke de
Chartres, and the. other members of the exiled
Royal family of France.
The demise of her Royal Highness is a deep
affliction to the ex-Queen Amelie, whose only con-
solation under the mournful circumstances is the
presence of the Duke of Nemours, the Duke and
Duchess of Aumale, the Prince and Princess Join-
villa, who, with their families, are living at T wickeu-
ham and Claremont. The lamentable event was
quite unexpected. The Duchess only a fortnight
since dined at the Marquis of Lansdowne's, and
was apparently in excellent health and spirits.
The deceased Duchess, Helene Louise Elizabeth
d'Orleans, was youngest daughter of Frederick
Louis, Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburgh-
Schwerin, by his second marriage with the Princess
Caroline, daughter of Charles, Grand Duke of
Saxe-Weimar. Her Royal Highness was born
Jan. 24, 1814, and consequently was 44 years of
age. The Princess was brought up in the Protestant
faith, and it is said, from the pious and unostenta-
tious course of her early life, that she reluctantly
embraced the brilliant prospect of her union with
the Prince Royal of France, the Duke of Orleans,
at the period of the negotiation of the marriage the
hope and pride of the French people. On leaving
her retired home at Ludwigslust for her adopted
country, the Princess was delicately reminded that
it would be necessary to conceal her regret on
leaving the land of her birth. The Princess re-
plied, " I shall endeavour henceforth to love and
admire everything in France." The marriage of
the Princess and the Duke of Orleans was cele-
brated on the 13th of July, 1837, at the Palace of
Fontainebleau, in the splendid gallery of Henry 11.
After having had two sons, the Count de Paris
(born 24th of August, 1838) and the Duke de
Chartres (born November 9, 1840), the Duchess
met with an overwhelming domestic calamity by
the sudden death of her husband. On the 13th
of Jnly, 1812, the Duke of Orleans was killed by a
fall from his carriage. The Duchess bore her loss
with heroic resignation, and gave vent to her
harrowed feelings only in retirement. She then,
and ever since, in most eventful times, de-
voted herself to the education of her infant
sons, to whom she was the most affectionate and
loving of mothers. Her Royal Highness rarely
appeared in the gaieties of the Court of Louis Phi-
lippe. Tue Duchess of Orleans and her sons were
staying with the King and Queen at Paris when
the revolutionary outbre ,k took place, in February,
1848. After much trouble and anxiety the Duchess
and her sons, attended by the Marquis de Mornay,
son-in-law of Marshal Soult and a faithful adherent
of Louis Philippe and his family, escaped to Bel-
gium. Since the convulsion of 1848 the Duchess
and her sons have chiefly passed their time at her
residence in Germany, and in visiting the members
of the French royal family in this country. Her
Royal Higness had been staying since the summer
of last year at Mr. Paynter's villa at Richmond.
The exemplary propriety of her conduct during all
the trials her Royal Highness experienced after her
alliance with the house of Orleans gained the admi-
ration of all observers.

His Royal Highness the Prince Consort, shortly
after the sad news reached the Queen at Bucking-
ham Palace, left town for Richmond on a visit of
condolence to the sorrowing ralatives of the Duchess.
The Duchess of Cambridge, and the other mem-
bers of the royal family, likewise paid visits to the
exiled royal family soon after the intelligence was
received.