The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-07-23
THE SECRETS or THE BoURBoNs.


banks Of the Seine. between Paris and Rouen.
there died an old gentleman of n years OF age.
Nj. George Granville Brown who was the nat
ural heir OF the Legitimate Bourbon Kings
of France You will search in vain for
George Browns name in tho biographi-
cal dictionaries. Hardly anybody knew of
his existence, and everybody was surprised.
when he died. to find that this modest old gem
tleman had royal blood in his veins. and that
he was. in fact. no other than the
son of the Due de Berry by his first
marriage with Miss Amy Brown. Tho
historians and the biographers OF the Due de
Berry mention his marriage with Miss Brown
and the fact that by her he had two children
Countesses dc Vierzon and d'Issoudun. and
who aftelward became. the one Princess Fau-
cigny-Lucinge and the other Baroness de
Charette. But they say nothing about the son.
Tho recent researches OF NJ. Charles Nauroy
nave brought to light some new documents
relative to this first marriage Of the Due do
Berry. With their aid 1 propose to reconstl-
tute this curious chapter OF French history to
which tho death Of NJ. Brown has given re-
newed interest. Even the doubt cast upon tho
legitimacy OF the Comtc de Chambord would
be sufficient to justify the discussion.
Miss Amy Brown was born in Maidstone
Kent, England. on April 8. 1888. Her father
Joseph Brown, was vicar OF All Saints. Maid
stone. He died in 1924. Her mother Mary Ann
Deacon. died in 1906. Miss Amy Brown had
six or seven brothers and sisters. almost all Of
whom died young. One Of her nephews is now
pumpmaker at Maidstone. We know nothing
OF the childhood and youth Of Amy Brown ex-
cept that she grew up to be singularly baauti-
full girl. Probably she would have lived and
died in obscurity IL the French Revolution had
not put to flight the members Of the royal house
81 II
and the Due de Berry in 1904. Miss Brown was
then 81 and tho Duke was 20. Physically. he
was an attractive enough man intellectually
he was. according to ali accounts. worse than
and on April 20 sS Amy Bro'Wn i had son 11V at
London who received the name Of George Gran;
ALWAYS remained such.
thif time The empire seemed to be firmly
that his work seemed likely to be lasting. The
probabilities of bourbon restoration seemed
smaller than ever the Bourbons were forgot
ten a now generation had sprung up that knew
them not. and many OF their pnrtisans deserted
termined TO marry Amy Brown. The marriage
was celebrated in the Catholic chapel, King
ses pSr5man hpd9 ns II Sof in
yens delivered the funeral Grafton over Marie
JJ9:.,%Ghine Louise de Savoie. wife of Louis
become Catholic The two we're ' married nc
cordng 70 English law. openly and with Wit
HeSStS.- NtllUtT lnt tOIlts u ATIplS Illp latnrr
of the Duke. nor Louis XVIII.. his uncle pro-
tested. The Comtesse 'Artois died in 1905.
n Nov comes ones the question Of loyalty pid the
sidercd his marriage us valid there can be no
doubt doubt; seeing I'll that he eohabited with Amy
up to the uay of his death. On tho other hand
he seems to have made certain mental reserves
the proof OF which is that he failed to Legitimate
the child born before the marriage Amy, be-
Ing ignorant of French law and usage. did not
enliitltpup1 her III the Dup d., Harry ItI hau
his, wife's IGNORANCE. On July -, 1908. Amy
denominnted in the birth certificate us the
aaaugh'sr st. q charles Ferdinand and Amy
designation. Charles Ferdinand is repeated in
all the documents relative to this affair The
delay in registering the birth is to be noticed in
connection with the cautious terms of the act
in which Charles Ferdinand and Amy Brown
are not qualified as being man and wife. 1t
OF the Spanish war in which far-secing men
Ike tInlleyrand among Others. saw the germ Of
ficatc Of the second daughter. born in 1909 the
Omissions af,sr MA aT tn e1nniiiy slGniicnIt,
after the retreat of Moscow and the battle OF
Lepzig. the fall Of the empire became more and
sseduced and married her; was going to trick
and afterward maintained that silence alone
verify of her ,wrongcd estate. When Louis
70 annu the marriaee Of the Due de Berry ON on
the ground that il had been contracted without
the consent OF the head of the royal family.
The Pope accordingly annulled the marriage.
but declared the two daughters legitimate
Amy offered no opposition. She had remained
The Bourbons and their counsellors then
proceeded to concoct scheme for deceiving
for the union Of He Due e errS wtb ths
Princess Caroline Of Naples wore going on the
Nrapolitan Government eNqcted proof of the
a Ina nF tln tI.at
A correspondence on the subject took place be-
tween the courts of Rome and of Paris. This
Italian and from the French archives, and. to-
Sether with the marriage certificate OF Amy
Berry. ignores the marriage Of Amy Brown,
and treats the Dukes union with her as one OF
those ha'S2nS which religion rcproves and
human fragility excuses" and while relating
the scene Of the Duke on his dcathbcd recon-
mcnding his two daughters TO the care of the
Duchcsso de Berry. Chatcaubrund says nothing
about the son.
The Due de Berry married the Princess Caro-
line in 1916. Amy for the sake of her chill
drcn. came TO France. leaving her son in Eng
land, probably not Of her own free will. She
vile ILoiret. Then the Due de Berry bought
Tor her suecessively house in the Rue Blanche
rims, il. Almost every day, about O'clock. II" he
F fsp s I9 sa% to s %ss his two danghcrs On
recommended them to the care OF the Duchcsse
de Berry. The two girls wore naturalized as
French women. Their mother consented TO
separate herself from them. and they were
brought up nj the court and married as al
ready stated to, the Prince Faucisny- Lucinse
and the Baron dc Charettc. through the inter-
mediary Of the Duchesse de Berry who gave
them handsome dowrics.
Now, both in the records of naturalization and
OF marriage OF the two girls. the first marriage
OF the Due de Berry is carefully ignored. Tie
records are full of ncomplct to stat aments omis-
slons, and irregularities. the object OF which
was TO allow II to he understood at the utmost
that the Due de Berry had recognized two
daughters born out OF wedlock
- Meanwhile nothing was heard Of the son.
George Brown. who was unable to come and
see ms mother IN France until after the rCvou-
ton Of 1880. George Brown, while his mother
ana sisters were living in France. had been
Drought up NJ Ouchy, near Lausanne in the
Beau Beau SGJ9ur family, in tho strictect secrecy.
Alter having served some time in the army Of
the King OF Naples, in Sicily he returned to
france in 1913; and bought u house ut Nantes,
I Hue saint Pierre. where he diod last week
In lS4S he became naturaliHod. lie had mar
Brown.
;, Was the marriage Of the Due de Berry valid?
From the point OF view of English law yes
Furthermore it is still valid seeing that no Eng.
Itch mt aS a