Princess Philomena, Countess of Paris

Princess Philomena, Countess of Paris, (Maria Philomena Magdalena Juliana Johanna Tornos Steinhart; born 19 June 1977 in Vienna, Austria), is an aristocrat of Hispanic-Austrian descent. She is the wife of Prince Jean, Duke of Vendome, Orleanist claimant to the throne of France and head of the House of Orleans.

Early Life

Philomena is the daughter of Don Alfonso Tornos Zubiria (b. Getxo, 13 October 1937), of noble Basque ancestry, and his wife (married Vienna, 18 September 1976) Maria Antonia Anna Zdenka, Edle Steinhart (b.1944), of Austro-Hungarian ancestry. Philomena has a sister named Maria Magdalena (1980), married to Jean d'Haussonville, Count d' Andlau Cleron d'Haussonville, director of the EPIC (public company) that manages the Chateau Chambord and a brother, David (1982). Her paternal grandparents are Don Juan Tornos Espelius (former head of the personal secretariat of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, grandfather of the current King of Spain and Maria Carmen Zubiria Calbeton, daughter of the 2nd Marquess Yanduri. Her maternal grandparents were Dr. Ferdinand, Edler Steinhart (1910-1998) and his wife (married September 1939) Gabriele Felicitas Murad Werner (1913-1994), paternal granddaughter of Murad Effendi.

She spent part of her youth in the Auvergne and studied at the Lycee Maritime in Ciboure.

Marriage and Children

Philomena married Prince Jean, Duke of Vendome in a civil service on 19 March 2009 in Paris, conducted by Mayor Rachida Dati. The religious wedding was held on 2 May 2009 at the Cathedral Notre-Dame at Senlis, with a reception at the Chateau Chantilly. The bride wore a gown by Christian Lacroix and a jacket embroidered by Maison Lesage.

The couple have five children:

-Prince Gaston Louis Antoine Marie Orleans (born 19 November 2009 in Paris) his six godparents: Prince Eudes, Duke of Angouleme (paternal uncle), Magdalena Tornos (maternal aunt), Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, Princess Astrid of Belgium, Archduchess, Count Francois-Pierre Feydeau and Magdalena, Countess El Abra.

-Princess Antoinette Leopoldine Jeanne Marie Orleans (born 28 January 2012 in Vienna), her six godparents are: Don David Tornos (maternal uncle), Princess Leopoldine of Liechtenstein (her first cousin), Count Damian Schonborn-Buchheim (father's first cousin), Francesca Lopez Osa, Leopoldo Gavito and Dominique Layre.

-Princess Louise-Marguerite Eleonore Marie Orleans (born 30 July 2014 in Poissy), her five godparents are: Princess Marguerite of Liechtenstein (her first cousin), Princess Sibilla of Luxembourg, Philippe d' Albert, 13th Duke of Luynes, Don Alvaro-Jaime Orleans-Borbon and Archduke Michael of Austria.

-Prince Joseph Gabriel David Marie Orleans (born 2 June 2016), his six godparents are: Prince Johann Wenzel of Liechtenstein (his first cousin), Infante Afonso, Prince of Beira (father's second cousin), Benedikt Casse, Princess Marie-Liesse, Duchess of Angouleme (father's sister-in-law), Princess Tilsim of Liechtenstein and Kildine Stevenson (father's first cousin)

-Princess Jacinthe Elisabeth-Charlotte Marie Orleans (born 9 October 2018 in Dreux). She was christened just four days after her birth at the Saint-Etienne Church in Dreux, France. Her godparents are: Princess Maria-Immaculata of Liechtenstein (her first cousin), Prince Pierre Orleans (her first cousin), Prince Charles Philippe, Duke of Anjou (father's first cousin), The Duchess of Gramont, Princess Silvia of Arenberg and Count Herve Solages.

Titles, Styles and Honours

19 June 1977-19 March 2009: Dona Philomena Tornos Steinhart

19 March 2009-2 February 2019: Her Royal Highness Princess Philomena, The Duchess of Vendome

2 February 2019-present: Her Royal Highness Princess Philomena, The Countess of Paris

Honours

-Portuguese Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Saint Isabel (27 October 2012, installed 6 November 2012)

-Two Sicilian Royal Family: Bailiff Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (19 March 2019, installed 13 May 2019)

(https://zims-en.kiwix.campusafrica.gos.orange.com)