Queen Frances of Montpierre

**Mother** | Thérèse Genevieve Roux

**Frances** (born **Françoise Héloïse de Montpierre**; 22 January 1944) is the Queen consort of New Anglia and wife of Charles II. She acceded to the throne with her husband on 20 March 1989, upon the death of her father-in-law Henry II.

Born in London to French noble parents from the House of Montpierre, Frances was raised in the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud. She graduated from *lycée* with a *baccalauréat général* in literature in 1962. Shortly after her graduation, Frances became introduced to Charles II while he was on a trip in Paris, and they began a romantic relationship. She relocated to Washington, D.C. upon his return to New Anglia to continue the relationship, and they later became engaged in 1963. Frances married Charles the following year, and she subsequently became a New Anglian princess. With Charles, she has three children: Charles Henry (1967–1993), Victoria (born 1969), and Elizabeth (born 1972).

Following the death of Henry II in 1989, Frances became Queen consort, the first New Anglian royal consort in history to be French. As Queen consort, Frances has focused her philanthropic efforts on promoting literacy in New Anglia and abroad.

## Early life

Frances was born on 22 January 1944 in London as *Françoise Héloïse de Montpierre*. Her parents were Xavier-Louis de Montpierre (1917–1998) and Thérèse Roux (1922–2010), both members of the French nobility dating to the First French Empire of the early-19th century. Xavier-Louis was a count who was the head of the House of Montpierre, while Thérèse came from the House of Laforde as a member of the untitled nobility. The family came to London at the start of World War II in France, where they resided in Belgravia.

Following the conclusion of World War II in 1945, the family returned to France. They settled in the affluent city of Saint-Cloud, an inner suburb of Paris. Frances is the eldest of four children; her younger siblings include Élisabeth (born 1946), Vivienne (born 1949), and Bernard-Xavier (born 1951). Growing up, Frances's father worked in corporate affairs and was licensed to practice law, while her mother was a homemaker.

## Youth and education

Frances began her education in 1949, attending a private primary school for girls in Saint-Cloud. She graduated from the school in 1955, and enrolled in a public *lycée général* in Paris. Upon education reforms in France in 1959, Frances transferred to a different *lycée* after schools for students aged 15–18 were separated from schools for students aged 11–15, now called *collège*.

While in *lycée*, Frances studied a *baccalauréat général* program in literature, where she took courses on French literature, philosophy, foreign languages, and humanities, focusing on the English language. She graduated with her *baccalauréat général* diploma in 1962. She had initially planned to study English literature at the University of Paris, but opted against pursuing her post-secondary studies after meeting Charles II.

## Royalty

### Marriage

Frances met Charles II in 1962, while he was on a trip to Paris. They began a romantic relationship, and Frances returned with him to New Anglia after his planned departure, where she began residing in a guest residence at the White House. Once in New Anglia, Frances adopted the anglicization of her birth name *Françoise*. They became engaged in June 1963, and later married in a royal wedding at Columbia Cathedral on 25 July 1964. Upon their marriage, Frances received New Anglian citizenship and became styled as *Her Royal Highness* The Princess of Columbia. The wedding turned Frances into a beloved figure within both New Anglia and France, and she became known as a fashion icon of the 1960s and A-list celebrity in both nations.

Following their wedding, Frances and Charles moved into Elizabeth House on the grounds of the White House, a five-bedroom estate. After one year of residing in the residence, they opted to move to Hogg Cottage in Chevy Chase Section Five, Maryland, a five-bedroom estate. The move was instigated by Frances and Charles's desire to live in a less urban area where they could have more privacy. Following Charles's accession as king in 1989, they family moved into the main residence of the White House. As Queen consort, Frances has focused her philanthropic efforts on promoting literacy in New Anglia and abroad.

### Family

Frances and Charles have three children together and six grandchildren. Their children include:

* The Prince of Columbia (*Charles Henry François*; 10 June 1967 – 20 December 1993)
* The Princess of Georgetown (*Victoria Alexandria Élisabeth*; born 3 March 1969)
* The Duchess of Massachusetts (*Elizabeth Marie Vivienne*; born 10 September 1972)

## Titles

Upon her marriage to Charles II, Frances became styled as *Her Royal Highness* The Princess of Columbia. After her husband acceded to the throne in 1989, she became styled as *Her Majesty* Queen Frances of Montpierre, in recognition of her parentage.

* **22 January 1944 – present**: *Seigneuresse* Françoise de Montpierre
* **25 July 1964 – 20 March 1989**: *Her Royal Highness* The Princess of Columbia
* **20 March 1989 – present**: *Her Majesty* Queen Frances of Montpierre