Prince Germain
Duke of Royan from 1789 to 1853
Biography
His Highness Prince Germain Henri was born on September 24, 1779, he is the son of Prince Pierre (1757-1785) and Anne Landrey (1761-1802). In 1789, he succeeded at the age of 10 to his grandfather, Prince Louis, as Duke of Royan.
Young during the French Revolution, he nevertheless remained loyal to the royal family and supported Louis XVI. However, with the establishment of the empire by Napoleon, he chose to take refuge in England with his family.
In 1800, he married Angélique de Bauffremont-Courtenay (1779-1834) and they had three children: Prince Germain, future Duke of Royan, Princess Marie (1808-1884) who was for a time heiress presumptive, and Princess Marie-Anne (1810-1819).
In 1815, with the restoration of the monarchy and the coming to power of Louis XVIII, the ducal family returned to France. Nine years later with the agreement of the King, he created the House of Royan, formalized by the deliberation of the letters patent.
But with the establishment of the empire by Napoleon III, following a coup d'etat in 1851, the Duke and his children again chose to settle in London. Prince Germain died there on July 25, 1853.