French Aristocrat descendant from France’s Last Monarchs demands the return to France of an historical chateau. He is agitating over whether it should be turned into a hotel or whether artworks are missing.

Jean d’Orleans, a descendant of Louis Philippe I who ruled France during the July Monarchy, has written to prosecutors to say that Chateau Chantilly – located 30 miles north of Paris – should be returned to his ownership.

Jean, 56, says the chateau’s current owner – the Institute of France – has mismanaged the property and in doing so has violated the terms on which it was donated to them in 1886 by his ancestor, Henri d’Orleans.

The chateau and its huge collection of art is one of the best-known in France, but it has run into financial trouble in recent years despite a £70million restoration carried out by the Aga Khan and £4million in government grants from Covid recovery funds.

It featured in the 1985 Bond film A View To A Kill as the lair of villain Max Zorin, with 007 remarking on its huge horse stables as he visits Zorin at the property.

Chateau Chantilly, a French palace located 30 miles north of Paris, has been owned by the Institute of France since it was bequeathed to them by the king's son in 1886

Chateau Chantilly is a French palace 30 miles north of Paris that has been in the possession of the Institute of France ever since 1886 when it was left to them by the son of the King.

The house contains the largest collection of artworks in France outside of the Louvre, including works by Raphael, Van Dyck, Ingres and Delacroix

The house contains the largest collection of artworks in France outside of the Louvre, including works by Raphael, Van Dyck, Ingres and Delacroix

The house featured in 1985 Bond film A View To A Kill when it served as the lair of villain Max Zorin, with 007 paying him a visit there (pictured)

The house featured in 1985 Bond film A View To A Kill when it served as the lair of villain Max Zorin, with 007 paying him a visit there (pictured)

The Institute of France had been floating plans to turn the Château d’Enghien, a large out-building on the Chateau Chantilly estate, into a hotel for years before finally accepting proposals in April this year.

Three applications were submitted and one was accepted, which would have seen the building leased to a French entrepreneur for 50 years, who would have kitted it out with a top-end restaurant and spa, before renting rooms for £650 per night.

But the process was mired in scandal when Christophe Tardieu, administrator of the estate, resigned in May and was replaced by Didier Selles.

Mr Selles quit after just 15 days in the job while raising concerns about the tender process amid accusations of favouritism and insider dealing, Le Parisien reports.

France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into August’s tender process, and plans to construct the hotel were scrapped.

In October, the news of the investigation made headlines. Jean and Eudes, Jean’s brother, wrote the prosecution asking for the return of the property to the family.

Henri and the couple donated Chateau Chantilly to Henri on condition that the exterior or interior architecture of Chateau Chantilly would not be altered or the artworks sold or moved. 

They write to say that their apparent failures in managing the hotel tender have led to ‘growing concern’La Voix du Nord reports that Henri’s terms are being changed and that they will not be kept.

Jean d'Orleans, ancestor of the house's last owner Henri and descendant of France's last king, (pictured with wife Philomena de Tornos Steinhart) now wants the property back

Jean d’Orleans, ancestor of the house’s last owner Henri and descendant of France’s last king, (pictured with wife Philomena de Tornos Steinhart) now wants the property back

Jean claims the institute has mismanaged the property and, in doing so, has violated the terms on which it was donated to them in 1886

Jean asserts that the institute mismanaged property, and in so doing, violated terms under which they were given it in 1886.

Louis Philippe I

Henri d'Orleans

Louis Philippe I, left) took France’s throne 1830 following the July Revolution. His son Henri (right), inherited Chateau Chatilly that he had completely renovated between 1875-1882.

Jean d'Orleans complained to French prosecutors after plans to turn the Château d'Enghien (pictured), which sits on the estate's grounds, into a hotel sparked a corruption probe

Jean d’Orleans complained to French prosecutors after plans to turn the Château d’Enghien (pictured), which sits on the estate’s grounds, into a hotel sparked a corruption probe

Originally constructed in the 1500s, the Chateau Chantilly was partially destroyed during the French Revolution before being inherited by the eight-year-old Henri d’Orléans when his father, Louis Philippe, was crowned king in 1830.

Though modest restoration work had been carried out before, Henri undertook a complete renovation of the property between 1875 and 1882 – adding the stables which Bond remarks on after falling in love with horse racing while living in London.

Henri was forced to flee France after 1886 because of a law that expelled former monarchs’ families. Henri left the property as a gesture of goodwill to the Institute of France, an academic society which also manages some historical properties.

As well as the main house, outbuildings and ground, Chateau Chantilly features a garden designed by André Le Nôtre

As well as the main house, outbuildings and ground, Chateau Chantilly features a garden designed by André Le Nôtre

Three years later, he was granted permission to go back to France as a gesture of gratitude for his generosity, and the property passed to the Institute on Henri’s death in 1897.

It was opened in 1995 and has been operated and maintained by the Institute since then as a public attraction, art gallery and museum.

But the huge upkeep costs saw the property run into financial difficulty, and in 2005 then-chancellor Pierre Messmer was forced to beg for funds for a refurbishment.

Aga Khan, Imam of 15million Shia Muslims, stepped up as a benefactor and donated £70million of his personal fortune – estimated to be in the billions – for the chateau’s upkeep, The Times reported.

Although the project was scheduled to last until 2025 by Khan, Khan chose to end his participation five years earlier in 2020.

That left the chateau once-again struggling for funding, despite a grant of £3.8million from Covid recovery funds which the government said was ‘essential to help this French historical and cultural jewel.’

As well as historic houses, horse stables and gallery, the Chateau Chantilly estate includes a 115-hectare garden designed by André Le Nôtre, 6,000 hectares of forest and a tennis court that dates back to 1756.

Before the pandemic, some 425,000 people per year visited the property and it had an income of £6.4million – though this was insufficient to cover the upkeep costs.

The chateau has been in financial difficulty in recent years, after billionaire Aga Khan - Imam of 15million Shia Muslims - wrapped up a £70million restoration project

The chateau has been in financial difficulty in recent years, after billionaire Aga Khan – Imam of 15million Shia Muslims – wrapped up a £70million restoration project

The chateau was given some £3.8million in government grants from the Covid recovery fund, but was still struggling for cash which led to the idea of turning part of it into a hotel

The chateau was given some £3.8million in government grants from the Covid recovery fund, but was still struggling for cash which led to the idea of turning part of it into a hotel

Olivier Baratelli is the French lawyer who represents the Orleans family and said to AFP: ‘If Chantilly estate are indeed as poorly managed as rumors claim, a lasting solution needs to be found in order save this jewel of French history.

“If all the facts are correct, the family is likely to recover the entirety of the estate.

“It will now be decided to whom it is to be entrusted its management. The Family of France is open for discussion with any French institution or administration, capable of maintaining this historical jewel open to all.

The Orleans family, as the descendants of Louis Philippe I, have the strongest and best-supported claim to the throne of France, if the country were ever to become a monarchy again.

According to backers, he will be the rightful inheritor of the crown because his father is the French King.

Rival claims come from the Bourbon family, whose descendants ruled France for hundreds of years and whose ancestor Louis XVI was the last king to occupy the throne before the French Revolution.

Louis XVIII (another ancestor) occupied then the throne in the temporary restoration of the monarchy. Charles X was deposed during the July Revolution, 1830 and the crown passed on to Louis Philippe.

The current claimant for their rights is Louis Alphonse, 47 years old, Duke of Anjou.

The third claimant is the Bonaparte clan, who say the crown should rightfully be theirs because ancestor Napoleon III was France’s last monarch – ruling as Emperor from 1852 until 1870, which marked the beginning of the Third Republic.