Quote:
Originally Posted by Warren
It doesn't matter who the father is as the royal line passes through the mother, the Queen Regnant Isabel.
Fernando VII > Isabel II > Alfonso XII > Alfonso XIII [omitting Amadeo I to illustrate the direct line]
No royal house is going to allow posthumous DNA testing to determine their own legitimacy. In any case Juan Carlos and Luis Alfonso are both descendants of Alfonso XIII.
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I must disagree with you Warren. The legitimacy issue is absolutely relevant in determining the French succession. As Kotroman rightly points out, the French succession is by the
strict application of the Salic Law. Therefore, the paternity of Alfonso XII is absolutely relevant. Furthermore, as Orleanists have long been at pains to point out, biological legitimacy is relevant- they have used the case of Alfonso's paternity to strengthen their claims for years. In England, to this day, there exists a Law which entitles the State to execute any man who has been found to have engaged in an extramarital affair with the wife of the Heir to the English Throne. This is precisely because such an affair undermines the position of the royal children by calling into question their legitimacy, and paternity. Such scandals in the past have led to strife and even civil war. In fact some consipiracy theorists have even gone as far as to suggest that the late Princess Diana was "removed" by agents of the British state because of her affair with Dodi Al Fayed, and other men, before and after her divorce from Prince Charles.
I agree with you on the issue of DNA testing. It is very unlikely that Juan Carlos would allow such testing to take place, expecially in the current climate- there has been an increase in republican sentiment in Spain in recent years. Interestingly enough, the French Royal Family did allow DNA testing to be used to determine the true identity of the boy king Louis XVII who is burried along with other Bourbon kings. There had long been speculation that he had not died in the Bastille, but had escaped to Germany. That theory has now been destroyed- the DNA evidence positively identified him.
Another, unsubstantiated, argument put forward by some supporters of the Orleanist line, is the suggestion that Louis XIV, himself, was illegitimate, on account that he was conceived "before" the reconciliation of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, while Philippe, Duc d'Orleans, was legitimate since he was conceived "after" the reconciliation of Louis XIII and Anne, and bore the looks and personality traits (including bisexuality) of Louis XIII, whereas Louis XIV bore no resemblance at all to Louis XIII either in appearance or character. Questions about biological legitmacy, whether fair or unfair, have always been used to undermine the position of kings and princes, which is why the spouses of princes and kings were were often secluded in mediaeval times, to avoid other men gaining access to them- the best way to prevent paternity disputes!