Did the French right-wing ever try to revive the monarchy during the Vichy regime?

by johhny-turbo
OakheartIX

Not really no.

However when Marshall Pétain came to power some had hope that it could be an opening for a return to the monarchy. The motto of the Vichiste regime was enough to lighten hope for many monarchists :Work, family, motherland.

Plus, the difficulty is that all royalists did not have the same political opinions, in general but also about what had to be done during the war. The Action Française is interesting, pro-war, it generally followed royalist General Weygand. When the armistice was signed, like many other, the AF declared on 25 June 1940 that Pétain had to be followed because his government was rightful. Yet Charles Maurras hated the Germans and they hated him. The books of the AF were forbidden and the two most prominent figures head, Maurras and Pujol were on on an arrest list in case the Allies land in France. Pujo was arrested for a short time by the Gestapo in 1944 before later being arrested by the new French authorities.

Even there, the AF was not as powerful as it was and could not hope for a restauration of any kind. So far their main worry was to get through the war and hope the Germans leave.

Many over important royalists, though not of the AF were fighting for the Free French or within various Resistance groups. Just to name a few : General de Gaulle, General Leclerc ( real name Hautecloque ), General de Lattre de Tassigny or Captain d'Estiennes d'Orves who created one of the first group in 1940, called Nemrod.


The war and the events happened too fast. It is generally considered that after 1918 the republic was no longer in danger of a return to a monarchy. Only a fascist or communist coup were really dangerous. In case of a fascist coup it would have been logical taht factions like the AF would rally to it but they would quickly change their minds. The fact that most of the various political groups ( except some of the most far-right ) accepted the union sacrée ( Sacred Union ) and rallied behind the French Republic during the war was a blow for future royalist prospect. Even Charles Maurras in April 1914 called for a union with the Republic for the duration of the war. The First World War was the major event the 3rd Republic had to go through in its existence ( until the 1930s ) and it survived it, without an uprising of any kind. Republicans realized that they had won and when they saw that as well as how many French people were ready to die for it ( even if some say that dying for France is not the same as dying for the Republic ), the Republic was for good the regime accepted by the French.