H.R.H Prince Balthazar Napoleon IV de Bourbon


Arms of the House of Bourbon-Bhopal

HRH Prince Balthazar IV de Bourbon is the head of the Royal House of Bourbon-Bhopal. He is a direct descendant of Jean Philippe de Bourbon, a member of the Royal House of France who arrived in India in 1560 as an adventurer and served the Mughal Emperor. He was rewarded with the small Principality of Shergar. At the collapse of the Empire, the principality became sovereign until a neighboring Rajah conquered the land and massacred most of the family. The survivors were given refuge by the Royal House of Bhopal. There, the family established  the Archdiocese of Bhopal in 1785 and the present Prince and his family are still held in high esteem by the Church. Prince Balthazar has created a foundation to benefit the local community. He has also established dynastic awards to honor supporters and those active in charitable and humanitarian causes. Although the dynasty served the Mughals for centuries and afterward the Royal House of Bhopal, they maintained their Roman Catholic faith throughout the generations and down to the present. Prince Balthazar is equally proud of his French heritage, but considers himself an Indian. His heir, Prince Frederick Salvatore de Bourbon, resides in California where he is a filmmaker.