Henri, Count of Chambord refuses the tricolor

Background. Following the collapse of the Second Empire in 1870, royalists gained a majority in the National Assembly. Henri, Count of Chambord, recognized as the Legitimist pretender since 1844, was supported by both Legitimists and Orléanists. The political climate suggested a likely restoration of monarchy, provided the pretender could agree on the symbols of the state.

The Flag Controversy. Chambord refused to accept the tricolor as the flag of France, demanding a return to the old Bourbon flag. He also insisted on retaining the fleur-de-lys, a symbol of the Ancien Régime. This refusal was not merely symbolic but a fundamental condition for his acceptance of the crown, creating an impasse with the republican majority.

Political Consequences. The refusal made restoration impossible until after Chambord's death in 1883. By that time, the monarchists had lost their parliamentary majority due to the 1877 crisis. The 1873 attempt to restore the monarchy failed for the same reasons, cementing the Third Republic's stability and marginalizing the Legitimist faction.