Bao Long, Crown Prince of Vietnam
Encyclopedia
Bảo Long was the last crown prince of Vietnam. He was head of the Nguyen dynasty, the former ruling house of Vietnam
from 30 July 1997 until his death.
on 4 January 1936, to Emperor Bao Dai
and his first wife, Empress Nam Phương
. On 7 March 1939, he was invested and proclaimed Crown Prince, the official heir to the throne, in a Confucian ceremony at Can-Chanh Palace in Huế.
In 1947, Empress Nam Phuong left Vietnam with the Crown Prince and his siblings. They lived at the Chateau Thorenz outside of Cannes
, France, and he grew up as a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
. He then went to Paris and studied law and political science to prepare him to serve on state affairs.
In 1953, Crown Prince Bảo Long attended the coronation
of Elizabeth II
of the United Kingdom in London as a representative of the Vietnamese Imperial Family.
in the Algerian War and he highly distinguished himself, earning the Croix de guerre
(Cross of Military Valor) with three stars for his courage in battle. His other decorations are the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit, the decoration of the Golden Gong 2nd Class, the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia
, the Order of the Million Elephants and White Parasol of Laos and a commemorative medal for attending the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. After 10 years of service in the French Foreign Legion
, he returned to Paris, France where he worked in a bank. He spent the remainder of his life as an investment banker.
During his time as head of the Nguyễn Dynasty, Bao Long worked with Prince Bảo Vang
, who was appointed Grandmaster of the Order of the Dragon of Annam in 2005. The focus of the order is on humanitarian, educational, and cultural endeavours of the people of Vietnam.
Although the Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League
wish to restore the Nguyễn Dynasty to the throne under a constitutional monarchy
, as in Cambodia
and Thailand
, Bao Long did not support their political aspirations.
Crown Prince Bao Long died in Paris on 28 July 2007, with his brother, Bảo Thắng, succeeding him as head of the Nguyễn Dynasty.
At the time of his death, the Crown Prince was married to a woman known only as Madame Hebey (or Citi). They had no children.
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
from 30 July 1997 until his death.
Early life
Bảo Long was born at Kien-Trung Palace, HuếHue
Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"...
on 4 January 1936, to Emperor Bao Dai
Bao Dai
Bảo Đại , born Nguyễn Phúc Vĩnh Thụy , was the 13th and last ruler of the Nguyễn dynasty. From 1926 to 1945, he was king of Annam under French ‘protection’. During this period, Annam was a protectorate within French Indochina, covering the central two-thirds of the present-day Vietnam...
and his first wife, Empress Nam Phương
Nam Phuong
Empress Nam Phương , born Marie-Thérèse Nguyễn Hữu Thị Lan, later Imperial Princess Nam Phương, was the first and primary wife of Bảo Đại, the last king of Annam and last emperor of Vietnam, from 1934 until her death...
. On 7 March 1939, he was invested and proclaimed Crown Prince, the official heir to the throne, in a Confucian ceremony at Can-Chanh Palace in Huế.
In 1947, Empress Nam Phuong left Vietnam with the Crown Prince and his siblings. They lived at the Chateau Thorenz outside of Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
, France, and he grew up as a member of the Roman Catholic Church.
Education
He received his education at the Roches School in NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
. He then went to Paris and studied law and political science to prepare him to serve on state affairs.
In 1953, Crown Prince Bảo Long attended the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
of the United Kingdom in London as a representative of the Vietnamese Imperial Family.
Military service
Crown Prince Bảo Long served in the French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
in the Algerian War and he highly distinguished himself, earning the Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(Cross of Military Valor) with three stars for his courage in battle. His other decorations are the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit, the decoration of the Golden Gong 2nd Class, the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Cambodia
Royal Order of Cambodia
The Royal Order of Cambodia was a French colonial chivalric order of knighthood in Colonial Cambodia, still in use in the kingdom of Cambodia.-Colonial:...
, the Order of the Million Elephants and White Parasol of Laos and a commemorative medal for attending the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. After 10 years of service in the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
, he returned to Paris, France where he worked in a bank. He spent the remainder of his life as an investment banker.
Head of the Imperial Family
In 1997, when the Emperor Bảo Đại died, Bảo Long inherited the position of head of the Nguyễn Dynasty. He remained out of politics and lived quietly in Paris.During his time as head of the Nguyễn Dynasty, Bao Long worked with Prince Bảo Vang
Bao Vang
Prince Bảo Vang of Vietnam, also known as Yves Claude Vinh-San, is the illegitimate son of Emperor Duy Tân. He was born in Saint-Denis, Reunion Island, April 8, 1934.-Nguyễn dynasty:...
, who was appointed Grandmaster of the Order of the Dragon of Annam in 2005. The focus of the order is on humanitarian, educational, and cultural endeavours of the people of Vietnam.
Although the Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League
Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League
Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League , .-History:The Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League is an anti-communist organization that was established in 1993 by its first President Nguyễn Phúc Bửu Chánh, a self-claimed member of the Vietnamese royal family who fled from Vietnam for...
wish to restore the Nguyễn Dynasty to the throne under a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
, as in Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Bao Long did not support their political aspirations.
Crown Prince Bao Long died in Paris on 28 July 2007, with his brother, Bảo Thắng, succeeding him as head of the Nguyễn Dynasty.
At the time of his death, the Crown Prince was married to a woman known only as Madame Hebey (or Citi). They had no children.