Following the article
we posted on 6 July 2019, we received a lot of mails
asking for more information when we reported that Lafosse's center of
activities became the Czech Republic, where he is involved with selling alleged
Moravian 'knightly' titles:
In his book The
Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland, published in 1998, the 'prince' (born in
1958) states that his mother is descended in the male line from a son and heir
born to the Young Pretender in 1786, by a second marriage contracted in Rome in
1785. Both the son and the marriage were previously unknown to history, as
indeed was the papal annulment by which the Pretender's first, unhappy marriage
was necessarily brought to an end.
Michel Lafosse
/Prince Michael’s birth certificate stated that Lafosse allegedly was born in
Brussels on 21 April 1958 in the Ville de Bruxelles
district. His parents were Baron Gustave Joseph Fernand Clément Lafosse and
Princess Renée Julienne Stewart. And a marriage certificate ‘Prince Michael’
published stated that Lafosse's grandparents Prince Julius Joseph Jacques
Stewart and Princess Germania Elisa Segers, were married in 1932, again in
Brussels.
When an attempt was
made to verify these, a letter from the Registrar's Office, Boulevard Anspach
6, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique, signed by the Conseiller Etat Civil, stated bluntly that his birth and
marriage certificates were false ('sont des faux')!
Furthermore, the
document received from the Conseiller Etat Civil of
the Registrar's Office in Brussels stated that Michel Lafosse was born
elsewhere in Brussels. And the copy of Lafosse's true birth certificate below,
which shows that he was indeed born in Brussels on 21 April 1958 but in the Watermael-Boitsfort district, with recorded first names
Michel Roger, and that his parents are named simply as Gustave Joseph Clément
Fernand Lafosse, a shopkeeper, and Renée Julienne Dée,
a business employee, with no indication of any noble status whatsoever.
After double checking
this the Etat Civil, Commune de Watermael-Boitsfort,
Place Gilson 1, 1170 Bruxelles, Belgique, in 2002,
confirmed once more that the certificate below is indeed authentic, the words
used being, 'Le certificat en
question est une copie conforme à l'original'.
Then, when the Home
Office sought clarification from Michael Lafosse about his use of forged
documents to seek (and receiving) British naturalization and the issue of a
British passport, he then left the United Kingdom and via Belgium moved for
some time to Australia.
Thus “Prince
Michael James Stewart” or the way he names himself more recently
in the Czech Republic where a body of people (pictured below)
continues to defend him as "Princ Michael Jakub Alexander
Stewart z Albany" are the same person as Michael Roger Lafosse, a
Belgian citizen.
The Royal House of
Stuart became extinct in the male line with the death of Henry (IX) Stuart,
Duke of York, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, and Bishop of Frascati in
1807. He had succeeded his elder brother, Charles (III) Stuart, sometimes known
as "Bonnie Prince Charlie," in 1788, on the latter's death without
legitimate issue (he left one illegitimate daughter, Clementina, who also died
without issue). Both were the sons of James (III), Prince of Wales, the only
son of James II, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, (illegally)
deposed as King of England and Scotland on 10 Dec 1688, and as King of Ireland
six months later, who died in exile in 1701. With Cardinal Henry of York's
death, representation of the House of Stuart passed to Charles Emmanuel of
Savoy, King of Sardinia. The latter's present heir is Franz, Duke of Bavaria.
In naming
"Marguerite Marie Therese O'Dea d'Audibert de Lussan" as Charles' supposed second wife, "Prince
Michael" begins a pattern of attributing to people the surnames of their
maternal ancestors; Marguerite O'Dea may have been descended in the female line
from the families of Audibert and Lussan,
but she had no right to use these surnames herself. She was not a member of the
great French families of Audibert or Lussan and
had no right to the title "Comtesse de Massilan."
Prince Michael also
brings together four lines of descent from Prince Charles Edward Stuart. His
grandmother, the Princess de Sedan, descends from the marriage
of Aglae Clementine, daughter of the Duchess of Albany by Ferdinand
de Rohan-Guenene (sic, actually Guemenée), whilst his father, the Count of Blois, has two
descents from the other Rohan-Albany daughter, both via Prince Louis Xavier de
Bourbon, son of Charles, Duc de Berri, the son of Charles X. His paternal
grandfather descending from Prince Louis' daughter, Victorine, and
grandfather’s wife, is a descendant of the Duc d’Aquitaine.
Today, there are
several lines descended from Prince Edward James, Second Count of Albany. They
include the Counts of Derneley and the
Dukes of Coldingham. Foremost, however, in the
mainline of legitimate descent from Charles Edward Stewart and his son Edward
James is the present Seventh Count of Albany: Prince Michael James Alexander
Stewart, Duc d’Aquitaine, Comte de Blois, Head
of the Sacred Kindred of St Columba, Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the
Temple of Jerusalem, Patron Grand officer of the International Society
of Commission Officers for the Commonwealth, and President of the
European Council of Princes. Prince Michael’s own compelling book,
"Forgotten Monarchy" (a thoroughly detailed and politically corrected
history of the Scots royal descent), is now in the course of preparation.
On the one hand, the
senior Stewart line goes all the way back to King Arthur’s father, King Aedan
of Scots, and Prince Nascien of the Septimanian Midi on the other. The Scots descent
traces further back through King Lucius of Siluria to
Bran the Blessed and Joseph of Aramathea (St
James the Just). At the same time, the Midi succession stems from the
Merovingians male ancestral line through the Fisher Kings to Jesus and Mary
Magdalene."
This wholly fictional claim is taken
from The Bloodline of the Holy Grail - The Hidden Lineage of Jesus
Revealed by Laurence Gardner, The Chevalier Labhran de
St Germain, and published by Element Books. It is a complete invention and
cannot be supported by any documents or historical sources. The alleged
genealogy is filled with falsehoods, the most obvious being that Prince Charles
Edward, Charles III, never married "Marguerite O’Dea d’Audibert de Lussan,
Comtesse de Massillan" (1749-1820), had he
done so, he would have been guilty of bigamy since he was already married to
Princess Louise of Stolberg, who survived him. Perhaps this name is called into
the equation because the Drummond Dukes of Melfort married
into this same family and inherited the Lussan title.
The de la Tour d'Auvergne family, Dukes of Bouillon and Princes of
Sedan had become extinct in the male line in the 1790s, and their inheritance
passed to the Rohan family; "Germaine Elize Segers de la
Tour d’Auvergne, Princess de Sedan"
(1908-1992), did not exist (at least not as a member of that family with those
titles). He apparently does not even know the alleged date of this fictional
marriage - his own grandparents - is an astonishing admission when it is
supposedly by this alliance that he makes his ridiculous claim to the British
throne! The fact that a wholly fictional son of the Duke of Berry, "Prince
Louis-Xavier de Bourbon," is called into the equation is further evidence
of "Prince" Michael's fantastic imagination. He also claims descent
from the Duke of Aquitaine (later Dauphin and then titular Louis XIX), who
never actually had any issue by his wife, the only surviving child of Louis XVI
Marie-Antoinette.
Several other points
that contrary to the claims in the Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland that
have been evidenced are that:
-
A “painting” claimed to be by Laurence Pechaux
of the “Countess de Massillan” (Charles’ alleged
second wife). It is, in fact, a pastel portrait by Maurice Quentin
La Tour of an unknown woman.
- The Picture
Credits in Forgotten Monarchy indicate that either the original portrait or
reproduction is located in the frequently cited “Stewart Achieves.” This
repository is variously described as being in Scotland or Brussels. According
to the author, it appears to accommodate an additional 28 portraits, among many
other items of “evidence.” Despite some clearly fabricated
identities, claiming to be of researchers studying the collection, no reputable
scholar has ever even heard of the “Stewart Archives.”
- The method used
by Lafosse in his artistic deceptions becomes even more obvious when he
captions a portrait claimed to be a cousin of Charles Edward’s second
wife. This is the person whom the Claimant alleges was used as “a decoy
when Charles made secret trips to Britain.” [xli] By way of
comparison, a second portrait is shown, this time claiming that it is of the
genuine Prince Charles Edward.
It was not difficult
to identify the source of two other portraits in The Forgotten Monarchy. A book
by Donald Nicholas was an obvious reference source. It contains an extensive
collection of portraits of “Bonnie Prince Charlie.” One of them is located with
the Irish Dominicans of San Clemente in Rome. It was once described as a
portrait of the Chevalier de St George, by whom this is meant James the “Old
Pretender.”
Further to Lafosse's
claims in The Forgotten Monarchy of Scotland;
No valid record has
been provided or found to support a “divorce” or annulment of Louise's marriage
of Stolberg and Prince Charles. Notice of Agreement for a Separation does
exist.
- No valid record has
been provided or found that Charles Edward contracted a marriage (valid or not)
with anyone after he and Louise separated.
- No valid record has
been provided, or found, to support the claim that Prince Charles contracted a
second marriage to the “Comtesse de Massillan.”
- No valid record has
been provided, or found, to suggest that this supposed marriage resulted in the
birth of “Prince Edward James Stewart.”
- No valid record has
been provided or found to suggest that baptism was held in St Peter’s for a
child of “Prince Edward James Stewart 2nd Count of Albany” and “Maria
Pasquini,” let alone one conducted by the Pope.
- There are no
entries in any documents held either at the Church of Santi Apostoli or in any
identifiable files confirming a marriage between Charles Edward and the
“Comtesse de Massillan.”
The evidence confirms
that in the matter of other documents:
- The Secretariat of
the Catholic school of Saint-Vincent in Soignies,
Belgian, located the record of student Michael Roger Lafosse. There was no
record of the attendance of “Prince Michael James Stewart.”
- The marriage
certificate purporting to be for “Prince Julius of Annandale” and “Princess
Germaine Elize de la Tour de Sedan” (the alleged grandparents of “Prince
Michael) has been declared false by the authorities that are claimed to have
issued it.
- No valid evidence
(birth, baptism, marriage, divorce or death certificates, wills, burial sites,
or title deeds) has been provided or found to support the existence of any of
the “Counts of Albany” or their supposed wives.
- There is no
evidence of the existence of a so-called “Council of Princes” of which the
false Prince claims he is President
- Contrary to the
claim by Lafosse that he was “received by the Pope in the audience” in his role
as President of the Council of Princes, the Vatican has no record of any “HRH
Prince Michael James Stewart” being received.
It has
been shown that correspondence between the Secretary of the Vatican Secret
Archives and “Prince Michael” had been tampered with to reflect a Vatican
official's support when such support had not been given. On the
contrary, the Vatican rejected all the assertions of the Claimant.
- The alleged entries
in the Marriage Register of the Church of Santi Apostoli for a marriage between
Prince Charles Edward and the “Comtesse de Massillan”
do not exist.
- There is no rite in
the Catholic Liturgy for “Dynastic Entry.” The priest-in-charge of the church
in which this rite was allegedly performed. Priest stated that no ceremony
resembling the one described by “Prince Michael” took place.
The evidence confirms
that in the matter of military service, special appointments, and social
occasions:
- The Belgian
Ministry of Defence denies calling-up a “Prince
Michael James Stewart” to complete a supposed National Service obligation. No
records have been found to confirm the service of “HRH Prince Michael James
Stewart.”
- Michael Roger
Lafosse was called-up for National Service obligations that were discharged
between 2nd September 1977 and 1st September 1978.
- The Administrative
Office of the European Community denies any knowledge of the so-called “Council
of Princes.”
- The Head of
the Austrian Habsburg family denies having any connection with this Council
about which he also has no knowledge.
- No Vatican records
have been located that confirm an alleged private audience by Pope John-Paul II
with “Prince Michael” in 1992 or at any other time. For this and some of the
other issues see also the revealing The Jack MacDonald
Report.
The mayor of
Brussels' office cannot identify the event that purports to celebrate the 50th
anniversary of the wedding of the “Prince and Princess of Annandale.”
- There is no
evidence for the “creation” of the title “Princess of Strathearn” or whose
authority this conferral took place. One would expect that this document, being
of such importance and such recent date, would also be held in the “Stewart
Achieve.”
- There is no
reference to the writ of abdication by “Princess Renéee”
in favor of her son Michael to whom, it appears, legitimate succession passed
but without further explanation.
The evidence confirms
that in the matter of alleged Stuart buildings:
- No valid evidence
has been provided or found to confirm the so-called Casa Stuardo
in Rome or the so-called Château Moulin in the Belgian Ardennes. Nor
have the remains of either been located.
- No documentary
evidence has been provided or found recording the disposal of any property in
the names of any alleged “Albany” lines.
- The evidence
confirms that in the matter of the Noble Order of the Guard of St Germain and
related chivalric awards and honors:
There are some
members of “Prince Michael’s” circles are members of an (invented) “The Noble
Order of the Guard of Saint Germain. In fact, there is no evidence to support
the claim that the Noble Order of the Guard of Saint Germain is a legitimate
order of chivalry. The “order” is simply a creation of Lafosse.
- No members,
including the self-appointed Grand Master, have the right to use post-nominals
denoting membership of a legitimate order of chivalry, nor may they legally use
the honorific “Sir” or “Dame” before their names.
The evidence confirms
that in the matter of the Genealogical Tables:
- The genealogical
information in The Forgotten Monarchy is substantially from the work of the
self-styled Chevalier Labhran de Saint Germain and
was first published in Bloodline of the Holy Grail. This, in itself, conveys no
authority. The lack of verifiable connections of the supposed genealogical
entries attracts no recognition from anyone other than the readers of the popular
esoteric material currently in some bookshops who wish to believe the bizarre
claims.
- Qualified
genealogists have already provided a persuasive and technical critique of the
charts. They are universal in their rejection of the supposed lineage.
Further to what has
been detailed above, the evidence confirms that in the matter of the misuse of
artworks to identify contrives figures in the “Albany” story:
- The Claimant has
deliberately used both identified and unidentified pieces of art deceptively.
The most serious deception involves the work of Maurice Quentin La Tour. This
portrait is currently displayed in the Musée Antoine
Lecuyer, Saint Quentin, France. “Prince Michael” alleges that it is a portrait
of the “Comtesse de Massillan,” a work by Laurent Pechaux. Both the identification by “Prince
Michael” of the subject and the artist are false in every detail.
- The original of
this portrait cannot be held in the “Stewart Archives.”
- Musée
Lecuyer is the holder of the copyright for the portrait, not “Prince Michael
Stewart,” or Lafosse for that matter.
- The artist
responsible for the pastel is Maurice Quentin La Tour (1704-1788); it is not
Laurent Pecheux.
- The subject is
possibly Julie Jeanne Eléonore de Lespinasse (1732-1776).
Significant
circumstantial evidence points to how LaFosse harvested the names of his
“players” from readily available sources to identify the improbable characters
in his period-piece melodrama.
- There is a
reproduction of a portrait in The Forgotten Monarchy alleged to be of “Rohano-Stuardo. He is the alleged second cousin
of the Comtesse de Massillan and was a double for
Prince Charles Edward. The pictorial evidence is poorly contrived,
cropping a reproduction of a portrait of the incorrectly identified “Old
Pretender” at San Clemente. Art historians now regarded it as depicting Bonnie
Prince Charlie.
- There is no
reference to any artists such as Guiseppe Isola, Theo van Rysselberghe, or
Michele Cammarano having painted any subject recognized as a royal Prince in a
line of Albany.
Other issues go
to the matter of character and, perhaps, exposure of his needs for recognition
as something more than an ordinary man. It does reveal a range of
fantasy, and each has a strong element of attempts to redress what I regard as
social inadequacy.
Some examples
cited include:
- United Nations 2001
Volunteer Service Medal: an “award” alleged by Lafosse to have been issued by
the UN. This organization denies making the award.
- Certificate and
Citation for Medal Award: A forged certificate attesting to the
award. Totally rejected by the UN.
There also is no
evidence that the so-called Royal Order of the Moravian Knights of
St. Rostislav and Columban, whose 'Grandmaster' is Lafosse (other than
registered as an 'association'), is a legitimate order of chivalry.
Apparently, both men and women can receive honors:
The 'order'
titled Královský řád Moravských rytířů svatých Rastislava a Kolumbana is listed among the self-proclaimed knightly
orders in the Czech Republic; Samozvaný rytířský řád (also translated as 'self-styled' order or 'ordre de fantaisie').
However, it is not
clear where Lafosse has his actual home at the moment.
It also appears that
Lafosse is currently experiencing some impediment to his visiting his Czech
operations, what that impediment is remaining to be confirmed.
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