The London Daily Telegraph reports the passing of His Imperial Highness Louis Prince Napoleon in Switzerland at the age of 83. Although French law banned former reigning families from French territory, Prince Napoleon served his country with distinction in World War II by joining the Foreign Legion, and later serving with the Resistance.

Louis Jerome Victor Emmanuel Leopold Marie, Prince Napoleon, was born in Brussels on 23 January, 1914. He was Emperor Napoleon I's great-great nephew, as well as a great-grandson of King Louis-Philippe.

When Germany invaded Belgium in August, 1914 the infant Louis parents took him to England where he was raised at Farnborough Farm with Empress Eugenie. He returned to Belgium after the First World War ended in 1918, and upon his father's death in 1926 became Head of the Imperial House.

In 1932 he settled in Switzerland, and when war broke out again in 1939 he joined the Foreign Legion. He was demobilized when France fell in 1940 and returned to Switzerland. He refused to participate in the ceremonies organized by the Germans and Vichy government for the return of the remains of Napoleon I's son to the Invalides in December 1940.

Prince Napoleon was arrested while attempting to join Free French forces in Algeria, but was released when an Alsatian sympathizer destroyed his file. Finally able to become a member of the Resistance, he was seriously wounded in August, 1944 during an engagement in which all the other men in his patrol were killed, including his cousin, Prince Murat.

In February, 1946 he was awarded the Legion d'honneur and the Croix de Guerre.

Prince Napoleon is survived by Princess Napoleon, his two sons, and two daughters.

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