Princess Maria Isabel of Orléans was born on December 21, 1848, in Paris, France. She was a member of the House of Orléans, a branch of the French royal family. Maria Isabel was the daughter of Prince Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans and Princess Maria Amélie of Bourbon. In 1864, she married Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, becoming the Duchess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. The couple had several children, and Maria Isabel played a significant role in the social and cultural life of her time. She passed away on June 12, 1919, in Lisbon, Portugal.