the Mapuche conflict in recent years has given a new purpose to the Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia, long considered an absurdity by French society." Mapuche writer Pedro Cayuqueo considers the kingdom a lost opportunity and speculates that, in a French-ruled Araucanía, the Mapuche would have rights similar to that of the Kanak people, who were given the possibility of independence from France in a 2018 referendum. Pretenders to the throne after Antoine de Tounens Antoine de Tounens had no children, but since his death in 1878, some French citizens without any familial relations to him declared to be pretenders to the "throne of Araucania and Patagonia". Whether the Mapuche themselves accept this or are even aware of it, is unclear. In popular culture Television 1990: Le Roi de Patagonie, TV mini-series directed by Georges Campana and Stéphane Kurc 1991: Le Jeu du roi, TV film directed by Marc Evans 2017: Rey is based on this incident. Novel Jean Raspail, Moi, Antoine de Tounens, roi de Patagonie (I, Antoine of Tounens, King of Patagonia) (1981) See also Araucanization Occupation of Araucanía References Bibliography External links North American Araucanian Royalist Society Website of the Kingdom of Araucanía and Patagonia Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia – Mapuche Portal Mapuche view History of Patagonia Former political divisions related to Argentina 1860s in Chile Araucanía Region Mapuche history Former monarchies Former unrecognized countries 19th-century colonization of the Americas States and territories established in 1860 1860 establishments in South America States and territories disestablished in 1862 1862 disestablishments in South America