Prince Antonio of Orléans-Braganza
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Antonio of Orléans-Braganza (born June 24, 1950 in Rio de Janeiro), whose baptismal name is Antonio João Maria José Jorge Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans e Bragança e Wittelsbach, is a member of the Imperial House of Brazil, being third in line to the defunct Brazilian throne, according to monarchist claims. The prince is commonly addressed using the prefix Dom (Antonio), as are his brothers.
Under the monarchy, the title Prince of Grão-Pará would usually have been borne by a prince who stands in Antonio's position in Brazil's line of succession. But that title was constitutionally reserved for the eldest son of the heir to the throne, whereas Antonio is only the next (dynastically eligible) brother of the heir (see below).
Antonio's eldest brother is Prince Luiz of Orléans-Braganza, the current Head of the Brazilian Imperial Family and, from a monarchist perspective, de jure Emperor Luiz I of Brazil, born in 1938 and often referred to as the Prince of Brazil. After Dom Luiz in the succession order comes Prince Bertrand, born 1941, who, as heir presumptive to the throne would be the Prince Imperial if his eldest brother were actually reigning, and who is often accorded that style in royalist circles.
Although he is only the seventh son of the late Brazilian pretender Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza, Antonio follows Luiz and Bertrand in the succession order because his other three older brothers renounced their claims to the throne in order to marry commoners.
In 1976, Prince Antonio earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering (with a specialization in Major Structural Projects) from the University of Barra do Piraí, in Rio de Janeiro. He is also an artist, usually painting water colors.
[edit] Marriage
In 1980, in Munich, Prince Antonio met his future wife for the first time, Princess Cristina de Ligne.
Born August 11, 1955 in Beloeil, Belgium) Cristina is a daughter of Antoine, the late 13th Prince de Ligne, head of one of Belgium's foremost noble families, mediatized in 1803. Her mother is Princess Alix of Luxembourg (born 1929), a sister of former Grand Duke Jean. On her mother's side, Princess Cristina is a descendant in the fifth generation of King John VI of Portugal, is a great-granddaughter of Miguel I of Portugal, and a great-great-niece of Brazil's first emperor, Pedro I. Alix is also titled, by birth, Princess of Bourbon-Parma and Princess of Nassau. Through her, Cristina is in the order of succession to the Luxembourgeois crown, as are her Orléans-Braganza children.
The couple were married in 1981 and their first son, Prince Pedro Luís of Orléans-Braganza, is currently fourth in line to the Brazilian throne, having been born in 1983. Prince Antonio's three other children, all in Brazil's line of succession with females following males, are Princess Amélia (born 1984, Prince Rafael (born 1986, and Princess Maria Gabriela Fernanda, (born 1989.
Prince Antonio lives with his family in Petropolis, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
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Forefathers - John VI of Portugal - Queen Carlota Joaquina First generation - Pedro I - Empress Leopoldina - Princess Amélie of Leuchtenberg Fourth generation - Prince Luiz of Orleans-Braganza - Princess Maria Pia Fourth generation - Prince Pedro de Alcantara of Orléans-Braganza - Countess Elisabeth Dobrzensky |
