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Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza (born June 24, 1950 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), whose baptismal name is Antônio João Maria José Jorge Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans e Bragança e Wittelsbach, is a member of the Imperial House of Brazil. He is second in line of succession to the former Brazilian throne, according to the disputed claims of the Vassouras branch of the family. In Brazil he is commonly addressed using the prefix Dom.
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Antônio is the sixth son of Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza and of his wife, Princess Maria of Bavaria.[1]
In 1976, Antônio earned a bachelor's degree in Engineering (with a specialization in Major Structural Projects) from the University of Barra do Piraí.[2]
Antônio'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. After Dom Luiz in the succession order comes the next brother, 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 the sixth brother, Antônio follows Bertrand in the succession order because three older brothers renounced their claims to the throne in order to marry commoners.
When Brazil was a monarchy, the title Prince of Grão-Pará would usually have been borne by a prince who stands in Antônio's position in Brazil's line of succession. But that title was constitutionally reserved for the eldest child of the heir to the throne, whereas Antônio is only the next (dynastically eligible) brother of the heir.
Antônio is an artist, usually painting water color landscapes depicting buildings, ranches, and farms typical of colonial Brazil. In May 1999 he held an exhibition, "A Herança Portuguesa no Brasil Colonial" (The Portuguese Heritage in Colonial Brazil) at Ipanema Park in Portugal.[3] In 2001 he held exhibitions at Curitiba and at Joinville.[4] His work has also been displayed in the Crystal Palace in Petropolis, the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes in Rio de Janeiro, and the Galeria Quadrante and the Museu da Casa Brasileira in São Paulo.[3]
In 1981, he married Princess Christine of Ligne, daughter of Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne (head of one of Belgium's foremost noble families) and his wife, Princess Alix of Luxembourg. The civil ceremony took place on September 25 and the religious ceremony on September 26, both at Belœil.[5]
The couple have four children:[5]
Antônio lives with his family in Petrópolis.
"D. Antonio de Orleans e Bragança", Casa Imperial do Brasil.
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Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza
Cadet branch of the House of Orléans
Born: June 24 1950 |
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| Titles in pretence | ||
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| Preceded by Prince Bertrand |
— TITULAR — Vassouras line of succession to the Brazilian throne 2nd position Reason for succession failure: Empire abolished in 1889 |
Succeeded by Prince Rafael |
| French royalty | ||
| Preceded by Prince Fernando Diniz of Orléans-Braganza |
Orléanist line of succession to the French throne 34th position |
Succeeded by Prince Rafael of Orléans-Braganza |
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