Brazil Government: Official Mourning for Late Head of Imperial House

The Government of Brazil, in an extra edition of the Official Gazette, has declared official mourning for the death of HIH Prince Luiz of Brazil. The decree, signed yesterday by the President of the Republic, Mr Jair Bolsonaro, and by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Carlos Alberto Franco, reads:

THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, in the use of the powers conferred on him by art. 84, caput, items IV and VI, item “a”, of the Constitution, and in view of the provisions of art. 18, caput, item I, of Law No. 5,700, of 1 September 1971,

DECREE:

Art. 1 Official mourning is declared throughout the country, for a period of one day, counted from the date of publication of this Decree, as a sign of sorrow for the death of Dom Luiz Gastão Maria José Pio Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orleans e Bragança, Head of the Imperial House of Brazil.

Art. 2 This Decree enters into force on the date of its publication.

Brasilia, 15 July 2022; 201st of Independence and 134th of the Republic.

Source: Bolsonaro decreta luto oficial pela morte de d. Luiz de Orleans e Bragança

Note: Sincere thanks to my friend Arthur Brum for his translation of this decree.

+ Dom Luis of Brazil (Orléans-Bragança): 1938-2022

 News has just broken that Dom Luiz, Head of the Imperial House of Brazil (Bassouras Branch), has passed away.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/360463081306375

Death of Prince Luiz (1938-2022), Head of Brazilian Imperial Family

Images of Prince Luiz throughout his life. Photo (c) Pró Monarquia.

Today, on 15 July 2022 at São Paulo, Prince Luiz of Orleans-Bragança died after a month-long stay in hospital.  He was eighty-four years-old. The prince was the Head of the Imperial House of Brazil for forty-one years.

The wedding of Prince Pedro Henrique of Brazil and Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria

A baby Prince Luiz.

Four generations: The Countess of Caserta holding her great-grandson Prince Luiz, her daughter Princess Maria Pia, and her grandson Prince Pedro Henrique.

Pedro Henrique and Maria Elisabeth with their three eldest children: Luiz (1938-2022), Eudes (1939-2020), and Bertrand (b.1941).

Prince Luíz Gastão Maria José Pio of Orleans-Bragança was born on 6 June 1938 at Mandelieu, France. Luiz was the first son and eldest child of Prince Pedro Henrique of Brazil (1909-1981) and Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria (1914-2011), who married in 1937. Born during the exile of the Imperial Family, Prince Luiz was registered at the Consulate General of Brazil in Paris as a Brazilian citizen, fulfilling the mandate of the Imperial Constitution, thus guaranteeing his rights to the Throne and the Crown of Brazil. The godparents of Prince Luiz were his uncle, Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (1913-2008), and his paternal grandmother, the Dowager Princess Imperial Maria Pia of Brazil (born Princess of the Two Sicilies; 1878-1973).

Princess Maria and Prince Pedro Henrique with their children, 1962. Photograph (c) Casa Imperial do Brasil.

With the end of the World War II in May 1945, the Brazilian Imperial Family was able to return to their homeland. They lived in Rio de Janeiro and Petrópolis until, in 1951, they moved to the Northern of the State of Paraná, then the great agricultural frontier of Brazil, where they lived at the Fazenda São José, in Jacarezinho, and, from 1957 onwards, at the Fazenda Santa Maria, in Jundiaí do Sul.

Prince Luiz and his father Prince Pedro Henrique in the 1960s.

Prince Luiz studied at the Colégio Coração Eucarístico and Santo Inácio, in Rio de Janeiro, and at Colégio Cristo Rei, in Jacarezinho. The prince then went to Europe, where he studied Political and Social Sciences at the University of Paris and Chemistry and Physics at the University of Munich. Luiz graduated with a degree in chemical engineering. He returned to Brazil in 1967, settling in São Paulo and taking over the direction of his father's Secretariat, which at that time was located at Sítio Santa Maria, in Vassouras. 

Prince Pedro Luiz, Princess Amelia, Prince Antonio, the Duchess of Braganza, Prince Luiz, Princess Cristina, the Duke of Braganza, and Prince Bertrand, 2000.

Prince Luiz with Archduchess Christiana of Austria and Prince Alexander of Saxony, Margrave of Meißen, who is married to Luiz's first cousin Princess Gisela of Bavaria.

Prince Luiz was a first cousin of Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria, Head of the Grand Ducal House of Tuscany, and of Princess Gisela of Bavaria, Margravine of Meißen and wife of Prince Alexander, Head of the Royal House of Saxony.

Prince Pedro Henrique and Princess Maria Elisabeth.

Prince Luiz and Princess Maria Elisabeth.

Aged seventy-one, Prince Pedro Henrique of Orleans-Bragança died on 5 July 1981. Prince Luiz, his eldest son and dynastic heir, then became Head of the Imperial House. On 13 May 2011, Princess Maria Elisabeth, aged ninety-six, died. Prince Luiz, who never married, was always strongly attached to the memory of his parents.

Prince Luiz and his nephew Prince Rafael.

One of the prince's hobbies was reading, especially on historical and sociological subjects, in addition to staying up-to-date on everything relevant happening in Brazil and around the world. In his youth, Luiz practiced riding and hunting. In later years, he resumed his passion for photography, revealing himself to be heir to the artistic vein of both sides of his family. Prince Luiz was particularly fond of classical music, with a special predilection for the works of Brazilian composers of the Baroque school.

May the Prince Rest in Peace.

The 80th Birthday of Prince Rémy of Bourbon-Parma

Prince Guy, Princess Maria, Prince Rémy, Princess Chantal, and Prince Louis of Parma.

On 14 July 1942 at Cannes, Prince Rémy François Xavier Louis Robert Victor of Bourbon-Parma was born as the second son and child of Prince Louis of Bourbon-Parma (1889-1967) and Princess Maria of Savoy (1914-2001), who wed in 1939. Rémy has three siblings: Prince Guy (1940-1991; married Brigitte Peu-Duvallon), Princess Chantal (b.1946; married 1st Panayotis Skinas; married 2nd François-Henri des Georges), and Prince Jean (b.1961; married Virginia Roatta).

The paternal grandparents of Prince Rémy were Duke Roberto I of Parma (1848-1907) and his second wife Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal (1862-1959). Rémy's maternal grandparents were King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy (1869-1947) and Princess Elena of Montenegro (1873-1952).

Princess Aude and her father Prince Rémy.

In 1973, Prince Rémy of Bourbon-Parma married Laurence Dufresne d'Arganchy (b.1951). The couple divorced in 1983, after having had two children: son Prince Tristan (b.1974) and Princess Aude (b.1977). In 2003, Prince Rémy married Madame Elisabeth Tardif. 

Our best wishes to the Prince on his birthday!

The 90th Birthday of Count Bertram zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, First Cousin of Swedish King

Count Bertram at an exhibition of his art, 1997. Photo (c) Seeger-Presse.

Born on 12 July 1932 at Golßen, Count Bertram Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen was the first child of Count Friedrich zu Castell-Rüdenhausen (1906-1940) and Princess Karoline-Mathilde "Calma" of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1912-1983), who wed in 1931. Bertram was joined by two younger siblings: Count Conradin (1933-2011; married Marta Lönegren) and Countess Viktoria (b.1935; married Sir John Miles Huntington-Whiteley, 4th Baronet). In 1938, Bertram's parents divorced; that same year, his mother Princess Calma married Captain Max Schnirring, a union that gave Bertram three younger half-siblings. In 1939, his father married Countess Elizabeth zu Castell-Rüdenhausen, a union that gave Bertram a younger half-brother.

The Royal Bridges organisation provides an insightful look into Bertram's education and career:

"After sporadically attending school, he was educated as a wood-carver, building fitter, and grain merchant. For four years, Castell served as a Federal Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutzbeamter), followed by work as a salesman for beauty care and hygiene products, as an ice cream vendor and a bookseller. In 1963, Castell moved to Vienna, Austria, where he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts (Akademie der bildenden Künste) to study painting in Herbert Boeckl’s master class. Since 1965 he has been working as a freelance artist, graphic designer, art director, creative director, and occasionally as a bartender and decorator."

On 10 October 1964 at Vienna, Count Bertram zu Castell-Rüdenhausen married Countess Felizitas von Auersperg (b.1944). The couple have two sons: Count Dominik (b.1965) and Count Michael (b.1967). 

Count Bertram is a first cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, as their mothers were sisters.

Our best wishes to Count Bertram on his birthday!

The 50th Birthday of the Duke de Chartres

Today, Prince Charles-Louis d'Orléans, Duke de Chartres, celebrates his fiftieth birthday.

Jacques and Gersende with their three children, 1979.

Born on 11 July 1972 at Neuilly-sur-Seine, Prince Charles-Louis Henri Foulques Benoït Elzéar Jean Marie d'Orléans was the second child and first son of Prince Jacques d'Orléans, Duke d'Orléans, and Princess Gersende (née de Sabran-Pontevès), who wed in 1969. Charles-Louis has two siblings: Princess Diane (b.1970; married Vicomte Alexis de Noailles) and Prince Foulques, Duc d'Aumale, Comte d'Eu (b.1974).

Charles-Louis and Illéana, 1997.

In 1997, Prince Charles-Louis d'Orléans married Ileana Manos (b.1970).  The Duke and Duchess de Chartres have five children: Prince Philippe (b.1998), Princess Louise (b.1999), Princess Hélène (b.2001), Prince Constantin (b.2003), and Princess Isabelle (b.2005). The Duke de Chartres is a Private Wealth Advisor at Goldman Sachs. He is also a talented artist. 

The Duke and Duchess de Chartres with the Duke d'Orléans during the "Princes et Princesses d'Orléans - Une Famille d'Artistes" exhibition in Paris, 2020. Photo (c) Getty Images / Luc Castel.

Many happy returns to the Duke de Chartres on his birthday!

The 70th Birthday of Archduchess Alexandra of Austria

On 10 July 1952 at Beloeil, Archduchess Alexandra Maria Anna Philippa Othonia of Austria was born as the second child and first daughter of Archduke Carl Ludwig of Austria (1918-2007) and Archduchess Yolande (b.1923; née Princess de Ligne), who wed in 1950. Archduchess Alexandra had an older brother and two younger siblings: Archduke Rudolph (b.1950; married Baroness Marie Hélène de Villenfagne de Vogelsanck), Archduke Carl Christian (b.1954; married Princess Marie Astrid of Luxembourg), and Archduchess Constanza (b.1957; married Fürst Franz Josef von Auersperg-Trautson). 

The Riesle/Habsburg family.

Archduchess Alexandra of Austria and Héctor Guillermo Riesle Contreras (b.1943), the son of Oscar Riesle and his wife Ventura Contreras, were married in civil and religious ceremonies in September 1984 in Belgium. Héctor Riesle Contreras, the husband of the archduchess, was the former Chilean ambassador to Belgium and the Holy See. In April 1974, Héctor Riesle presented his credentials to Pope Paul VI: 

Hector Riesle, a thirty-one year-old former professor of legal history and philosophy, presented his credentials to Pope Paul as the first ambassador nominated by the Chilean junta. In his brief address, Riesle noted that Chile "having recently suffered the greatest crisis in its history, now looks to the future with renewed hope." After mentioning that the Government of Chile is determined to achieve national unity on the basis of solidarity of free men, the new ambassador stated that his government was well aware that this will be impossible without a moral renewal comprising "freedom, responsibility, respect, understanding and brotherhood, cemented in the natural and inviolable rights of the human person." Riesle closed his remarks with a special greeting to the Pope from the government junta. Seizing on Riesle's description of the recent crisis, in his reply, Pope Paul recalled his interest in and preoccupation for Chile, "We have not ceased and will not cease to follow with the same lively and paternal solicitude the problems and the difficulties still existing."

The couple have three children: Felipe Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1986; married Pilar García-Huidobro Echeverría), Sofia Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1987; married Rodrigo Risopatrón Montero), and Constanza Riesle de Habsburgo-Lorena (b.1989; married Sebastián Prieto Donoso). 

To learn more about the charitable activities of Archduchess Alexandra within the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, please read this article: Faces of the Fund: Interview with Alexandra de Habsburgo-Lorena de Riesle

Our best wishes to Archduchess Alexandra on her birthday!

Other sources:

Habsburg Descendant Engaged to Great-Nephew of Dowager Countess of Paris

https://www.pliniocorreadeoliveira.info/UK_740421_resisting.htm

“Change Direction”: Influencing the National Church through the Vatican during the Pinochet Dictatorship in Chile