Prince Rafael of Orléans-Braganza

Prince Rafael
Born (1986-04-26) 26 April 1986
Petrópolis, Brazil
Full name
Rafael Antonio Maria José Francisco Miguel Gabriel Gonzaga de Orléans e Bragança e Ligne
House Orléans-Braganza
Father Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza
Mother Princess Christine de Ligne
Styles of
Prince Rafael Antônio
Reference style His Royal Highness
Spoken style Your Royal Highness
Alternative style Dom Rafael

Prince Rafael of Orléans-Braganza (Rafael Antonio Maria José Francisco Miguel Gabriel Gonzaga de Orléans e Bragança e Ligne; 26 April 1986) is a member of the former Imperial House of Brazil, which reigned as emperors until 1889. As the younger but only surviving son of Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza,[1][2][3][4] he is expected to eventually take up the claim to Brazil's defunct throne.[5]

Background

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Antônio lives in the Itaim Bibi neighborhood of São Paulo, Brazil.[5] He graduated in Production Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. He speaks Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, some German, has lived in Paris, and travels to Europe annually on holiday.[5] A great-great-great-grandson of Emperor Pedro II, he grew up as one of four siblings, but is the only one remaining in Brazil. His older sister, Princess Amelia, who renounced her dynastic right of succession upon marriage to a commoner in 2014, took up residence in Spain, and his younger sister, Princess Maria Gabriela, lives in Belgium,[5] where their maternal family occupies Belœil Castle.

He works for AmBev - Americas' Beverage Company in São Paulo where, previously, he was an intern.[5] He lives in a small apartment and has been quoted pointing out that at work he is just "Rafael" and takes orders from a boss.[5] Although his family claims inheritance rights to land and two palaces confiscated when his ancestor was exiled, the lawsuit has yet to be finally settled.[5] He visits Rio de Janeiro frequently, where the experience of having once been mugged neither dimmed his enthusiasm for the city's attractions nor convinced him that it is any less safe than other major urban areas.[5] A sports fan, his pastimes include weekly soccer play.[5]

Heir eventual

Prince Rafael follows an uncle and his father as the heir to one of two disputed lines of succession to the Brazilian throne that was abolished in 1889, which is currently claimed by his childless uncle Prince Luiz of Orleans-Braganza[5] and, in rivalry, by his cousin Prince Pedro Carlos of Orléans-Braganza.

His older brother, Prince Pedro Luíz, was a passenger on Air France Flight 447, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while traveling from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on 1 June 2009.[6] His body was later recovered and interred. Although prior to his death the elder brother had been expected to take up the dynastic claim, he had impressed upon his younger brother the importance of the imperial legacy as a familial duty.[5]

The head of Rafael's branch of the House of Orléans-Braganza, Prince Luiz (born 1938), shares a home in São Paulo with his brother and heir presumptive, Prince Bertrand (born 1941).[5] Prince Antônio (born 1950) is the only one of their six other brothers who did not have to renounce his succession rights upon marrying commoners, having married Princess Christine de Ligne in 1981.[7] Their son, Rafael, would be the first member of the next generation of Orléans-Braganzas to represent the dynasty as claimant to the throne.[7] He accepts that, unless the head of his house and other family members agree to change the dynasty's rules, he is expected to marry a princess in order to transmit his traditional claim to future descendants.[5]

Having represented his family's imperial heritage publicly since he was twelve, he also accompanies his father and uncles to official and monarchist events.[5] Although he has participated in public demonstrations against corruption in government, and adheres to the principles of equal opportunity and the right to better living conditions for the less privileged, he believes that he is obliged to abstain from partisan political activity in order to encourage restoration of the constitutional monarchy he still believes Brazil should consider as an alternative to its presidential regimes.[5]

Ancestry[7]

References

  1. ↑ Vizeu, Rodrigo (2017-12-01). "Royal Affair, Brazilian style". Brazilian Report.
  2. ↑ "S.A.R., o Príncipe Dom Rafael Antonio de Orléans e Bragança do Brazil". Herdeiros do Povrir (in Portuguese). XVIII (31). December 2012. Retrieved 2018-07-29 – via Scribd.
  3. ↑ "The Curious Case of the Brazilian Royal Family". Lumpen Magazine. 2015-07-30. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  4. ↑ "Young Royal and beautiful ! Get to now them! Prince Rafael of Orléans-Braganza". The New Royalty World. 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2018-07-29.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Schmitt, Peter-Philipp (2016-07-31). "Stil Kaiserfamilie in Brasilien". Frankfurter Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 2018-07-30.
  6. ↑ "Família Orleans e Bragança confirma que príncipe brasileiro estava no vôo AF 447". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). 1 June 2009.
  7. 1 2 3 "Haus Brasilien". Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XIV (in German). 1991. p. 26, 32-35. ISBN 3-7980-0700-4.
Prince Rafael of Orléans-Braganza
Cadet branch of the House of Orléans
Born: 12 January 1983
Titles in pretence
Preceded by
Prince Antônio		 — TITULAR —
Vassouras line of succession to the Brazilian throne
3rd position
Reason for succession failure:
Empire abolished in 1889		 Succeeded by
Princess Maria Gabriela
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