Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Duarte Pio de Bragança
Duke of Braganza
Duarte Pio in 2017
Head of the Royal House of Portugal
Reign	24 December 1976 – present
Predecessor	Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
Heir apparent	Afonso, Prince of Beira
Born	(1945-05-15) 15 May 1945 (age 80) Bern, Switzerland
Spouse	Isabel Inês de Castro Curvelo de Herédia ​ (m. 1995)​
Issue	Afonso, Prince of Beira Maria Francisca, Duchess of Coimbra Dinis, Duke of Porto
House	Braganza
Father	Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
Mother	Princess Maria Francisca of Orléans-Braganza
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature
Military career
Allegiance	Portugal
Service/branch	Portuguese Air Force
Years of service	1968–1971
Battles/wars	Portuguese Colonial War

Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza (born 15 May 1945), also known as Dom Duarte, is an important figure in Portugal. He is the current Duke of Braganza. He is also considered the head of the House of Braganza, which was once the royal family of Portugal.

Duarte Pio is a claimant to the Portuguese throne, even though Portugal is now a republic. This means he is seen by some as the rightful heir if Portugal were to become a monarchy again. His family, the Miguelist Braganzas, are a branch of the main House of Braganza.

He is often invited to royal events in other European countries. In 1995, he married Isabel de Herédia, a Portuguese businesswoman. Their wedding was the first royal wedding in Portugal in over 100 years. They have three children, who will continue the family line.

Duarte Pio is a citizen of Portugal by birth. He also has citizenship in East Timor because of his important work for that country.

Early Life and Education

Duarte (right) with his parents and brother Miguel.

Duarte Pio was born on 15 May 1945 in Bern, Switzerland. He was the first of three sons born to Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza, and Princess Maria Francisca of Orléans-Braganza. His full name includes "Miguel Gabriel Rafael," which is a family tradition to honor three important archangels in the Catholic Church.

His father was the grandson of Miguel I of Portugal, a former king. His mother was a great-granddaughter of Pedro I of Brazil, who was Miguel I's older brother. This means Duarte Pio comes from a long line of royalty. His godparents were Pope Pius XII and Amélie of Orléans, the last Queen of Portugal.

At the time Duarte Pio was born, his family was not allowed to enter Portugal. This was due to old laws from 1834. However, in 1950, the Portuguese government changed these laws. In 1951, Duarte Pio visited Portugal for the first time. He moved there permanently with his family in 1952.

Duarte Pio as a child, when he was the Prince of Beira.

Duarte Pio attended schools in Portugal, including Colégio Nun'Álvares and the Colégio Militar in Lisbon. He later studied agriculture at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia. He also studied development at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

From 1968 to 1971, Duarte Pio served in the Portuguese Air Force. He was a helicopter pilot during the Portuguese Colonial War in Portuguese Angola. In 1972, he tried to help organize a group of Angolan candidates for the National Assembly. This led to him being sent away from Angola by the Prime Minister.

Claim to the Throne

Duarte Pio in his Portuguese Air Force uniform during the Portuguese Colonial War.

Duarte Pio claims the Portuguese throne as the heir of King Manuel II. Most Portuguese monarchists (people who support a monarchy) see him as the rightful heir. However, a small number do not.

This disagreement goes back to 1828. At that time, Duarte Pio's great-grandfather, Miguel I, took the throne. This started a civil war called the Liberal Wars. Miguel I was defeated in 1834 by his own brother. Miguel I was then sent into exile. His niece, Maria II of Portugal, became queen again.

A law from 1834 said that Miguel I and his children could never be kings or queens of Portugal. This law was made stronger in 1838. However, the old constitution from 1826 was brought back in 1842. This constitution did not stop Miguel's family from becoming king. Finally, the 1834 law that banned Miguel's family was removed in 1950.

In the early 1900s, Duarte Pio's grandfather, Miguel Januário, Duke of Braganza, made peace with King Manuel II. But not everyone agreed with this peace. Some groups in Portugal believe that only the government can decide who the rightful heir would be if Portugal ever brought back the monarchy.

Official Recognition

In 2006, the Portuguese government stated that it referred to Duarte Pio as the Duke of Braganza. This led to questions in the Portuguese Parliament. The government clarified that while they use the title "Duke of Braganza" as a polite courtesy, Portugal is a republic. This means they do not officially recognize him as a pretender to the throne.

Roles and Activities

Duarte Pio often works with different groups in Portugal and other countries. He helps represent Portuguese culture and its people. Even though he is not a head of state, he is often welcomed with honors by leaders and organizations around the world.

Politics and International Relations

Dom Duarte was a strong supporter of East Timor's independence. East Timor was a former Portuguese colony that was taken over by Indonesia in 1975. Before it became well-known globally, Duarte Pio worked on many campaigns to help East Timor become independent. He even suggested a vote for independence to the Indonesian Vice-President in 1997. After this, a vote was held, and East Timor became independent in 1999.

In 2010, the President of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta, wanted to make Duarte Pio a citizen of East Timor. Duarte Pio accepted this honor. He said it was because of the strong connection between the people of East Timor and Portugal. In 2012, he officially became a Timorese citizen and received the Order of Merit. This was for his "dedication... to defending justice and liberty for the Timorese people."

In 2011, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria invited Duarte Pio for a visit. Duarte Pio said he was invited to share President al-Assad's plans for Syria. He told news outlets that the Syrian President wanted to create a new constitution. This constitution would guarantee political, religious, and press freedom. Duarte Pio also said President al-Assad was a "good and well-intentioned man."

Duarte Pio is also the President of the King Manuel II Foundation. This foundation works with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). The CPLP is a group of countries that share the Portuguese language and culture. In 2012, his foundation became an official observer within the CPLP. He often visits different cities in Portugal for economic and political events. He is usually welcomed with special honors by local leaders.

In 2014, there was a legal case about the use of the symbols of the Order of Saint Michael of the Wing. Duarte Pio was initially told he could not use them and had to pay money. However, in 2015, he won the case and got back the legal rights to the symbols.

Culture and Heritage

Duarte Pio giving his annual speech at the Forty Conspirators dinner.

Duarte Pio often travels to promote Portuguese culture. In 2009, he visited Terceira Island in the Azores. He was a guest of honor for a book presentation. He visited cultural and religious places and attended a traditional Portuguese bullfight.

In 2011, he visited Funchal in Madeira. He was there for the Henry the Navigator Award, which is linked to the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. He held a ceremony for the award. He also visited Vila Franca de Xira for a Royal Tourada (a type of bullfight event). He visited local museums and cultural sites.

Every year on 1 December, Duarte Pio gives a speech at the dinner of the Forty Conspirators. This date is called Restoration Day. It celebrates when John IV of Portugal, an ancestor of Duarte Pio, became king in 1640. This event restored Portugal's independence from Spain. In his speeches, Duarte Pio talks about the history of this day. He also discusses events from the past year and the future for Portugal. In 2012, Restoration Day stopped being a public holiday in Portugal. Duarte Pio spoke out against this, saying it "devalues the day which should unite the Portuguese."

Family and Marriage

On 13 May 1995, Dom Duarte Pio married Isabel Inês de Castro Curvelo de Herédia. She is a Portuguese businesswoman from a noble family. This was a very special event. It was the first wedding of a Portuguese royal family member to happen in Portugal since 1886.

The wedding took place at the Monastery of Jerónimos in Lisbon. Many important people attended, including members of other European royal families. The President of Portugal and the Prime Minister were also there.

After her marriage, Isabel de Herédia slowly stopped her business work. She now focuses on her family and supports various charities. Duarte Pio and Isabel de Herédia have three children:

In December 2022, it was announced that Maria Francisca would marry Duarte de Sousa Araújo Martins. They were married on 7 October 2023. The wedding took place at the Basilica of the Palace of Mafra.

Line of Succession

This list shows the order of who would inherit the claim to the throne in the Miguelist branch of the family.

Honours and Awards

Duarte Pio has received many honors and awards from different organizations and royal families.

From Other Countries

• Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
• Grand Collar of the Order of Timor-Leste (East Timor)
• Gold Medal of Merit (Italian Red Cross)

From Royal Families and Orders

• Grand Master of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa
• Grand Master of the Order of Saint Michael of the Wing
• Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece (House of Habsburg)
• Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Rose (Brazilian House of Orléans-Braganza)
• Knight of the Order of Saint Januarius (Castroan House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies)
• Bailiff Knight Grand Cross with Collar of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (Calabrian House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies)
• Grand Cordon of the Royal and Hashemite Order of the Pearl (Royal House of Sulu)
• Grand Cordon of the Royal Order of the Crown (Royal House of Laʻanui)

Images for kids

• 

  Duarte Pio in 2017

• 

  Duarte Pio's signature

See also

In Spanish: Eduardo Pío de Braganza para niños