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 Curvello 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

Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza (born 15 May 1945), often called Dom Duarte, is the current Duke of Braganza. He is also someone who believes he should be the king of Portugal, even though Portugal is a republic. He is the head of the House of Braganza, which is a very old royal family in Portugal.

Duarte Pio is part of a network of royal families across Europe. He is often invited to important events held by other royal families. Even though he supports the idea of Portugal having a king again, there are no big groups or political parties actively working to bring back the monarchy.

In 1995, the Duke married Isabel de Herédia, a businesswoman from Portugal. Their wedding was the first time a Portuguese royal family member got married in Portugal since 1886. The Duke and Duchess have three children, which means the Braganza family line continues.

Duarte Pio is a citizen of Portugal because he was born there. He also has citizenship in East Timor because of his important work for that country.

Growing Up

Duarte with his parents, Duarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza and Princess Maria Francisca of Orléans-Braganza, and his brother Miguel, Duke of Viseu.

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 tradition in the House of Braganza to honor three important angels in the Catholic Church. However, his birth name was simply Duarte Pio de Bragança.

His father was the grandson of King Miguel I. His mother was a great-granddaughter of King Pedro IV, who was Miguel's older brother. This means Duarte Pio is from a specific branch of the House of Braganza called the Miguelist branch. His godparents were Pope Pius XII and Queen Amélie of Portugal, who was the mother of King Manuel II, Portugal's last king.

At the time Duarte Pio was born, he and his family were not allowed to enter Portugal. This was due to old laws from 1834 that had sent his family into exile.

Returning to Portugal

Duarte Pio as a child, while Prince of Beira.

On 27 May 1950, the Portuguese government changed these laws. This meant Duarte Pio and his family could finally return to Portugal. In 1951, Dom Duarte visited Portugal for the first time with his aunt. In 1952, he moved to Portugal permanently with his parents and brothers.

Duarte studied at different schools in Portugal. From 1957 to 1959, he attended Colégio Nun'Álvares. In 1960, he went to the Colégio Militar in Lisbon. He later studied agriculture and development.

From 1968 to 1971, Dom Duarte served in the military. He was a helicopter pilot in the Portuguese Air Force in Portuguese Angola. This was during the Portuguese Colonial War. In 1972, he worked with a group in Angola to organize candidates for the National Assembly. Because of this, he was asked to leave Angola by the Prime Minister.

Who Should Be King?

Duarte Pio in Portuguese Air Force uniform during the Colonial War

Duarte Pio believes he is the rightful heir to the Portuguese throne. Most people who support a monarchy in Portugal agree that he is the main claimant. However, a small number of monarchists do not recognize him.

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

A law from 1834 said that Miguel I and all his descendants could never become king or queen. This law was made even stronger in 1838. However, the old constitution from 1826, which did not ban Miguel's descendants, was brought back in 1842. This constitution was in place until 1910, when Portugal became a republic. Finally, the banishment law of 1834 was removed in 1950.

In 1912 and 1922, Duarte Pio's grandfather, Miguel Januário, Duke of Braganza, made peace with King Manuel II. But not everyone who supported them agreed with this peace. Some groups believe that only the Portuguese Parliament can decide who the rightful heir would be if Portugal ever decided to bring back the monarchy.

Official Statements

In May 2006, the Portuguese government said in a statement that they referred to Duarte Pio as the Duke of Braganza. A politician then asked for clarification. In response, the government said that Portugal is a republic, and calling Duarte Pio "Duke of Braganza" was just a polite way to address him, not an official recognition of him as a future king.

Important Roles

Duarte Pio often works with groups and leaders in Portugal and other countries. He represents the Portuguese people and their culture. Even though he is not a head of state, he has been welcomed with honors by many foreign leaders and organizations.

Helping East Timor

Duarte Pio, speaking at a conference in 2008.

Dom Duarte played a big part in helping Timor-Leste (East Timor) become independent. East Timor was a Portuguese colony that was taken over by Indonesia in 1975. Before the world paid much attention to the issue in the 1990s, the Duke worked on many campaigns to help East Timor gain its freedom.

In 1997, Dom Duarte even suggested to Indonesia's Vice-President that East Timor should have a vote on its independence. After that Vice-President became president in 1999, a vote was held, and East Timor became an independent country.

In December 2010, the President of East Timor, José Ramos-Horta, said he wanted to make Duarte Pio a citizen of East Timor. The Duke accepted this honor. In February 2012, the East Timor parliament approved it, and President Ramos-Horta gave Duarte Pio Timorese citizenship and the Order of Merit award. The President said these honors were given because Duarte Pio had spent "a large part of his life defending justice and liberty for the Timorese people."

Connecting Portuguese-Speaking Countries

Duarte Pio is the President of the King Manuel II Foundation. This foundation often works with the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). The CPLP is a group that promotes friendship and cooperation between Portugal and its former colonies.

In 2012, Duarte Pio's foundation became an official observer within the CPLP. This means they can attend meetings and offer advice. In November 2012, the Duke visited Mindelo, Cabo Verde, for a CPLP meeting. While there, he met with President Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca and gave him an award.

Duarte Pio also visits many towns and cities in Portugal for economic and cultural events. He is often welcomed with special honors by local leaders.

Family Life

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 wedding was a very special event because it was the first time a member of the Portuguese royal family had married 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, Mário Soares, and the Prime Minister, Aníbal Cavaco Silva, were also there.

After her marriage, Isabel de Herédia slowly stopped her professional 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, a lawyer from Lisbon. They were married on 7 October 2023 at the Basilica of the Palace of Mafra.

Family Tree and Succession

This list shows the family line of the Miguelist branch, which Duarte Pio belongs to.

Awards and Honors

Duarte Pio has received many awards and honors from different countries 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

• 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)

Other Awards

• Heritage Award for Peacemaker from the Sino-Phil Asia International Peace Awards Foundation

See also

In Spanish: Eduardo Pío de Braganza para niños