Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Prince Pedro |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke of Calabria Count of Caserta |
|||||
 |
|||||
| Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (disputed) | |||||
| Tenure | 5 October 2015 – present | ||||
| Predecessor | Infante Carlos | ||||
| Heir | Prince Jaime | ||||
| Born | 16 October 1968 Madrid, Spain |
||||
| Spouse |
Sofía Landaluce y Melgarejo
(m. 2001) |
||||
| Issue | Prince Jaime, Duke of Noto Prince Juan Prince Pablo Prince Pedro Princess Sofía Princess Blanca Princess María |
||||
|
|||||
| House | Bourbon-Two Sicilies | ||||
| Father | Infante Carlos, Duke of Calabria | ||||
| Mother | Princess Anne of Orléans | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria (born 16 October 1968), is an important member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. This royal family once ruled the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies in southern Italy. Pedro is the only son of Infante Carlos, Duke of Calabria (who lived from 1938 to 2015) and Princess Anne of Orléans.
Since his father's death in 2015, Prince Pedro is considered by many to be the main person who should lead the Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. This is because he is the oldest son and heir. He is also a grandee of Spain, which is a special title for some Spanish nobles.
Contents
What is the Claim to Leadership?
Prince Pedro is seen as the senior (older) of two people who claim to be the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The other person is Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro. This disagreement about who should lead the family has a long history.
Pedro also claims to be the Grand Master of several important orders. These include the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Order of Saint Januarius. He also leads the Council of four Spanish Military Orders: Santiago, Calatrava, Alcántara, and Montesa.
The Act of Cannes: A Historical Agreement
In 1900, an agreement called the Act of Cannes was signed. This happened when Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies was about to marry María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, who was in line to become Queen of Spain. Prince Carlos was the next oldest brother to the head of the Bourbon-Two Sicilies family at that time.
The Act of Cannes stated that Prince Carlos would give up his rights and those of his future children to the throne of the Two Sicilies. This was done to follow an old rule from 1759 by Charles III of Spain. This rule said that the thrones of Spain and Naples (part of the Two Sicilies) should never be held by the same person. This was to keep a balance of power in Europe.
The Act of Cannes said:
Before Us, Don Alfonso de Borbón, Count of Caserta... Head of the Royal House and Dynasty of the Two Sicilies... His Royal Highness Prince Don Carlos, our beloved Son, appears and declares that, preparing to marry HRH Infanta María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias, and assuming by such marriage the nationality and quality of Spanish Prince, undertakes to renounce by this Act and solemnly renounces, for himself and for his heirs and successors, all the right and reason to the eventual succession to the Crown of the Two Sicilies and to all the assets of the Royal House that are in Italy and elsewhere, and this according to our Laws, constitutions and Family customs, in execution of the Pragmatic Sanction of King Charles III, our Augustus ancestor, of October 6, 1759, the prescriptions of which he freely and spontaneously declares to subscribe and obey.
He also declares, in particular, to renounce for himself, his heirs and successors to the assets and values existing in Italy, Vienna and Monaco (Bavaria) and destined by His Majesty King Francis II (may God have welcomed his soul), to the foundation of a majorat for the Head of the Dynasty and of the Family of the Two Sicilies and for the constitution of an endowment fund in favor of the Royal Princesses and granddaughters of our August Father King Ferdinand (may God have welcomed his soul), of marriageable age; but preserving his rights to the part of the assets that were bequeathed to him by his late uncle King Francis II, in the event that the Italian Government, which improperly retains them, makes the due restitution and the same everything that may arrive to him by other testamentary legacies.
Why is the Act of Cannes Disputed?
People who support Prince Carlo (the other claimant) say that because Prince Carlos signed this agreement, he and his descendants gave up their rights to lead the family. This would mean Prince Carlo should be the head.
However, supporters of Prince Pedro say the Act of Cannes had a condition that never happened. They argue it would only apply if Prince Carlos's wife had become Queen of Spain and he had become King of the Two Sicilies. This never took place. They also point out that the Act of Cannes did not specifically mention giving up the leadership of the House or the Constantinian Order.
Many experts agree that the leadership of the Constantinian Order is not tied to being a king. It is a separate family inheritance. This means that at least the leadership of the Constantinian Order would belong to Prince Pedro.
What is Prince Pedro's Career?
Prince Pedro studied and became an agricultural engineer at the University of Castilla–La Mancha. He also served in the Royal Guard for his Spanish military service.
Today, he manages his family's large estate called La Toledana in Ciudad Real, Spain. He also oversees other family properties in Spain and Austria.
Prince Pedro's Family Life
Prince Pedro married Sofía Landaluce y Melgarejo on 30 March 2001 in Madrid. Sofía was born on 23 November 1973. Her mother was María de las Nieves Blanca Melgarejo y González.
Prince Pedro and Sofía have seven children:
- Prince Jaime of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 26 June 1992 in Madrid). He is known as the Duke of Noto. He holds several important titles and is a Knight of Alcántara. He married Lady Charlotte Diana Lindesay-Bethune on 25 September 2021.
- Princess Francesca Sofía of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 13 October 2023 in London). She is the daughter of Prince Jaime and Lady Charlotte.
- Prince Juan of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 18 April 2003 in Madrid)
- Prince Pablo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 26 June 2004 in Madrid)
- Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 3 January 2007 in Ciudad Real)
- Princess Sofía of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 12 November 2008 in Madrid)
- Princess Blanca of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 7 April 2011 in Ciudad Real)
- Princess María of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (born 5 March 2015 in Ciudad Real)
Honors and Awards
Prince Pedro has received many honors throughout his life.
Family Honors
: From the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (1986–2015).- : From the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Sovereign and Grand Master of the Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius.
- : From the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Sovereign and Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George.
- : From the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Sovereign and Grand Master of the Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit.
- : From the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: Sovereign and Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Two-Sicilies.
National Honors
Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Vatican: Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
Spain: Commander of the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise (awarded on 22 December 2017).
Other Activities and Roles
Prince Pedro is involved in several other important organizations:
- President of the Foundation for the Protection of Nature.
- President of the Foundation Lux Hispaniarum.
- President of the Foundation of the Hospital of Santiago de Cuenca.
- Patron of the Foundation of Commanderies of Santiago.
- Vice-President of the Delegation of the Community of Castilla-La Mancha of the APD.
Images for kids
-
Coat of arms as Duke of Noto (1968–2015)
-
Coat of arms as Pretender (2015–present)
-
Coat of arms in Spain (2015–present)
.svg)
See also
In Spanish: Pedro de Borbón-Dos Sicilias y Orleans para niños
