Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza

Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza (Portuguese: Duarte Pio de Bragança, born 15 May 1945) is the current Duke of Braganza and a claimant to the dormant Portuguese throne, as the head of the House of Braganza. The Miguelist Braganzas, to whom Duarte Pio belongs as great-grandson of King Miguel I, is a cadet branch of the House of Braganza. With the extinction of male-line dynasts descended from Queen Maria II in 1932, King Miguel's descendants became the only male-line Braganzas remaining and the closest male-line heirs to the defunct Portuguese throne.

Duarte Pio of Braganza
Pretender
Duarte Pio in 2023
BornDuarte Pio João Miguel Gabriel Rafael
(1945-05-15) 15 May 1945
Bern, Switzerland
Regnal name claimedDuarte III
Title(s)Head of the Royal House of Braganza
Duke of Braganza
Pretend from24 December 1976 – present
Monarchy abolished1910
Last monarchManuel II
Connection with last monarchThird cousins, once removed
Royal HouseBraganza
FatherDuarte Nuno, Duke of Braganza
MotherPrincess Maria Francisca of Orléans-Braganza
Spouse
(m. 1995)
ChildrenAfonso, Prince of Beira
Maria Francisca, Duchess of Coimbra
Dinis, Duke of Porto
SiblingsMiguel, Duke of Viseu (brother)
Henrique de Bragança (brother)
PredecessorDuarte Nuno of Braganza
SuccessorAfonso of Braganza
ReligionRoman Catholicism
Signature
Military career
Allegiance Portugal
Service/branch Portuguese Air Force
Years of service1968–1971
Battles/warsPortuguese Colonial War

Duarte Pio is a figure within the European network of royal houses, often being invited to various foreign royal events. Despite his support for a monarchical government and widespread recognition as pretender to the throne, there are no major movements or parties that support restoration of the monarchy.

In 1995, the Duke married Isabel Inês de Castro Curvelo de Herédia, a Portuguese businesswoman and descendant of Portuguese nobility. Their marriage was the first marriage of a Portuguese royal to happen in Portuguese territory since the marriage of King Carlos I and Princess Amélie of Orléans, in 1886. The Duke and Duchess have three children, thus continuing the line of the Braganzas, as neither of the Duke's brothers has married or had children.

The Duke of Braganza holds Portuguese citizenship, by birth, and East Timorese citizenship due to high service to the country.

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