Princess Maria de la Esperanza of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
| Princess Maria de la Esperanza | |
|---|---|
Maria in 1922 | |
| Princess of Orléans-Braganza | |
| Reign | 18 December 1944 – 8 August 2005 |
| Born | 14 June 1914 Madrid, Spain |
| Died | 8 August 2005 (aged 91) Villamanrique de la Condesa, Spain |
| Burial | Church of San María Magdalena, Villamanrique |
| Spouse | Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza |
| Issue |
|
| House | House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies |
| Father | Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies |
| Mother | Princess Louise of Orléans |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Signature | |
Maria de la Esperanza of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (María de la Esperanza Amalia Raniera María Rosario Luisa Gonzaga de Borbón-Dos Sicilias y Orleáns; 14 June 1914 – 8 August 2005) was a member of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. By marriage, she became the Princess of Orléans-Braganza and the consort of Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza, the head of the Petrópolis branch of the Brazilian Imperial Family. She was also the maternal aunt of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.[1]
Early life
Princess Maria de la Esperanza was born in Madrid during the period when her family was settled in Spain. Her father, Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, had renounced his rights to the throne of the Two Sicilies to become an Infante of Spain upon his marriage to the Princess of Asturias. Her mother, Princess Louise of Orléans, was the daughter of Philippe, Count of Paris, the Orléanist pretender to the French throne.
She was the youngest of four children. Her sister, Princess María de las Mercedes, married Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, and became the mother of King Juan Carlos I. Following the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the family went into exile, primarily residing in France and Italy.
Marriage and issue
On 18 December 1944, Maria de la Esperanza married her third cousin, Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza, in Seville, Spain. Pedro Gastão was the son of Prince Pedro de Alcântara of Orléans-Braganza and a claimant to the defunct Brazilian throne as head of the Petrópolis branch.[2]
The couple had six children:
- Prince Pedro Carlos of Orléans-Braganza (born 1945), who succeeded his father as head of the Petrópolis branch in 2007.
- Princess Maria of Orléans-Braganza (born 1946), former Crown Princess of Yugoslavia through her first marriage to Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia.
- Prince Afonso of Orléans-Braganza(born 1948).
- Prince Manuel of Orléans-Braganza (born 1949).
- Princess Cristina of Orléans-Braganza (born 1950).
- Prince Francisco of Orléans-Braganza (born 1956).
Later life
The Princess spent the majority of her life at the family estate in Villamanrique de la Condesa, near Seville. She remained a respected figure within European royalty, often attending major dynastic events in Spain alongside her nephew, King Juan Carlos I.
She died on 8 August 2005, aged 91. Her funeral was attended by the Spanish Royal Family, including King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía, reflecting her status as a beloved member of the extended dynasty.[3]
Ancestry
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References
- ^ Rojas, Enrique (9 August 2005). "Fallece a los 91 años la infanta Doña Esperanza, tía del Rey". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ "The Imperial Family of Brazil". Royal Magazin. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ^ "María de la Esperanza de Borbón y Orleáns, tía del Rey". El País (in Spanish). 9 August 2005.