Prince of Grão-Pará

Coat of Arms of the Prince of Grão-Pará

The Prince of Grão-Pará was the title bestowed on the eldest son of the Prince Imperial of Brazil. It was inspired by the title of Prince of Beira, bestowed on the eldest son of the Prince Royal of Portugal. The title holder was the second in the line of succession to the throne of the Empire of Brazil, after the Prince Imperial. The title was established by article 105 of the 1824 Brazilian Constitution, which read:[1]

O Herdeiro presumptivo do Imperio terá o Titulo de "Principe Imperial" e o seu Primogenito o de "Principe do Grão Pará" todos os mais terão o de "Principes". O tratamento do Herdeiro presumptivo será o de "Alteza Imperial" e o mesmo será o do Principe do Grão Pará: os outros Principes terão o Tratamento de Alteza.
(The heir presumptive of the Empire will have the title of "Prince Imperial" and his first born son the title of "Prince of Grão-Pará", all the others shall have that of "Prince". The style of the heir presumptive and the Prince of Grão-Pará will be "Imperial Highness": the other princes will have the style of "Highness".)

The only holder of the title under the constitution was Prince Pedro de Alcântara of Orléans-Braganza, who was the eldest son of Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil, and grandson of Emperor Pedro II. He held the title from his birth in 1875 until after the Brazilian monarchy was abolished in 1889.

The only known documented and official exception was Princess Maria da Glória, who was created Princess of Grão-Pará in her own right by her father, Pedro I of Brazil, after the birth of his heir apparent, Prince Imperial Pedro (later Pedro II). She used the title in her capacity as second in the line of succession to the Brazilian throne from December 1825 to April 1826, until her father abdicated the throne of Portugal in her favor, and she became Queen Maria II.

However, after the fall of the monarchy, the family maintained the use of their titles of right.[2] In 1909 Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza was born, son of Prince Luís, styled Prince Imperial of Brazil, and therefore was titled Prince of Grão-Pará until the death of his father in 1920, becoming Prince Imperial.

List of princes of Grão-Pará

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Image Name Lifespan Tenure Parents
Princess Maria da Glória 4 April 1819 — 15 November 1853 2 December 1825 — 2 May 1826 Pedro I of Brazil
Maria Leopoldina of Austria
Prince Pedro de Alcântara 15 October 1875 — 29 January 1940 15 October 1875 — 5 December 1891 Isabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil
Prince Gaston of Orléans, Count of Eu

Post-monarchy

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Image Name Lifespan Tenure Parents
Prince Pedro Henrique 13 September 1909 — 5 July 1981 13 September 1909 — 26 March 1920 Prince Luís of Orléans-Braganza
Princess Maria di Grazia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Prince Rafael 24 April 1986 — living 15 July 2022 — present Prince Antônio of Orléans-Braganza
Princess Christine of Ligne

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Constituicão Politica do Imperio do Brazil (de 25 de Março de 1824)" (in Portuguese). Government of Brazil. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  2. ^ Pró-Monarquia. (March 11, 2022) (in Portuguese). Nota de esclarecimento a respeito do título de Príncipe do Grão-Pará.