Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro (born 24 February 1963) is one of the two claimants to the headship of the former

House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies The House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies is a cadet branch of the Spanish Bourbons that ruled Southern Italy and Sicily for more than a century in the 18th and 19th centuries. It descends from the Capetian dynasty in legitimate male line through Phili ...

Early life

Prince Carlo was born at

Saint-Raphaël, Var Saint-Raphaël (; oc, Sant Rafèu ) is a commune in the Var department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Southeastern France. In 2017, it had a population of 35,042. Immediately to the west of Saint-Raphaël lies a larger and older town, ...

, France, as the only son of Ferdinand, Duke of Castro, and his wife, Chantal de Chevron-Villette.

Marriage and issue

On 31 October 1998, Prince Carlo married Camilla Crociani, daughter of Italian billionaire Camillo Crociani and his second wife, Italian actress

Edy Vessel Edoarda Vesselovsky (born 23 October 1940), better known by her stage name Edy Vessel, Edi Vessel, or Edy Vesel, is an Italian actress and businesswoman. Biography Vesselovsky was born in Trieste in 1940. In her youth, she worked as a model i ...

. Together Carlo and Camilla have two children: * Princess Maria Carolina, Duchess of Calabria, Duchess of Palermo (born 2003) * Princess Maria Chiara, Duchess of Noto, Duchess of Capri (born 2005)

Claimed headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

In 2008, Carlo succeeded to his father's claim as head of the House of the Two Sicilies and use of the title Duke of Castro. This claim is disputed by the Spanish branch of the House of the Two Sicilies. As claimant to the headship of the house, he thus also claims to be

sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...

of the

Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George (SMOCG) ( it, Sacro Militare Ordine Costantiniano di San Giorgio, es, Sagrada Orden Militar Constantiniana de San Jorge), also historically referred to as the Imperial Constantinian Order ...

as well as the

Royal Order of Francis I The Royal Order of Francis I (properly 'The Royal Order of Francis I of the Two Sicilies' it, Reale Ordine di Francesco I) was an extinct order of merit of the former Kingdom of the Two Sicilies which was annexed in 1861 by the King of Italy (un ...

. The dispute between the Castroan and Spanish branches of the family began after the death of the last uncontested head of the house, Ferdinand Pius, in 1960. By male primogeniture, the immediate male heir of Ferdinand Pius was his nephew

Infante Alfonso Infante Alfonso of Spain (''Don Alfonso Cristino Teresa Ángelo Francisco de Asís y Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón Dos-Sicilias''; 3 October 1941 – 29 March 1956) was the younger brother of King Juan Carlos of Spain. He was also th ...

, the son of Pius's eldest younger brother

Carlos Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...

. Carlos married

María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias (''María de las Mercedes de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; 11 September 1880 – 17 October 1904) was the eldest child of King Alfonso XII of Spain and his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria. ...

, the heir presumptive of Spain, in 1901. As a result of the marriage, his family forced Carlos to renounce his "eventual succession to the crown" of the Two Sicilies, in line with the centuries-old agreement that the crowns of Spain and Two Sicilies were not to unify. Although this renunciation was interpreted by some as removing Carlos and his descendants from the line of succession of the Two Sicilies, supporters of Alfonso argued that the renunciation would only have applied if Carlos's wife or an eventual son had actually become the sovereign of Spain, which did not happen and would have most likely not happened at the time of the signing regardless. Nevertheless, Ferdinand Pius's and Carlos's younger brother,

Ranieri Ranieri is an Italian surname and given name originated from the masculine Germanic given name Ragnar (Old Norse ''Ragnarr''). Surname *Teodorico Ranieri (b. unknown, d. 1306), Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church *Massimo Ranieri (born ...

, began to regard himself as Pius's heir. Upon Pius's death, both Ranieri and Alfonso claimed to be the legitimate heads of the family. Alfonso's line of the family (today represented by Carlo's rival claimant,

Pedro Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for '' Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, mean ...

) has been officially recognized as the legitimate line by the

Government of Spain gl, Goberno de España eu, Espainiako Gobernua , image = , caption = Logo of the Government of Spain , headerstyle = background-color: #efefef , label1 = Role , data1 = Executive power , label2 = Established , d ...

, the Spanish royal house, the Parmesan royal house and the Portuguese royal house, whereas Ranieri's line was recognized by a wider share of European dynasts of former monarchies (no current monarch except the king of Spain has officially stated its view on the matter), namely the

Count of Paris Count of Paris () was a title for the local magnate of the district around Paris in Carolingian times. After Hugh Capet was elected King of France in 987, the title merged into the crown and fell into disuse. However, it was later revived by the ...

, Umberto of Italy, Gottfried of Austria-Tuscany, the

Duke of Bavaria The following is a list of rulers during the history of Bavaria. Bavaria was ruled by several dukes and kings, partitioned and reunited, under several dynasties. Since 1949, Bavaria has been a democratic state in the Federal Republic of Germ ...

, the

Duke of Württemberg Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

, the

Duke of Aosta Duke of Aosta ( it, Duca d'Aosta; french: Duc d'Aoste) was a title in the Italian nobility. It was established in the 13th century when Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, made the County of Aosta a duchy. The region was part of the Savoyard s ...

, the

Duke of Genoa Duke of Genoa was a subsidiary title of the King of Sardinia. It was first awarded in 1815 to Prince Charles Felix of Savoy, who became the King of Sardinia in 1821. Upon the death of King Charles Felix in 1831, the title was given to Prince F ...

, the Duke of Hohenberg,

Prince Luiz of Orléans-Braganza A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

and Prince Michael of Greece. It has been argued by some that the Counts of Paris supported the Castro line simply because their own pretence to the French throne depends entirely on the same principle of renounciation as the Act of Cannes, and so it would be against their own interest to support the legitimists. Interestingly, most of the other outspoken supporters of the Castro line were either sons-in-law of the Count of Paris or closely related to him. Up until recently, the Italian government only legally recognized Ranieri's line, but from the 1980s onwards, awards and distinctions granted by either line's representatives have been regarded as of equal legality, after careful consideration of the official documents published in 1984 by the

Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Justi ...

, the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The enti ...

, the

Council of State A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...

, the

Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a ...

and the Royal Academy of Heraldry and Genealogy. p. 392 There has nonetheless been great controversy as to the Italian government's early stance, as several public officials had been accepted into the Constantinian Order by Prince Ferdinand, Duke of Castro. When the senate agreed to revise its attitude to the dispute, it considered the Calabrian line to be the legitimate, but its verdict was eventually softened to simply recognising both branches.

Honours

Dynastic

: Sovereign Knight of the

Order of Saint Januarius ) , clasps = , post-nominals = , established = 3 July 1738 , first_award = , last_award = , founder = Charles VII of Naples , head_title = Grand Master , head = Disputed:Prince P ...

Constantanian.org.uk
Page in which Carlo's titles and orders are listed
/ref> *

: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of Justice of the Two Sicilian Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George *

: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit The Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit is an order of knighthood of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It was established on 1 April 1800 by Ferdinand IV of Naples and III Sicily to reward men who performed important deeds and ...

: Sovereign of the

Royal Order of the Two-Sicilies The Royal Order of the Two-Sicilies ( it, Ordine reale delle Due Sicilie) was a dynastic order of knighthood of the Kingdom of Naples and the Kingdom of Two Sicilies. The order was established 24 February 1808 by Joseph Bonaparte, who, at the tim ...

: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint George of the Reunion *

: Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the

Italian Royal Family The House of Savoy ( it, Casa Savoia) was a royal dynasty that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small Alpine county north-west of Italy to absolute rule o ...

: Knight of the

Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation The Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation ( it, Ordine Supremo della Santissima Annunziata) is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry, originating in Savoy. It eventually was the pinnacle of the honours system in the Kingdom of Italy, which ce ...

: Knight Grand Cross of the

Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus The Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus ( it, Ordine dei Santi Maurizio e Lazzaro) (abbreviated OSSML) is a Roman Catholic dynastic order of knighthood bestowed by the royal House of Savoy. It is the second-oldest order of knighthood in the ...

: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Savoy

National

* : Grand Cross of the

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-rankin ...

* : Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta * : Knight Grand Cross of the Order pro Merito Melitensi

Foreign

* : Member of the

Decoration of Honour Decoration may refer to: * Decorative arts * A house painter and decorator's craft * An act or object intended to increase the beauty of a person, room, etc. * An award that is a token of recognition to the recipient intended for wearing Other ...

* : Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Special Class * : Grand Cross of the

Order of Civil Merit The Order of Civil Merit ( es, Orden del Mérito Civil) was established by King Alfonso XIII of Spain in 1926. The order recognizes "the civic virtue of officers in the service of the Nation, as well as extraordinary service by Spanish and forei ...

In letters dated 21 July 2017, the Governor-General of Antigua and Barbuda issued notice that the Duke of Castro's 2014 appointment to the

Order of the Nation The Order of the Nation is a Jamaican honour. It is a part of the Jamaican honours system and was instituted in 1973 as the second-highest honour in the country, with the Order of National Hero being the highest honour. The Order of the Nation ...

had been annulled. The appointment of his wife was likewise annulled. In 2020, the branch of the Constantinian Order led by Prince Carlo was alleged to have influenced the election of

Patricia Scotland Patricia Janet Scotland, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, (born 19 August 1955), is a British diplomat, barrister and politician, serving as the sixth secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations. She was elected at the 2015 Commonwealth Head ...

Commonwealth Secretary-General The Commonwealth secretary-general is the head of the Commonwealth Secretariat, the central body which has served the Commonwealth of Nations since its establishment in 1965, and responsible for representing the Commonwealth publicly. The Commo ...

, which a spokesman for the Order denied, saying "These allegations are wholly offensive and wrong". It was alleged that Scotland used the Order's awards to influence votes in her favour, even though four of the five honoured national leaders had voted against her appointment.

Awards

* :

Freedom of the City of London The Freedom of the City of London started around 1237 as the status of a 'free man' or 'citizen', protected by the charter of the City of London and not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord. In the Middle Ages, this developed into a freedom o ...

Independent Catholic News
/ref>

Ancestry

References

External links

Official Website of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Siciilies

Official Website of the Grand Magistry of the Constantinian Order

Official Website of the British and Irish Delegation of the Constantinian Order
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlo Of Castro, Duke, Prince 1963 births Living people People from Saint-Raphaël, Var Princes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Pretenders to the throne of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies French Roman Catholics Italian people of Polish descent French people of Polish descent Dukes of Calabria Dukes of Castro Dukes of Noto 20th-century Roman Catholics 21st-century Roman Catholics Collège Stanislas de Paris alumni Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa Extraordinary Grades of the Order of Merit (Lebanon) Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Recipients of the Order of the Nation (Antigua and Barbuda) Members of the Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem