Death of Infanta Maria Adelaide de Bragança van Uden

Maria Adelaide Manuela Amélia Micaela Rafaela de Bragança van Uden was born on January 31st, 1912 in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France to Dom Miguel II Duke of Bragança and Princess Maria Theresa of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg, her godparents where Dom Manuel II, King of Portugal and his mother Dona Amelia, Queen of Portugal. The Infanta passed away Friday February 24th, 2012, only 24 days after celebrating her 100th birthday.

The Infanta passed away peacefully in her home, where a private funeral mass was held. A special mass is to be celebrated remembering her life in the Monastery of Jeronimos in Lisbon on Thursday March 1st at 6 PM.

The Infanta was raised in Austria in relatively poor conditions during World War I where her family lived as common people, not as typical royals. When she was older she studied nursing in Vienna, where she lived during the time of the Nazi Invasion. The Infanta worked with the Nazi Resistance movement and also helped victims of the Nazi bombings, which caused her to be arrested by the Gestapo and sentenced her to death. Only with the help of Antonio Salazar, the Portuguese Prime Minister, was she set free as he declared her “National Heritage”.

The Infanta married Dr. Nicolas Van Uden on October 12th 1945, they had six children together: Adrian Sergio (b. 1946), Nuno Miguel (b. 1947), Francisco Xavier (b. 1949), Filipa Teodora (b. 1951), Miguel Inacio (b. 1953), Maria Teresa  (b. 1956), all with the surname “de Brangança van Uden”. The Infanta always spent her life helping others especially orphaned children and poor pregnant women, through her foundation “Dom Nuno Alvares Pereira” foundation.

On the day of her 100th birthday, she was conceded by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Cavaco Silva, the Civil Order of Merit in honor of her dedication and hard work for the help of other people.

The Infanta was the last surviving grandchild of King Miguel I of Portugal, and the last aunt of Dom Duarte Pio. Infanta Maria Adelaide is survived by her six children, 21 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

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Tagged Biography, Death, Infanta Maria Adelaide de Bragança.

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