Catholic Royals

[Von Schlesian]

I think the most "catholic" or at least the families that you see more at Catholic services and observing traditions are the Belgian-Luxembourg-Lichtenstein-Austria group, who are all related amongst themselves; Spanish, Monegasque and Italian royals seem to be far much more relaxed about it.

I agree entirely. For the group you mention (in addition to the Catholic branches of former-reigning German royal and princely houses), they undertake to fulfill the obligations of the church very seriously. One need only look at the amount of priests, religious and Knights of Malta from among their ranks to see how seriously. It is the same for the nobility of those states. They are often to be found in positions of patronage for various Catholic charities and good works, not just outwardly superficial Catholics for the sake of marrying in a Cathedral, visiting the Holy Father or getting a front-row seat at the Pope's funeral.

It is a constant truth within the Catholic faith that no one may comment on whether another member of the faithful is in a state of grace, we are only required to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ (and do so at the commencement of every mass). So I am voicing absolutely no opinion whether anyone happens to be a 'good', or 'bad', Catholic, I merely wish to support the notion that it appears to come more naturally to the Germans (and the French), to observe the faith with quiet dignity, perhaps due to the oceans of blood that soaked their parts of Europe during the Reformation and its Counter.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Katherine is the Duchess of Kent, the spouse of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. She converted to Catholicism in 1994.

 

[TLLK]

Along with her eldest son George, grandchildren Edward and Marina and her youngest child Nicholas.

 

[Countessmeout]

Lord Nicholas married his wife Paola in the Vatican. He was the first English royal to marry within the Vatican state and the first member of the RF to marry in a catholic ceremony since Mary I. Their second son was baptized in the Vatican by the arch-priest of St Peter's.

The Kent brothers both have Catholic wives. The difference is that Prince Michael married a Catholic. They were married in a civil ceremony though, not a Catholic church service. They later had a church blessing with the approval of the pope, in London. Until 2013 Prince Michael lost his place in succession due to marrying a Catholic but was reinstated as he never converted. Freddie and Gabriella were raised Anglican so they were always in line for succession.

 

[Mbruno]

I am trying to compile a list of all the catholic royals, reigning and non reigning - can anyone add to the list?

1) Reigning monarchs or royal houses

• The Royal Family of Belgium
• The Royal Family of Spain
• The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg
• The Princely Family of Liechtenstein
• The Princely Family of Monaco
• The Pope

2) Non-ruling royal families (Note: there are others I am missing; only the major families are listed here)

• The Imperial and Royal Family of Austria, Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia (Habsburg-Lorraine)
• The Royal Family of Bavaria (Wittelsbach)
• The two branches of the Capetian dynasty that claim the Crown of France (Bourbon-Anjou and Orléans)
• The various Royal Families of Italy (Savoy, Bourbon-Parma, Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Austria-Este, etc.)
• The Royal Family of Portugal (Bragança)
• The Imperial Family of Brazil (Orléans-Bragança)

Traditionally, the "grandest" Catholic royal families would be, in my opinion: Bourbon (various branches, including Orléans, which descends from Louis XIII of France), Habsburg-Lorraine (various branches), and Savoy (the former Kings of Italy). They are also the Sovereigns of the three "grand" royal Catholic orders of chivalry: Annunziata, Golden Fleece (although the Spanish Fleece in particular is no longer an exclusively Catholic order), and Holy Spirit.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The extended Dutch and British Royal Families also have quite a few Catholic royals

BRF
Katharine, Duchess of Kent
Princess Michael of Kent
Countess of St Andrews
Edward Windsor, Lord Downpatrick
Lady Marina Windsor
Lord Nicholas Windsor

Dutch Royal Family
The Queen
Princess Irene
Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma
Princess Margarita, Countess of Colorno
Prince Jaime, Count of Bardi
Princess Carolina, Marchioness of Sala

 

[Mbruno]

Dutch Royal Family
The Queen
Princess Irene
Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma
Princess Margarita, Countess of Colorno
Prince Jaime, Count of Bardi
Princess Carolina, Marchioness of Sala

I am not sure if I would consider Prince Carlos, Princess Margarita, Prince Jaime and Princess Carolina members of the Dutch Royal Family. To me, they are members of the House of Bourbon-Parma, which is obviously a Catholic, non-reigning ducal house.


Queen Maxima is a member of the Dutch Royal House and is indeed a Catholic. However:

1. She did not marry in the Catholic church.

2. She had to agree before getting married that her future children would be baptized and raised in the Protestant church.


Overall, I think King Willem-Alexander takes his religious life very privately. His daughters in particular do not seem to be very religious (at least in public), but two of them (?) are attending a Protestant Christian school. I wonder if any of them, especially Amalia as the heir, has some Catholic influence from Queen Maxima, but, in any case, I don't see any evidence that the girls might be "crypto-Catholic" like some of the Stuarts in England prior to the revolution.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'd class them as the extended Dutch RF as stated above

 

[CyrilVladisla]

Prince Jean, Count of Paris and Princess Philomena, Countess of Paris

 

[maria-olivia]

Princess Caroline has to wait a long time for the annulation of her Wedding with Philippe Junot. She married twice afterwards but no Catholic Wedding , Civil Weddings.

 

[valeas]

Princess Caroline has to wait a long time for the annulation of her Wedding with Philippe Junot. She married twice afterwards but no Catholic Wedding , Civil Weddings.

Well, Caroline like the RF of Monaco is catholic.
Wether you marry once or more often does not change this.
Her second wedding though non-religious, after the first one had been annulled, counts for Rome. She was then widowed and juridically had been able to marry in church again, but then the third wedding was protestant and more important Ernst August is divorced, so no chance to marry in catholic rite.
Caroline therefor lives a sinful marriage with Ernst August.
But she didn't ever care about the religious impact of her behaviour, so....

 

[Somebody]

The extended Dutch and British Royal Families also have quite a few Catholic royals
(...)
Dutch Royal Family
The Queen
Princess Irene
Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma
Princess Margarita, Countess of Colorno
Prince Jaime, Count of Bardi
Princess Carolina, Marchioness of Sala

Princess Beatrix' youngest sister, princess Christina, also became Roman Catholic (in 1992); it seems that her eldest son's Bernardo's religious wedding (in which their daughter was baptized) was also a Roman Catholic one - taking place in Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church (Brooklyn, New York).

In addition, two of the children of Princess Margriet married Roman Catholics: Marilène van den Broek (ecumenic marriage ceremony) and Aimée Söhngen (protestant marriage ceremony). The children of Maurits and Marilène were also baptized in a ecumenic ceremony and are therefore included in both the protestant as well as the roman catholic baptism register.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Princess Beatrix' youngest sister, princess Christina, also became Roman Catholic (in 1992); it seems that her eldest son's Bernardo's religious wedding (in which their daughter was baptized) was also a Roman Catholic one - taking place in Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church (Brooklyn, New York).

In addition, two of the children of Princess Margriet married Roman Catholics: Marilène van den Broek (ecumenic marriage ceremony) and Aimée Söhngen (protestant marriage ceremony). The children of Maurits and Marilène were also baptized in a ecumenic ceremony and are therefore included in both the protestant as well as the roman catholic baptism register.

Attitudes thankfully had changed and Conversion to Catholicism or for a member of the House of Orange to marry a Roman Catholic would not have been permitted in the past.

 

[valeas]

Princess Beatrix' youngest sister, princess Christina, also became Roman Catholic (in 1992); it seems that her eldest son's Bernardo's religious wedding (in which their daughter was baptized) was also a Roman Catholic one - taking place in Our Lady Queen of All Saints Church (Brooklyn, New York).

In addition, two of the children of Princess Margriet married Roman Catholics: Marilène van den Broek (ecumenic marriage ceremony) and Aimée Söhngen (protestant marriage ceremony). The children of Maurits and Marilène were also baptized in a ecumenic ceremony and are therefore included in both the protestant as well as the roman catholic baptism register.

There is no ecumenic ceremony only a blessing from the other priest is possible and one can only be baptised catholic or protestant, not registered in both.