As long as Poidimani keeps away from Portugal and any royal residence, I am fine.
Yes, indeed. Poidimani wouldn't be accepted, anyway.
For other Royal Families there is a doubt, ie Two Sicilies, at the moment we have Don Carlos (living in Madrid) and Carlo (living in Rome), here all books of nobility say that there are two people claiming the title of Head of the House...
Royals and nobles are divided into supporters of Carlos and supporters of Carlo, it depends from their personal contacts and relations with them.
Ok Count, there are also two men who claim the title of Duke d'Anjou.
But the House of Braganza has not the same
weight as other Houses have. Other Royal Houses simply don't care who is the Head of the House of Braganza, they accept D. Duarte because his father claimed the Title, and none confronted him at the time. Everyone (except Queen Amelia and few others) accepted him as the Head of the House. But thank God, in our days people don't accept everything just like that anymore and some monarchists here and then have the courage to write books or blogs in the internet calling our attention to what they think is wrong on D. Duarte life story. I don't support Poidimani or Duke of Loule, but at least they made many think about this
Claims to the portuguese throne topic. And they have all the right to protest against D. Duarte's claims, IMO.
Exactly Count, I usually wonder why it is so important that he is born abroad to some. In the Germanic culture somebody can live abroad for many generations and still be considered German for example. That is how all the Germans from that settled in Eastern Europe over the centuries could return to Germany after WII (untill Chansellor Schreuder changed the law a few years ago). Likewise in my own country the 3rd or 4th generation immigrants are usually still called 'Turkish', ' Maroccan' etc. by many. Not that is a good thing of course, but it happens.
Yes, it happens, but we are not talking about common people, but about the Head of a Royal House.
Likewise the way of reasoning that somebody has to be born in a country will make sure that many royal families will have no claimants at all, considering many were exiled.
This is not only about his birth place. D. Duarte Nuno was undoubtedly the legal heir of his grandfather (Miguel I), but the doubt is if he was the legal heir of the
last reigning King of Portugal, Manuel II.
The Constitution of 1826 (articles 87 and 88) stated that the throne should pass
first to the descendants of Queen Maria II (from whom Duarte Nuno was
not descended) and only when they were extinct to collateral heirs.
Queen Maria II had living descendants, but none of these had Portuguese nationality! Duarte Nuno and these descendents were in the same position (they didn't have the Portuguese nationality), since the article 89 of the Constitution of 1826 stated that "no foreigner can succeed to the crown of the kingdom of Portugal". When D. Duarte Pio was born he was a foreigner. So how can he be accepted as the Head of the Royal House? If someone can answer me to that, I'll change my mind
When a (very) small minority of monarchists looked for another candidate than D. Duarte Nuno, they found that D. Manuel's heir was Crown Prince George of Saxony, a great-grandson of
Maria II, but he was not Portuguese (as was required by Portuguese law for the succession!) AND he was also a Catholic priest.
The closest heir who is undoubtedly Portuguese is Francisco van Uden, who should be more resolute about his rights. Some people say he knows Portugal wont be a monarchy again so he doesn't want problems with his cousin. But IMO he should claim the Title of Duke of Braganza for himself. First, because the title belongs to him (according to the Constitutions) and Second, because if you read their interviews (or if you ever have talked with them) you'll notice that Francisco is much smarter and wise (IMO).
Also, by being born and raised in another country, the future ruler's loyalties may be divided between the two countries, and the requirement would be an attempt to avoid divided loyalties. I'm probably off base on this, but I was just trying to understand what the logic might be.
What was the original reasoning?
Keith, I can only tell you my personal opinion about this, since I don't know for sure what was the original reasoning. But see the story of D. Miguel II:
D. Miguel II (D. Duarte's grandfather), was born in Germany. During WWI he held a rank in the Austrian army. He resigned in 1917 when Portugal entered the conflict on the opposite side. The question is which side was he really on?
So, I believe the original reasoning was to avoid
divided loyalties, as you wrote.