Thanks for the pics Regina. Duarte has not changed much in 20+ years except for the receding hairline and grey hair. It is easy to tell him apart from his brothers just from his comportment.
Duarte has not changed much in 20+ years except for the receding hairline and grey hair.
Funny that he said in the interview from where I scanned the photos that he just shaved his moustache once in his lifetime, and it was due to a bet he made with a cousin of him. :p
The interview was conducted by Pr. Fayçal Bey of Tunisia.
It starts evoking the wedding of 1995, the first Royal Marriage from a Heir to the throne since 1886 when King D. Carlos married D. Amélia de Orléans.
Q.: Wsa it the promiss that you would get married before your 50th birthday that led you to purpose ?
D.D.: I knew Isabel since she was very young, and I didn't marry before because I used her as term of comparison. She had lots of advantage regarding all the other girls I met, so I understood she was the woman of my life.
I waited she matured so I could marry her.
Q.: With her charme, simplicity and care for the others, the Duchess of Bragança won the heart of the Portuguese people. Were those the qualities that seduced you ?
D.D.: It is true that Isabel is extremely popular and people often call me D.Duarte de Herédia (laughter), but truly, her qualities and specially her inner beauty conquered me.
Q.: What can you say about each other ?
D.Isabel : Duarte fills me with attentions and was always there for me.
He is exteremly good natured, has wonderful humour and an enormous joie de vivre.
And it is reassuring to find him a man who is never indifferent and shows interest and curiosity for everything .
D.D.: Every day I find something new on Isabel She surprises me all the time and is a source of joy and happiness.
Isabel helps me better understanding the others and always makes me see the good side of things.
Q.: You had a very close relationship with your brothers D.Miguel and D.Henrique.
How did D.Isabel become a part of the family ?
D.D.: Isabel was always welcomed by my brothers who adopted her and her family. Miguel lives and is in charge of our Quinta at Santar and Henrique lives between Sintra and Santar.
D.I.: Both of hem have their rooms here in Sintra and it is always cheerful to have them staying with us. The children adore them.
Q.: Did you wish for 2 sons and a daughter ?
D.D.: We wanted more but the doctors didn't recomend sonce Isabel had three trying pregnancies.
Q.: Who choosed the names and who takes care of them ?
D.I.: We did it in common. I am very fond of the name Afonso, the name of our first King
Maria Francisca is named after her grand-mother and, like she was, we called her Chica.
Dinis is named after one of our gretest kings of the 14th century whom Duarte admires very much.
D.D.: Each one of us takes care of the children at his own pace. Most of the times Isabel takes them to school. In the evenings we try to be together and put them to bed.
Q.: Waht are your sons characteristics ?
D.I.: Afonso resembles Duarte very much.~
He has a strong sense of responsibility and a naughty humour.
D.D.: Yes, very responsible except on some occasions.
When we stayed in Southern Morroco in a great party, he put a bunch of rodents inside the tent of a famous actress.
Dinis resembles me phisically, but character wise, he resembles Isabel.
Francisca has a bit of each other.
Q.: Isabel confided me that you are having a serious negotiation regarding Afonso's future education. You want him to go to "Colégio Militar" and D.Isabel prefers a Jesuit College.
D.D.: It is not exactly a negotiation as both of us share the same views on bringing them up.
But I guess Isabel will win this one.
Q.: What values will you pass on them ?
D.D.: The moral and spiritual values based on the love of God. On a purely educative basis, I find important to stimulate their intelligence, developing their learning capacities and logical spirit together with the capacity of analysis and reflexion.
I also find important that they will have the capacity for sort out and feel at ease in every situation.
The three are very fond of sports.
And of cousre they must be brought up on the love for their country and we must teach them that they have responsibilities towards Portugal.
Q.: Afonso helds the title of Príncipe da Beira, the title of the Heir to the Throne. Are your children conscious that they belong to a family which is part of the History of Portugal ?
D.I.: They start to notice that. Sometimes we take them on social events and they are aware of their responsibilities and duties.
They ask us questions and they reveal their doubts about that, but in general they are growing in the most natural way.
D.D.: We explain them that they should be natural, and never act superior to the others.
But we try noy to expose them much given their young age.
Q.: What do you wish for them ?
D.D.: Our gretaest wish is for them to grow in a spiritual plan and in their relation to God.
That they wouls be assured and connected to their country.
Their future role in Portugal is a very important one, should it be in their professional careers, should it be in an eventual national post.
If the Portuguese one day decide thet the Head of my Family should hold a political post, he should be ready to cope with the situation which will be of serving, as our Family has served for centuries.
Q.: 10 years ago your wedding caused a great popular elan:
The Portuguese keep very alive the memory of the monarchy, and through our Family they project that collective memory, an historic and identity symbol
Q.: How do you explain the great enthusiasm that your wedding provoked ? People dream about big royal ceremonies ?
D.D.: It is more than that. Republicans, non-religious, communists and people a priori anti-monarchist attended our wedding and wished us the best. Nowadays in Portugal the number of ardent monarchists would be around 20%, but about 70% of the Portuguese consider that it would be important to have a royal family.
I am convinced that even in a Republic the king or the chief of the Royal Family can be very useful.
Look at Bulgaria, Roumania, Serbia and even Afghanistan.
It may look a paradox but kings are the best defenders of the republican values under whose name revolutions are founded.
Q.: What is the role and the place of the Duke of Bragança today ?
One of the roles is to preserve and perpetuate the memory, the History and the national identity.And to defend them sometimes against economic or political forces.
Another role is to use one's influence and notoriety to defend valid causes.
That's what we try to do Isabel and I.
Isabel supports some charities and associations that do a remarkable job most of the times not very well recognized.
I am deeply involved in the movement for agriculture cooperatives.
Q.: Your activities take place not only in Portugal.
D.D. We are very attached to people from nations who had a close bond with Portugal. I never stopped campaigning for Timor and I send them help and humanitary care. I did the same in Angola and Moçambique. I visited those countries more than once, and I feel very close to Angola where I did the military service.
I realised that those people still care for Portugal and we should try to built a sort of a Commonwealth of Portuguese speaking nations.
Q.: Your Family is linked to most Royal Families
in Europe. How do you foresee the present european union ?
D.D.: In ancient times, Royal Families "made" Europe. Sometimes it didn't work and they went on war, but most of the times it worked rather satisfactory. I believe in the construction of a true european union, based on the respect for the people's cultures and identities., but I don't believe at all in a centralized Europe, dominated by a central government legislating about every single aspect.
My heart is closer to the Commonwealth of Portuguese speaking nations, although I realize that the European union is a necessity.
My idea of Europe is not a geographical question but the spirit of the european civilization. Q.: What do yo do on your free time ? D.D.: In spite of our obligations, Isabel and I dedicate many time to our children.
Watching them grow is an enormous bliss.
I read that the dukes of braganza are going to the wedding of Isabel's cousin (maria de heredia) and the former portuguese minister José Arnaud. The wedding will be in the 9th July.
According to the Portuguese Royal House, the duke of Braganza, on the 29th of August, was invited by the program "Portugal in the Heart" in RTP 1, in Vila Nova de Gaia. In this program, he will speak of forest fires, monarchy and other subjects. They will be gests, also, Mr. Dr. António Sousa Cardoso, President of the Real Cause, e Mr. Prof. Arq. Gonçalo Ribeiro Telles.
Next 17 September - the Dukes of Bragança attend the marriage of
the Princess Ana of Bourbon-Sicily, in Turim, Italy.
I read in Caras Magazine that the dukes went to the wedding of Joana D'ornellas e Vasconcelos with João Capucho at the Guincho Beach. She wore a pink, yellow and white dress.
1. D. Duarte and his brothers, Infantes D. Miguel and D. Henrique, back in September 1953;
2. the Dukes of Bragança and their children, back in September 2000.
another question, what are the full titles of the duke & duchess of Bragança and their children?
HRH Dom Duarte, Duke of Bragança, of Guimaraes and of Barcelos, Marquis of Vila Viçosa, Count of Arraiolos, of Ourém, of Barcelos, of Faria and of Neiva, of Guimaraes, etc.
aka HM Duarte III, de juré King of Portugal and the Algarves
HRH Dona Isabel, Duchess of Bragança (neé de Herédia)
children:
HRH Afonso, Hereditary Prince and Infant of Portugal, Prince of Beira, b 1996
HRH Maria Francisca, Infanta of Portugal, b 1997
HRH Dinis, Infant of Portugal; to be Duke of Porto on his 18th birthday, b 1999
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