For the first time in a quarter of a century, Portugal witnessed a royal wedding, with the marriage of Infanta Maria Francisca, Duchess of Coimbra, to lawyer Duarte de Sousa.
The lavish wedding ceremony, which was held at the Mafra Monastery and Palace, was attended by thousands of guests, most of whom were members of the royal family, along with foreigners and public figures, according to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”.
According to royal supporters, those in attendance included Princes Sebastian and Louis of Luxembourg, Princess Gundakar of Liechtenstein and HRH Prince Leka of Albania.
The couple looked very happy on their big day, as Maria stood with her father, who was clearly moved.
During the wedding celebrations that continued throughout the weekend, Maria dressed as a minho – traditional Portuguese clothing – in celebrations with her family.
Infanta Maria Francisca, the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Braganza, 26 years old, announced her engagement last year to lawyer Duarte de Souza Araujo Martinez, 31 years old.
Speaking to CNN Portuguese, Duarte said that he intends to remain behind the scenes, and will leave his wife to participate in public celebrations, noting that they will move to London soon.
The House of Braganza is the last dynasty to rule Portugal (1640-1910) and is a branch of the House of Avez, which is considered a branch of the Capetian House of Burgundy.
This family is divided into two parts: the first ruled Portugal from the end of the rule of the Philippine Habsburg dynasty of Portugal until 1853, and the second from 1853 until the collapse of the monarchy in Portugal in 1910 and the establishment of the republic.
In 1860, the second part of the family began to take a new name after marrying with an ancient German-Saxon family, the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and its name became the House of Braganza-Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, where Prince Fernando married the Queen of Portugal and the widow of Auguste, Duke of Leuchtenerg, Maria II, a year after the death of her husband. The first is the grandson of the French Empress Josephine and the adopted grandson of Napoleon I, who died three months after their childless marriage.
After Fernando married Maria, he was not called king until they had their first child, Pedro, in 1837, and he became the first ruler of the new family.
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