Renewal of Family Rift in the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

The family reconciliation in the house of Bourbon-Two Sicilies seems to be shortlived. In 2014 the two rivalling branches – both of which are claiming the headship of the family which until 1861 ruled over the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies – signed an agreement recognising eachothers titles. The decision of the duke of Castro to change the succession laws so he could be succeeded by his eldest daughter apparently brought the reconciliation to an end. The Duke of Calabria – 2nd cousin of King Felipe VI of Spain- is having none of it.

On May 21st the duke of Calabria issued a statement  in which he states that the duke of Castro has no power to change the succession laws of the House of the Two Sicilies. he also states that the unilateral dicision of the Duke of Castro contradicts the Napels agreement of 2014 and makes it difficult to preserve peace and harmony in the family. Read the text below or on the official website, here.

 

 DECLARATION

HEAD OF THE ROYAL HOUSE OF THE TWO SICILIES

GRAND MASTER OF THE SACRED MILITARY CONSTANTINIAN ORDER OF SAINT GEORGE

Following the declaration that my cousin Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, made on the 12 May 2016 in relation to the succession of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies and the headship of the Dynastic Orders, I, Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Orléans, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies and Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, am obliged to state the following:

Since the death of my father H.R.H. Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Bourbon-Parma, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, Infante of Spain, I am the Head of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta, and my son Jaime is the Duke of Noto.

Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, does not have the power to make any decision regarding the succession of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies nor to assume any other competence of the Head of the said Royal House, of which I am the head as the heir of the last sovereign of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.

The decision taken by my cousin Charles is not within and contravenes the spirit of the agreement in the historic pact of family reconciliation signed in Naples on 25th January 2014 where it was decided to recognise the titles in use by both branches of the family, despite which I will consider my cousin to be Duke of Castro and his daughters to be Duchesses of Palermo and Capri.

There is no means by which my cousin Charles is able to modify the rules of succession to the Grand Mastership of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, of which I am Grand Master as First Born Farnese Primogeniture heir.

Neither can my cousin Charles decide anything regarding the Dynastic Orders or the Orders of the Ancient Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, of which as Head of the Royal House I hold the Headship.

I am saddened at the unilateral decision my cousin Charles of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, has taken, contravening the spirit of the cited Naples agreement and imposing a serious obstacle that interferes with the family peace and harmony that we have always desired.

Finally, the agreement reached in Naples in 2014 and which I have always honoured, does not concern either the Headship of the Royal House of the Two Sicilies of which I am Head, or the Grand Mastership of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George of which I am Grand Master.

Madrid, 21st May 2016

Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

Duke of Calabria, Count of Caserta

Filed under Italy
Tagged House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Succession, The Duke of Calabria, The Duke of Castro.

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