Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro (born 24 February 1963) is one of two claimants to the headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Royal Order of Francis I.
Early life and education
Carlo was born at Saint-Raphael, Var, France, the only son of Ferdinand, Duke of Castro, and his wife, Chantal de Chevron-Villette. He was baptised in France with the names Charles Marie Bernarde Gennaro. He generally uses the Italian form of his name Carlo.
Carlo was educated firstly at the Institute of the Marist Fathers at Toulon, France. He went on to study at a namesake of the College Stanislas de Paris located in Nice, France. After studying at an international university in Paris, he spent three years working for a public relations firm in Manhattan. He is fluent in Italian, French and English.
In 2008, Carlo succeeded his father as claimant to the headship of the House of the Two Sicilies. As head of the house, he uses the title Duke of Castro.
Carlo's supporters state that since his grandfather's brother Infante Carlos renounced his rights and those of his successors to succession to the throne of the Two Sicilies in 1900, the headship of the house passed to Carlo's grandfather Ranieri, Duke of Castro, then to Carlo's father Ferdinand, Duke of Castro, and most recently to Carlo. Infante Carlos's claims to be the Duke of Calabria and head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies are recognized by the previous Spanish King Juan Carlos of Spain (since they are cousins), while the other royal families (and all other Bourbon-Two Sicilies members) recognize the Castro claim.
Carlo claims the Grand Mastership of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, the Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit, the Order of St. Januarius, the Order of Saint George and Reunion, and the Royal Order of Francis I.
Carlo has been highly decorated with a number of state and dynastic honours. They include:
Knight Grand Cross of Merit of the Italian Republic – Italian Republic.Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion – Sovereign Military Order of Malta.Grand Cross Special Category of the Order pro merit Melitensi – Sovereign Military Order of Malta.Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of Saint Agatha – Republic of San Marino.Grand Officer of the Order of Grimaldi – Principality of Monaco.Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of the Nation – Antigua & Barbuda.Dominica Award of Honour – Commonwealth of DominicaKnight Grand Cross of the Order of San Carlos – Republic of Colombia.Order of Skanderbeg – Republic of Albania.Mother Teresa Presidential Medal – Republic of Kosovo.Syrian Order of Outstanding Merit (First Class) – Syrian Arab Republic.Lebanese Order of Merit (Extraordinary Class) – Lebanese Republic.Order of Unification – 22 May (First Class with Collar) – Republic of Yemen.Knight Grand Cross of the National Order of Juan Mora Fernandez – Republic of Costa Rica.Knight Grand Cross of the Order_of_Vasco_Nunez_de_Balboa – Republic of PanamaKnight Grand Cross of the Most Devoted Royal Household Order - Kingdom of Tonga.Knight Grand Cross with Silver Star of the Royal Order of Danilo I – Royal House of Montenegro.Knight Grand Cross of the Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem – Melkite Greek Catholic Church.In October 2011, the Duke of Castro was granted the Freedom of the City of London.
Marriage and issue
Carlo is married to Camilla Crociani.
They have two children:
HRH Princess Maria-Carolina Chantal Edoarda Beatrice Januaria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Palermo (born in Rome in 2003)HRH Princess Maria Chiara Amalia Carola Louise Carmen of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Capri (born in Rome 2005)On 14 April 2011, the Duke and Duchess of Castro attended the joint christening of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark's twin children, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine at the chapel of the Church of Holmen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Carlo is one of six godparents to Princess Josephine. The Duke of Castro is also a godfather of Prince Gaston of Orleans.
24 February 1963 - 13 January 1973: His Royal Highnness Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Noto13 January 1973 – 20 March 2008: His Royal Highnness Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria20 March 2008 – Present: His Royal Highnness Prince Carlo of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 10th Duke of CastroNational dynastic honours
House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: 10th Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint Januarius House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: 54th Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of Justice of the Two Sicilian Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: 9th Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: 10th Sovereign of the Royal Order of the Two-Sicilies House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: 9th Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint George and Reunion House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies: 8th Sovereign Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Francis INational state honours
Italian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, 3rd First Class Sovereign Military Order of Malta: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pro Merito Melitensi, Special Class Albania: Grand Cross of the Order George Kastrioti Skandberg Skanderbeg Colombia: Grand Cross of the Order of San Carlos Costa Rica: Grand Cross of the National Order of Juan Mora Fernandez Dominica: Commander of the Dominica Award of Honour Kosovo: Recipient of the Mother Teresa Humanitarian Medal Lebanon: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, Special Class Montenegrin Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Danilo I, Special Class Panama: Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa Portuguese Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Vicosa San Marino: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Agatha Syria: Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit Tonga: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Household Order, 1st Class United Kingdom: Antigua & Barbuda: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Nation Yemen: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Unification United States of America: Texas: Admiral in the Texas Navy Melkite Syrian Catholic Church: Knight Grand Cross of the Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross United Kingdom: Freedom of the City of London United Kingdom: Companion of the Order of Mercy
