His Late Royal Highness The Duke of Castro
The former Head of the Royal Family of the Bourbon of the Two Sicilies was His Late Royal Highness Prince Ferdinand of Bourbon Two Sicilies (de jure, Ferdinand IV), Duke of Castro.
His Late Royal Highness was born in Podzamcze, Poland, on 28 March 1926 and was the first member of the Royal Family to serve in the French Armed Forces. In 1949 Prince Ferdinand married Chantal, of the Counts of Chevron-Villette. From this marriage Their Late Royal Highnesses had three children. HRH Princess Beatrice (born 1950), HRH Princess Anna (born 1957) and HRH Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro (born 1963).
His Late Royal Highness succeeded to the title of Duke of Castro in 1973 on the death of his Father, His Late Royal Highness Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, who had spent 13 years as head of the Bourbon Two Sicilies dynasty.
His Late Royal Highness has been awarded numerous other awards and decorations including:
- Baliff Grand Cross of Honor and Devotion with the Cross of Profession "ad honorem" of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
- Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation.
- Knight of the Order of Saint Hubert of Bavaria.
- Knight of the Order of the Württemberg Crown.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Our Lady of the Conception of Vila Viçosa.
- Knight of the Order of the Württemberg Crown.
- Extraordinary Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa of the Republic of Panama.
On March 20th, 2008, His Late Royal Highness Prince Ferdinand of Bourbon Two Sicilies (de jure, Ferdinand IV), Duke of Castro passed away.
"O God who has united
Our Prince Ferdinando
In the moment of death
The Passion of your Son,
Has given him the enjoyment of the light of the Resurrection.”
- From the Liturgy