His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, Chief of the Royal House
His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, was born in Saint Raphaël in France, on 24 February 1963 son of H.R.H. Prince Ferdinand of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duke of Castro, and HRH Princess Chantal of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Castro (Née de Chevron Villette).
The Duke of Castro completed his studies at the Institute of the Marist Fathers in Toulon, at the Collège Stanislas in Nice and later studied at the Université Internationale Libre in Paris.
The work experiences of His Royal Highness include three years as head of a major public relations firm in New York. On his return to Europe, he worked at an executive for various large Italian industries and firms.
On 31 October 1998 he married Her Royal Highness Princess Camilla of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Castro. (born Crociani).
From the marriage two daughters were born: H.R.H. Princess Maria Carolina of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Calabria and Palermo (23 June 2003) and H.R.H. Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Duchess of Noto and Capri (1 January 2005), both born in Rome.
The Royal Family lives between Monte Carlo, Rome and Paris.
The Duke of Castro is fluent in Italian, French and English.
As Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George he promotes and coordinates the humanitarian and cultural activities of this ancient knightly order.
H.R.H. Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies is the:
- 18th Duke of Castro
- 10th Grand Master of the Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius
- 9th Grand Master of the Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Ferdinand and of Merit
- 59th Grand Master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
- 9th Grand Master of the Royal Military Order of Saint George of the Reunion
- 8th Grand Master of the Royal Order of Francis I
The Duke of Castro has also many honours, among which:
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- Knight Grand Cross of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italian Republic)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Maurice and Saint Lazarus (Royal House of Savoy)
- Bailiff Knight Grand Cross of Honour and Devotion (Sovereign Military Order of Malta)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Nunez Balboa (Republic of Panama)
- Knight Grand Cross of the National Order of Juan Mora Fernandez (Republic of Costa Rica)
- Lebanese Order of Merit (Extraordinary Class) (Lebanese Republic)
- Order of Unification – 22 May (First Class with Collar) (Republic of Yemen)
- Knight Grand Cross with Silver Star of the Royal Order of Danilo I (Royal House of Montenegro)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of Saint Agatha (Serene Republic of San Marino)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Most Devoted Royal Household Order (Kingdom of Tonga)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of San Carlos (Republic of Colombia)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem (Melkite Greek Catholic Church)
- The George Kastrioti Scanderbeg Order (Republic of Albania)
- Knight Grand Cross pro Merito Melitensi – Special Class
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa (Royal House of Bragança)
- Grand Officer of the Order of Grimaldi (Principality of Monaco)
- Knight of the Supreme Order of the Most Holy Annunciation (Royal House of Savoy) September 19th 2019
Honorary citizenships and other awards:
HRH Prince Charles of Bourbon Two Sicilies is also:
- Honorary citizen of the State of Louisiana (USA) 17 March 1994
- Honorary citizen of the City of Houston (Texas – United States of America) May 12, 1994
- Honorary citizen of the City of Pescina (L’Aquila – Italy) July 13, 2002
- Honorary citizen of the City of Margherita di Savoia (Foggia – Italy) May 29, 2003
- Honorary citizen of the City of Little Rock (Arkansas – USA) October 17, 2003
- Freedom of the City of London (United Kingdom) October 2011
- Honorary citizen of the City of Ciorlano (Caserta – Italy) May 17, 2014
- Honorary citizen of the City of Gaeta (Latina – Italy) October 19, 2023
and has received, among many others, the following awards:
- Admiral of the Fleet of the State of Texas (Texas – United States of America) May 3, 1994
- Honorary Academician First Class of Academy of Dogliosi of Avellino, founded in 1620 (Avelino – Italy) April 6, 1995
- Honorary Member of the Carabinieri National Association (Italy) March 4, 1996
- Prize “Man for Peace 2000” of the “Together for Peace Foundation” chaired by Ms Maria Pia Fanfani (Rome – Italy) December 12, 2000
- Honorary Academician of the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts and Letters of the Virtuosi at Pantheon (State of the Vatican City) June 16, 2007
- Perpetual Superior of the Royal Confraternity of Our Lady of Seven Pains in San Ferdinando di Palazzo (Naples – Italy) by custom inherited from March 20, 2008
- Associated with the Pio Monte della Misericordia (Naples – Italy) June 9, 2012
- Patron of the Institute “Dignitatis Humanae” Honorary Chaired by His Eminence Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino (Vatican City) December 7, 2013
- Humanitarian Medal “Mother Teresa” by the President of the Republic of Kosovo (Pristina – Kosovo) May 22, 2014
- Insignia Grand Companions of the Order of Mercy (UK) May 28, 2014
- The Award of Honour Dominica (Dominica) – November 5, 2014
- Medal of the Italian Red Cross