Prince Hugo de Bourbon de Parme (illegitimate) Princess Luisa, Marchioness of Castell'Arquato Princess Cecilia, Countess of Berceto Prince Carlos Enrique, Prince of Piacenza
Names
Dutch: Carlos Xavier Bernardo Sixto Marie de Bourbon de Parme Spanish: Carlos Javier Bernardo Sixto María de Borbón-Parma y Orange-Nassau Italian: Carlo Saverio Bernardo Sisto Maria di Borbone-Parma
Prince Carlos, Duke of Parma and Piacenza[1] (Carlos Xavier Bernardo Sixto Marie; born 27 January 1970), is the current (since 2010) Head of the Royal and Ducal House of Bourbon-Parma, who ruled the Duchy of Parma and Piacenza from 1748 to 1802 and from 1847 to 1859 (which includes the Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg). He is a member of the Dutch royal family, and since 1996 he is incorporated into the Dutch nobility (based upon the Dutch Nobility Act of 1994) with the style of "His Royal Highness" and the title of Prince Carlos de Bourbon de Parme.[2] He is also considered as the legitimate King of Spain and Head of the Carlist Royal Family by the Carlists with the name of "Don Carlos Javier, Rey de las Españas", since 2010, succeeding his father. In Spain, he uses also the title of Duke of Madrid (Duque de Madrid).[3]
Carlos spent his youth in several countries including the Netherlands, Spain, France, England, and the United States.[5] In 1981, when he was eleven, his parents divorced. Together with his mother and his siblings, he then moved to Soestdijk Palace (Baarn) in the Netherlands. He lived at the palace for a number of years with his maternal grandparents, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard.
After completing his studies, Carlos worked for the company ABN AMRO in Amsterdam, where he was involved with preparations for the introduction of the euro. He then worked for a period in Brussels as a public affairs consultant for the company European Public Policy Advisors (EPPA).
He has chaired the Foundation for Cooperation for the Economic Development of Latin America, was a member for eight years of the Council of CSR Netherlands, which ensures corporate social responsibility.[7] He was a non-executive director of "ASN Vermogensbeheer" and a member of the advisory board of PGGM Responsible Investing. He belongs to the Investment Committee of the Energiiq Fund of South Holland, is president of the Short Supply Chains Advisory Panel of the Dutch agricultural sector, and a collaborator of the think-tank The Ex'tax Project.
Since 2007, he has been engaged in projects concerning sustainability in the business world, advising projects worldwide focused on the circular economy, with alternative and environmentally friendly production methods and on the energy transition towards clean energies. He is also director of "Compazz", an independent foundation whose objective is to promote innovation and sustainability in the economic sector, acting as a bridge between the public, academic and private sectors, supported by its knowledge in Communication and management of conflict situations.
In 2021 he has published a book, Nothing in excess. Re-evaluating Nature, Economy and Life post Corona.[8]
Duties and appearances
Dutch Royal House
Carlos is sometimes present at representative occasions concerning the Royal House of the Netherlands. In 2003, he was involved, together with his aunt, Queen Beatrix, in the inauguration of the "Prince Claus Leerstoel", a professorship named after the Queen's husband, Prince Claus. During special events of the Royal House, he is regularly present. For example, he was one of the organizers of the wedding celebration of Prince Constantijn and Princess Laurentien.
After the death of his father Carlos Hugo in 2010, Prince Carlos Xavier succeeded him as Duke of Madrid and Carlist Pretender to the Spanish throne. He started to use the Carlist title of "Rey Don Carlos Javier I" (King Don Carlos Xavier I).[11] However, Carlos Xavier, in an interview with the newspaper La Vanguardia, said:
In 2016, at the baptism of Prince Carlos Enrique, Prince Carlos conferred on his son the title of "Principe di Piacenza" (Prince of Piacenza), which is the traditional title assigned to the Crown Prince of the House of Bourbon-Parma, the continuer of the dynasty, and future Duke of Parma and Piacenza.[14] In September 2017, the Duke of Parma named his daughter Princess Luisa as "Marchesa di Castell'Arquato" (Marquise of Castell'Arquato), and her younger sister Princess Cecilia was named as "Contessa di Berceto" (Countess of Berceto).[15]
Prince Carlos has visited and regularly visits the lands of the former Duchy of Parma and Piacenza. In September 2015, he was in Parma to grant the "Prince's Medal to Meritorious Men in silver" to the firefighters who distinguished themselves during the 2015 flood that struck the area.[16] In September 2016, he visited Palazzo Farnese in Piacenza, and in the same place he conferred some orders of the Royal House on people from Piacenza who have distinguished themselves for personal merits.[17] At the end of September 2017, he presided over the General Chapter of the Knights of the House of Bourbon-Parma in Parma to confer the Ducal orders to those people who have achieved personal merits towards the Royal House; then he visited Palazzo della Pilotta.[18] In September 2018, he visited Parma to confer some honors of the Royal House and to visit the Church of Santa Maria della Steccata, together with the Royal Family.[19] Also, he was present at the inauguration of the opera season by attending a representation of the opera "Macbeth" at the Teatro Regio in Parma and made a visit to the Military Academy of Modena, received by the Commander.[20]
Prince Carlos had a relationship with Brigitte Klynstra (born 10 January 1959), the stepdaughter of Count Adolph Roderikvan Rechteren Limpurg. During this relationship he fathered a son:
In December 2015, the then 18-year-old Carlos Klynstra started the legal procedure to attempt to change his surname to that of his biological father[27] which would also allow him to use the title of "Prince". The Duke of Parma opposed this on the basis that it was in contravention of the traditions of the House of Bourbon-Parma. On 9 March 2016 the Minister of Security and Justice declared his family name request valid.[28] Later that year a court in The Hague concurred with the minister in declaring the claim valid under Dutch law.[29]
According to the judgement, Carlos Hugo will be entitled to be known as "Zijne Koninklijke Hoogheid Carlos Hugo Roderik Sybren prins de Bourbon de Parme" (His Royal Highness Prince Carlos Hugo Roderik Sybren of Bourbon-Parma); this will come only into effect once the Dutch king has signed the royal decree. According to the press release of the Council of State of 28 February 2018, the name change does not mean that Klynstra is now also a member of the Royal House of Bourbon-Parma. That is a private matter of the House itself and this is outside the jurisdiction of the Dutch Nobility Law.[30]
Annemarie (born The Hague, 18 December 1977) is a daughter of Johan (Hans) Stephan Leonard Gualthérie van Weezel and
Gerarda Gezine Jolande (Ank) de Visser. Her father was a member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands for the Christian Democratic party, the Dutch ambassador to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and the ambassador to Luxembourg. Gualthérie van Weezel's paternal grandfather was Jan Hans Gualthérie van Weezel, who was the head of the police in The Hague and member of the Dutch resistance during the Second World War. Annemarie Gualthérie van Weezel went to secondary school in Strasbourg and obtained a Master of Laws degree at the University of Utrecht. Subsequently, she completed a post-graduate study in Radio and Television journalism at the University of Groningen. Gualthérie van Weezel works as a parliamentary journalist in The Hague and Brussels for the Dutch public channel NOS. In Brussels, she met Prince Carlos for the first time.
On 2 August 2010, it was revealed that the health of his father, the Duke of Parma, was quickly deteriorating due to cancer. As a consequence, the church wedding of the prince Carlos and his fiancée was delayed. In a final announcement about his condition, the Duke confirmed Carlos as the next Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma.[31] Just before his death the old Duke of Parma named Annemarie as "Condesa de Molina" (Countess of Molina).[32] Prince Carlos's father died on 18 August 2010 in Barcelona, Spain, at the age of 80; Carlos subsequently became the next head of the House of Bourbon-Parma.
Her Royal Highness Princess Luisa Irene Constance Anna Maria of Bourbon-Parma, Marchioness of Castell'Arquato (born on 9 May 2012 in The Hague);[35][36] she was baptized at the Parma Baptistery, in Italy, in September 2012.[37]
Her Royal Highness Princess Cecilia Maria Johanna Beatrix of Bourbon-Parma, Countess of Berceto (born 17 October 2013 in The Hague);[38][39] she was baptized at the Piacenza Cathedral, in Italy, in April 2014.[40][41]
His Royal Highness Prince Carlos Enrique Leonard of Bourbon-Parma, Prince of Piacenza (born 24 April 2016 in The Hague);[42][43][44] he was baptised at the Parma Cathedral, in Italy, in September 2016.[45]
1title granted by Royal Decree to consort of the Queen, without the title "Prince of Orange-Nassau"
2gave up the title "Prince of the Netherlands, but still held the title "Prince of Orange-Nassau"3title granted by Royal Decree to descendants of Princess Irene
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