Royal marriages just needed a catholic (or converted) spouse and the approval of the head of the RF.
Not sure if the renounciation of the Duke of Viseu was "a fiction to please King Manoel II who was not prepared to agree with the family accord unless the Duke of Viseu was excluded".
When WW1 broke up, D.Miguel II and his two elder sons were engaged at the austrian army.
As soon as Portugal joined the war in 1916, D.Miguel immediately resigned his rank and started working with the Red Cross.
His two sons were binded by the military contract they have celebrated and could not walk out or they would be considered desertors.
They asked to be positioned in war scenes where the CEP-Corpo Expedicionario Portugues, would not be present so they would not have the chance to kill any portuguese soldiers.
Despite this act, the republican propaganda immediately echoed that the 3 princes were active military men "on the wrong side of the war" and that they were fighting against their own country and shooting fellow countrymen.
When peace came, the duke of Viseu was a sick and disappointed man, who had seen many of his friends and comrades die and, most of all, his own brother, Infante D.Francisco José.
He had seen that the monarchic raids he took part to reinstate the Monarchy had come to nothing.
He continued to have a bad press in Portugal due to his rank and actions on the Imperial army and realised he was more a problem than a solution.
His wife was uncomfortable in Europe and lacked his relatives and friends in the US, so he decided to put an end on the monarchic issue and renounced in favour of his father, in his name and on behalf of his children.
Mind you that the Portuguese law does not prevent such renounciations.
D.Miguel II was pressed by his own entourage regarding the succession.
By 1920, D.Manuel II was married for 7 years and there was no sign that he would produce a son.
D.Miguel II knew that the Manuelists would eventually recognize his position as successor of D.Manuel, but the old question of having fought on the "wrong side" kept arising.
So, 3 days later, he too renounced in favour of his younger and still minor son D.Darte Nuno, apeasing the spirits for the Paris meeting of 1922.
The American Braganzas are undisputedly the "ainés" of the Braganças, although witout any titles or honours.
To regain american citzenship, their mother (and only guardian) in 1926 renounced her own titles (using them strictly on social basis).
Would it be on her power to renounce the princely titles on their children's name ?
I suppose she could and the american republic would have seen with a kind eye three members of a RF embracing the republican ideal.
As to the Viseu title, it must have been given ad personam to D. Miguel without the possibility of passing it to his eldest son.
And when the duke of Viseu died in 1923, the title reverted to the RF without any fuss, John being 10 at that time, and before Anita's renounciations.
I suppose D.Miguel II could have given a minor title to his grandson but he didn't, as he did not give any title neither to Infante D.Francisco nor to D.Duarte Nuno on their births.
The fact that they became american citizens, and, as you say, they even changed their faith, did put a distance between the 3 children and the PRF.
I was surprised to learn that years later Infanta D.Maria Antónia (Jr., not the Dss of Parma) visited and was welcomed by her half brother's wife who introduced her to the american society.
D. Maria Antónia was just 6 when Miguel and Anita got married, then followed the war, Miguel's departure, etc, so I would imagine the two might not have had much contact.
The Duke of Viseu died in NY but was buried in Bronnbach at the Loewensteins pantheon.
Is it known if there was a big family reunion ? Did Anita and her children attend ?
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