The last king of the Two Sicilies was Francis II, who was overthrown in 1860 and spent the rest of his life in exile
The Royal House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies – or Bourbon des Deux Siciles – is an ancient branch of the Spanish royal family that ruled parts of southern Italy for more than 100 years from 1734 to 1861. His descendants still carry the name some 150 years later.
The line descends from Philippe de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France (1638–1715), who established the Bourbon dynasty in Spain in 1700 as Philip V (1683–1746).
In 1759, King Philip’s youngest grandson was granted the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, becoming Ferdinand IV and III (1751–1825), respectively, of those realms. His descendants held the joint throne (renamed ‘Kingdom of the Two Sicilies’ in 1816) until 1860.
The family, then led by Francis II, was overthrown in 1860 by Italian General Giuseppe Garibaldi, who proclaimed a dictatorship on behalf of Victor Emmanuel II, King of Piedmont-Sardinia and later King of Italy. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and the Kingdom of Sardinia were merged into the newly formed Kingdom of Italy.
The deposed Francis II and his wife spent time in Rome as guests of the Pope, where they led a government in exile. They left the city before it was occupied by the Italians in 1870.
From then on they led a wandering life and lived in Austria, France and Bavaria.
Francis II died in 1894 and was succeeded by his half-brother, Prince Alfonso, who was in turn succeeded by his son, Prince Ferdinand Pius, Duke of Calabria.
Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 57 and Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 49 with their daughters Princess Maria Carolina, 17, and Maria Chiara Di Bourbon-Two Sicilies, 15
The succession has been disputed since Ferdinand’s death in 1960. Both his cousin Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and his brother Prince Ranieri, pictured, claimed the throne. This feud continues today between their descendants
The succession has been disputed since Ferdinand’s death in 1960, as he had six daughters and no sons to carry on the family line.
Both his cousin Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, and brother Prince Ranieri, Duke of Castro, claimed the throne. This feud continues today between their descendants.
Chiara and Carolina are the daughters of Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, grandson of Prince Ranieri. The claimant on the other side of the family is Prince Pedro, Duke of Calabria, grandson of Infante Alfonso.
Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, grandson of Prince Ranieri, and his wife Camilla
Prince Carlo, who has only two daughters, has destroyed centuries of male primogeniture and has declared that his title will pass to his eldest daughter, Carolina.
Prince Carlo married his wife Camilla, daughter of Italian film star Edoarda Crociani, better known as Edy Vessel, in Monte Carlo Cathedral in 1998. Camilla’s sister Cristina revealed that their mother was obsessed with her daughters marrying princes.
As head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Carlo holds many honors, including Sovereign Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Saint January, of the Two Sicilian Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Order of Saint Ferdinand and Merit .
Today, according to their official website, Carlo and Camilla are “very active in promoting the cultural, artistic, historical and spiritual identity of southern Italy.” They divided their time between homes in Monte Carlo and Paris.
Camilla is also active in charity work and dedicates her time to it the Red Cross and UNICEF, as well as the Association Monaco Against Autism, Amitié sans Frontières et la Princess Grace of Monaco Foundation.
She campaigns against animal cruelty and leads her own non-profit organization, the Camilla of Bourbon Charitable Foundation, which works with the Government of Mauritius to conserve wildlife and promote sustainable development.
The family pose for photos at the 2019 Influencer Awards in Monaco, with Chiara in a pink dress, Camilla in a gray number and Carolina in a rose gold dress