Dona Maria Pia de Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha e Bragança (1907-95) asserted that she was the legitimized natural daughter of the late King Carlos I of Portugal and therefore the rightful Duchess of Braganza and pretender to the Portuguese throne.

As support for her claim, Dona Maria Pia’s parentage was recorded in baptismal records, and on several occasions during her life she obtained certifications issued by the Church and the civil authorities confirming this.

Dona Maria Pia gained some support among those who opposed the authoritarian government of Prime Minister Salazar (who was supported by her principal rival claimant), and presented herself as the constitutionalist, liberal claimant to the throne.

In the 1980s, my friend the late Professor Frederick Trowman-Rose (known to me as Freddie) became involved with the representation of Dona Maria Pia in the United Kingdom where several distinguished persons were appointed to rank in the Portuguese Royal Orders under her aegis.

Although Dona Maria Pia signed documents appointing Dom Rosario Poidimani as her successor in 1987, Freddie said that she subsequently revoked this appointment in 1994, the year before her death. In that year, Dona Maria Pia appointed her husband Dom António João da Costa Amado-Noivo as Guardian and Protector of the Portuguese Royal House of Saxe-Coburgo-Bragança. Dona Maria Pia had entered into a marriage of convenience with Don António, who had been one of her chief supporters, as a means of regaining the Portuguese nationality which had been stripped from her by Salazar, notwithstanding the fact that Don António was homosexual. Dom António in turn, with the consent of Dona Maria Pia, appointed Freddie as his successor. Dona Maria Pia also conferred upon Freddie the title Marquis of Evora Monte.

By rights the due successor to Dona Maria Pia’s claim would be her daughter Dona Maria Cristina. However, neither Dona Maria Cristina nor her husband held, or were willing to obtain, Portuguese nationality, thereby disqualifying her claim under the terms of the 1838 Carta Constitutional. Potentially, the son of Dona Maria Cristina could validly succeed to the claim after her death.

Dom Antonio died in 1996 and Freddie succeeded him as Guardian and Protector of the Portuguese Royal House of Saxe-Coburgo-Bragança. In this capacity, Freddie was Grand Master of the Royal Order of Dom Carlos Primiero and also bestowed the Portuguese Royal Orders. I received appointment to Grand Cross rank in these Orders from Freddie.