Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza and Princess Maria Elizabeth.
Prince Luiz of Orleans-Braganza, current Head of the Imperial House of Brazil, recounts that when they were boys, his mother, Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria, often took him and his brothers for a stroll along the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
In those good times, the “old capital” still deserved the title of “Marvelous City,” and a lady with young children could easily walk the streets without continuously fearing robbers or stray bullets from rival gang’s shootings.
The little princes would often see other children coming out with their mothers from ice cream parlors or pastry shops, enjoying ice cream or savoring sweets. They would ask the princess to buy them treats as well. That was quite normal, as children are children!
Prince Luiz on the right and his brother, Prince Bertrand on the left.
Prince Luiz recalls that the princess sometimes would acquiesce and buy them ice cream or sweets. At other times, however, she would refuse and take the opportunity to teach them a lesson for life: “No, I’m not buying you ice cream today, and there’s a reason. You need to understand that you’re not ordinary boys who can have ice cream anytime you feel like it. You’re princes and have a very important historical mission to accomplish for your country. You need to be prepared to make great sacrifices to fulfill this mission. If you’re unable to deprive yourselves of ice cream now, how will you live up to the circumstances when the time comes for you to make great acts of selflessness for Brazil?”
Short Stories on Honor, Chivalry, and the World of Nobility—no. 771
Extracted from Armando Alexandre dos Santos, “Sacrifice and Responsibility in the Formation of Princes,” Jornal de Piracicaba, May 16, 2020.
Armando Alexandre dos Santos, Ph.D., is a member of the Monarchist Circle of Piracicaba, Brazil.
Nobility.org translation.
