HRH?

I had occasion today to visit the official Luxembourg Web site. The
grand duke is styled "His Royal Highness" (HRH). I was under the
impression that "royal" refers only to kings/queens/kingdoms, not to

Guy Stair Sainty...

Prince Felix could renounce the use of the title of Prince of Parma if he
so wished, but he could *not* renounce either his right or that of his
descendants to the title or qualification royal highness. Both these titles
were governed by the laws of the duchy of Parma and any such act would have
had to have been made in accordance with those laws. In actuality the title
of Prince of Parma may or may not be recognized anyway by any sovereign state
other than by the sovereigns thereof as a courtesy, so its use is as much
in the discretion of the sovereign who would accord such an informal courtesy
as to whether the person so entitled could use it.

What would seem more likely is that the marriage of all three sons of Grand
Duke Jean may not in fact have conformed to the rule which would have required
the assent of the Duke of Parma, particularly as they were not equal. The
marriage of the parents of the present duke of Parma did not conform to the
rules and was not recognized as "dynastic" until 1960 when duke Roberto II

cj.buyers...

Would you care to site the particular law or laws which granted that
style in perpetuity?

consented, after much pressure from Prince Francisco Saverio to do so. This
indicates that the dukes of Parma did consider that a dynastic marriage,
particularly contracted with a person not of "equal marriage", required his
consent to pass the titles of Prince of Parma and royal highness.

That said, it has been argued by Baron Pinoteau and accepted by most
French "legitimists" that all descendants of Louis XIII in the male line born of
valid Catholic marriages who are French citizens are entitled to the style of
royal highness and the title of "prince du sang". Thus the title of royal
highness could be regained by obtaining French citizenship. However this would
not be recognized by the French government which concedes as a courtesy the
title of royal highness only to the legitimist and Orleanist claimants and their
closest male relatives and spouses.

duchies or principalities. Can anyone shed some light on this? Thank
you.

(Gary Holtzman) garyholtzman...

Grand Dukes, outside of Italy a creation of the Napoleonic era, usually carried the rank
of Royal Highness, putting them on a higher plane than other dukes and sovereign
princes. It normally only applied to the grand duke and duchess and the heir and his
wife. In the case of Luxembourg, it is used by other members of the family as well
because the family is descended in the male line from the House of Bourbon (Parma).

cj.buyers...

I thought that in the case of Hesse and the Rhine, it was Queen
Victoria who bestowed the style of HRH on her son-in-law, the then
Hereditary Grand Duke?

Gillian White...

I believe it is because Grand Duchess Charlotte was married to HRH Prince
Felix of Bourbon-Parma. His descendants are entitled to be styled as HRH.