The 25th Birthday of Dom Afonso, Prince of Beira

The Prince of Beira.

On 25 March 1996, Dom Afonso de Santa Maria Miguel Gabriel Rafael de Bragança was born at Lisbon. Afonso is the eldest son of Infante Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Bragança, and Dª. Isabel Inês Castro Curvello of Herédia. As his father's heir, he has the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince of Beira. However, he is not considered an infant of Portugal, as this title is traditionally reserved for younger royal children, the result of a royal warrant issued in 1455 by King Afonso V of Portugal, to commemorate the birth of the future João II. Dom Afonso is the first in line to the throne of Portugal.

The Duke and Duchess of Braganza with their son Afonso.
Photograph (c) Homem Cardoso.

Afonso was baptised in the Cathedral of Braga on 1 June 1996. The ceremony was celebrated by the Archbishop of Braga, Dom Eurico Dias Nogueira. The Prince of Beira's godparents are Dom Afonso de Herédia, the brother of the Duchess of Braganza, and Princess Elena Sofia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.

Dom Afonso, Prince of Beira.

Afonso studied at St. Julian's School on the Portuguese Riviera, Planalto College in Lisbon, and The Oratory School, a Catholic public school in England. He also studied Political Science and International Relations at the Portuguese Catholic University at the Institute of Political Studies in Lisbon. The Prince of Beira has now completed his studies at the Catholic University and is doing an internship at the Portuguese-American Chamber of Commerce. He also completed the course and training, and today he is a firefighter in the Royal Association of Volunteer Firefighters of Lisbon. This association of firefighters was founded by Infante Dom Afonso, brother of King Dom Carlos.

The Duchess of Bragança with her children (left to right) Dom Afonso, Dona Francisca, and Dom Diniz.

In August 2018, Afonso joined as an intern in the Department of Social and Pre-Hospital Emergency, in the Volunteer Fire Department of Lisbon, following in the footsteps of Dom Afonso, Duke of Porto, who was Honorary Commander of this same brigade.

The Duke of Bragança with his children (left to right) Dom Diniz, Dom Afonso, and Dona Francisca.

Through his father's connections to Timor, Afonso was appointed Honorary Liurai in September 2014, when he and his family visited the country to participate in the second senate session of the Liural Association, which represents the descendants of the island's tribal kings. The Prince of Beira is also the patron of the Prince of Beira Biomedical Sciences Award.