Rare Carlist Medal: Wedding of Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma and Irene of the Netherlands.

Carlist Medal

1964: Wedding of Carlos Hugo and Irene (Dukes of Madrid) in Rome

Copper

19.41 Grams

36.6 mm in diameter

Very good condition: MBC+

Very difficult to find.

Carlos Hugo of Bourbon-Parma (1930-2010) and Irene of the Netherlands (born 1939) were a couple who united two European royal houses and played a prominent role in the recent history of Carlism and European royalty.

Charles Hugo of Bourbon-Parma

- He was born in Paris in 1930 and was the son of Javier de Borbón-Parma, head of the House of Parma and Carlist pretender to the throne of Spain.

- He held the titles of Duke of Parma and Duke of Madrid, and was the main Carlist claimant to the Spanish Crown during the second half of the 20th century.

- In the 1960s and 70s, Carlos Hugo attempted to modernize Carlist ideology, transforming the traditionalist movement into a proposal with socialist and self-management leanings, which caused an internal split within the movement.

- In 1957, he self-proclaimed himself Prince of Asturias, although he did not have Spanish nationality, and for years he was seen as a dynastic rival of Juan Carlos I.

- After the death of Franco and the consolidation of the parliamentary monarchy, Carlos Hugo renounced the dynastic dispute and disengaged from active politics[1].

- He died in Barcelona in 2010.

Irene of the Netherlands

Irene Emma Elisabeth van Oranje-Nassau, van Lippe-Biesterfeld

- Second daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, born in 1939.

- She met Carlos Hugo while studying in Madrid. Their relationship and subsequent marriage caused a great scandal in the Netherlands, mainly because Irene was second in line to the Dutch throne and converted to Catholicism to marry, which triggered a constitutional crisis.

- In order to marry Charles Hugo, Irene renounced her rights of succession to the Dutch throne and agreed to live outside the Netherlands.

- Irene actively participated in the Carlist political cause alongside her husband, especially during the period when the movement shifted towards left-wing positions.

The title of Dukes of Madrid

- The title of "Duke of Madrid" is one of the historical titles associated with the Carlist pretenders to the Spanish throne. Carlos Hugo held this title as part of his dynastic claim.

- Irene, as the wife of Carlos Hugo, was also known as the Duchess of Madrid, although her role was more prominent in the social and political sphere than in the formal use of the title.

Legacy

Carlos Hugo and Irene symbolize the confluence of European dynastic history with the political upheavals of the 20th century. Their marriage and political stances marked an era of crisis and transformation in both Spanish Carlism and the Dutch monarchy, and their personal history was characterized by controversy, renunciation, and adaptation to new times.

More information: https://www.revistavanityfair.es/articulos/boda-princesa-irene-holanda-paises-bajos-carlos-hugo-borbon-parma-roma-carlista

In order to marry the Carlist pretender to the Spanish throne, the daughter of Queen Juliana and aunt of the current King Willem of the Netherlands had to convert to Catholicism.