Christine, Princess Imperial of Brazil

Princess Christine of Ligne (born 11 August 1955 at Château de Belœil), is a Princess of Ligne by birth, as the daughter of Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne, and a Princess of Brazil by marriage to Prince Antônio of Brazil.

Early life
Princess Christine was born at her family's castle in Belœil, Kingdom of Belgium. Her father was Antoine, 13th Prince de Ligne, Head of the Belgium's foremost noble family, being a mediatized princely house of the former Holy Roman Empire since 1803. Her mother is Princess Alix of Luxembourg, is sister of former Grand Duke Jean. Through her mother, Princess Christine is a descendant in the fifth generation of King John VI of Portugal and Brazil and is a great-grand niece of Brazil's first emperor, Pedro I of Brazil. She is the maternal granddaughter of Charlotte, Grand Duchess Regnant of Luxembourg and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma.

Marriage and children
She married Prince Antênio of Brazil, son of Crown Prince Pedro Henrique of Brazil and Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria, on 25 September 1981 in Rio de Janeiro.

They had four children:
 * Prince Pedro Luiz Maria José Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga of Orléans-Braganza (12 January 1983 – 1 June 2009).
 * Princess Amélia Maria de Fátima Josefa Antônia Miguela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga of Orléans-Braganza (born 15 March 1984), married to Alexander James Spearman (b. 27 March 1984). They have two sons:
 * Alexander Joaquim Pedro Spearman (b. Madrid, 30 August 2016)
 * Nicholas Rafael William Spearman (b. Madrid, 20 February 2018)
 * Prince Rafael Antonio Maria José Francisco Miguel Gabriel Gonzaga of Orléans-Braganza (born 24 April 1986).
 * Princess Maria Gabriela Josefa Fernanda Iolanda Miguela Rafaela Gonzaga of Orléans-Bragança (born 8 June 1989).

The couple went to live in a house in the Imperial City of Petrópolis, from where they move to a luxurious apartment in the neighbourhood of Botafogo in the city of Rio de Janeiro, where they currently live.

Titles and styles

 * 6 June 1938 – present: His Royal Highness Prince Antônio of Brazil

Dynastic honors

 * Flag of Portugal (1830).svg Portuguese Royal Family : Dame of the Order of Saint Isabel.