Eleonora, Princess of Ligne

Dona Eleonora, Princess of Ligne (Eleonora Maria Josefa Rosa Filipa Miguela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga; born 20 May 1953) is a member of the Brazilian Imperial Family and Princess of Ligne by marriage, as the wife of Michel, 14th Prince of Ligne, the Head of the House of Ligne, the highest noble house of Belgium.

Daughter of Pedro Henrique, Prince of Brazil and Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria, she grew up between Jacarezinho, Vassouras and later attended the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro where he graduated with a degree in history. In 1981 she married Henri, then Hereditary Prince of Ligne. Despite the difference in status, with the Orléans-Braganza being a deposed royal house and the Ligne a non-mediatized noble house, the marriage was considered non-morganatic by Prince Pedro. The couple has two children, Henri and Alix, who, despite not being Princes of Brazil, are in the line of succession to the Brazilian throne.

Despite living in Belgium, Princess Eleonora frequently visits Brazil, where her children live and her grandchildren were born, and occasionally participates in events related to the national monarchist movement.

Family and education
Princess Eleanora is a daughter of Pedro Henrique, Prince of Brazil and his wife Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria. Her father was the disputed titular Emperor of Brazil, a claim now held by her elder brother Luiz, Prince of Brazil. By her father she is a great-granddaughter of Empress Isabel of Brazil and descendant of many European royal houses. By her mother, she is great-granddaughter of King Ludwig III of Bavaria.

Eleanora was born on her father's estate in the town of Jacarezinho, in the state of Paraná. Hr family soon moved to a small palace in the city of Vassouras, in the state of Rio de Janeiro's countryside, closer to the former imperial capital where she attended many traditional schools. Eleanora has a degree in history from Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

On the very same year she married Prince Michel of Ligne, her older brother Prince Antônio of Brazil, was married to Princess Christine of Ligne, Michel's sister.

Marriage
On 10 March 1981, Eleanora married Michel, then Hereditary Prince of Ligne in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the former Imperial See. Michel is the eldest son of Antoine, 13th Prince of Ligne and Princess Alix Marie of Luxembourg (herself a daughter of Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg).

They have two children:
 * Princess Alix Marie Isabelle Adelgonde Eléonore de Ligne (b. 3 July 1984), married on 18 June 2016 Count Guillaume Aymar Emmanuel de Dampierre (b. 4 May 1985). They have one daughter and son:
 * Countess Olympia de Dampierre (b. 21 December 2017).
 * Count Guy de Dampierre (b. 2020).
 * Prince Henri Antoine Gabriël Wauthier Marie Lamoral of Ligne (b. 3 March 1989).

Succession
Eleonora is a member of a deposed royal house while Henri is a member of an unmediated, albeit princely, noble family. As a result, their marriage would normally be considered morganatic. However, recognizing the difficulties in performing a non-morganatic marriage at the end of the 20th century, Prince Pedro Henrique decided to recognize marriage as egalitarian, and therefore non-morganatic, arguing the status of princes held by the members of the House of Ligne and recognized officially by the government of the Kingdom of Belgium.

Michel succeeded as 14th Prince of Ligne on 21 August 2005, making Eleanora Princess of Ligne. The couple have an important social role in Belgium among charitable organizations, where they live at the Château de Beloeil.

Titles and styles

 * 20 May 1953 – present: Her Royal Highness Princess Eleanora of Brazil
 * 3 March 1985 – 21 August 2005: Her Royal Highness The Hereditary Princess of Ligne
 * 21 August 2005 – present: Her Royal Highness The Princess of Ligne

Honors

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