by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Prince Giuseppe of Bourbon-Parma was the titular Duke of Parma from 1939 until his death in 1950. As he was mentally disabled, his younger brother Elia served as regent.

source: Wikipedia

Prince Giuseppe was the third son of Roberto I, the last reigning Duke of Parma, and his first wife, Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He was born at Wartegg Castle in Rorschach, Switzerland on June 13, 1873. He had 11 siblings:

• Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma (1870 – 1899), married Ferdinand I, Prince of Bulgaria (later Tsar), had four children including Tsar Boris I of Bulgaria,
• Ferdinando, Prince of Piacenza (born and died 1871 ), died in infancy
• Princess Luisa Maria of Bourbon-Parma (1872 – 1943), unmarried, mentally disabled
• Enrico, Titular Duke of Parma (1873 – 1939), unmarried, mentally disabled, his brother Elias took up the role as regent and Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
• Princess Maria Immacolata of Bourbon-Parma (1874 – 1914), unmarried, mentally disabled
• Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma (1876 – 1959), unmarried, mentally disabled
• Princess Maria Pia of Bourbon-Parma (1877 – 1915), unmarried, mentally disabled
• Princess Beatrice of Bourbon-Parma (1879 – 1946), married Count Pietro Lucchesi-Palli, had four children
• Elias, Titular Duke of Parma (1880 – 1959), married Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria, had eight children, from 1907 to 1950, he served as regent for the claims of his two older disabled brothers, Head of the House of Bourbon-Parma
• Princess Maria Anastasia of Bourbon-Parma (born and died 1881), died in infancy
• Prince Augusto of Bourbon-Parma (stillborn 1882)

He also had 12 siblings from his father’s second marriage to Infanta Maria Antonia of Portugal:

• Princess Maria della Neve Adelaide of Bourbon-Parma (1885 – 1959), Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Solesmes, France
• Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma (1886 – 1934), married Hedwige de La Rochefoucauld, had one daughter
• Xavier, Titular Duke of Parma (1889 – 1977), married Madeleine de Bourbon-Busset, had six children including Carlos Hugo, Titular Duke of Parma who married and divorced Princess Irene of the Netherlands, the Carlist claimants to the Spanish throne descend through this line
• Princess Francesca of Bourbon-Parma (1890 – 1978), Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Solesmes, France
• Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma (1892 – 1989), married Karl I, Emperor of Austria, had eight children
• Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma (1893 – 1970), married Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg, had six children including Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg
• Prince René of Bourbon-Parma (1894 – 1962), married Princess Margrethe of Denmark, had four children including Princess Anne of Bourbon-Parma who married King Michael I of Romania
• Princess Maria Antonia of Bourbon-Parma (1895 – 1937), Benedictine nun at the Monastery of Solesmes, France
• Princess Isabella of Bourbon-Parma (1898 – 1984), unmarried
• Prince Luigi of Bourbon-Parma (1899 – 1967), married Princess Maria Francesca of Savoy, had four children
• Princess Enrichetta of Bourbon-Parma (1903 – 1987), unmarried, hearing disabled
• Prince Gaetano of Bourbon-Parma (1905 – 1958), married and divorced Princess Margarete of Thurn and Taxis, had one daughter

Giuseppe succeeded his elder brother, Enrico, as titular Duke of Parma and head of the house. However, a few months after their father’s death in 1907, Giuseppe and five of his siblings were all declared legally incompetent due to their mental disabilities. His younger brother, Elia, became guardian of the six siblings, and served as regent during the tenure of both Enrico and Giuseppe.

Unmarried and childless, Giuseppe died on January 7, 1950 in Pianore, near Lucca, Italy. As he was unmarried and had no children, he was succeeded as titular Duke of Parma by his brother Elia.

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Duchy of Parma Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Duchy of Parma Index

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