Sophia Michaels
As of this writing, Prince Amedeo is the sixth in line to the throne in Belgium. He is not a member of the royal family and does not have any impact on the royal family.
A minor royal in Belgium, Prince Amedeo is the grandson of former King Albert II, nephew of the current King Philippe, and the heir apparent to the House of Austria-Este. As of this writing, he’s sixth in line to the throne, so unlikely to ever rule but not so far removed from the crown that his personal decisions have no bearing on the country.
In 2014, the prince married his college sweetheart, a journalist and Italian noble named Elisabetta Maria Rosboch von Wolkenstein. Their wedding, which was held at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Rome, was a massive affair attended by all the major players in the Royal House of Belgium. On a personal level, it seemed, the couple’s entire families were behind the union. On a political level, however, things weren’t quite that simple.
According to The Sunday Times, Prince Amedeo failed to obtain permission from his kingly uncle to tie the knot. This meant that he forfeited his official title and place in the line of succession, an oversight that caused a small constitutional crisis. In order to rectify the situation, King Philippe formally, and retroactively, granted his permission some 16 months later. This move reinstated Prince Amedeo into the royal house, but kept his new wife from earning HRH styling of her own (she is now referred to as the archduchess). The couple seems to have taken the drama in stride, moving to NYC in pursuit of a more normal life and welcoming their first child in 2022.
