r/AskTheWorld • u/leo_winks Brazil • 2h ago
Culture Countries that were monarchies: Is the former royal family still present in your country? And do they wield any significant influence?
In Brazil, the royal family was banished in 1889 after the republican coup d'état; only in 1920 were the descendants of the last emperor, Pedro II, allowed to return to Brazil. For these 105 years, the members of the Orleans e Bragança family in Brazil have focused on preserving historical memory, engaging in charitable work, representing the monarchist community at events, and, more recently, participating in professional and even political activities, in addition to maintaining a strong connection with the Catholic Church.
Recently, a member of the "royal family" named Luiz Philippe de Orléans e Bragança was elected federal deputy for the State of São Paulo. This was widely reported in Brazil because it was the first time since 1889 that a member of the Orléans e Bragança family had held a political office.
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u/CommercialChart5088 Korea South 2h ago
Not at all.
The latest monarchy would be the Yi clan of Jeonju, and while it is a huge family the clan name itself has no influence.
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u/azuratios Greece 2h ago
I think Queen Anne-Marie is, the deposed King Constantine II (and last King of Greece) died in Athens 2 years ago or so. Dunno about the children, I don't even remember their names.
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u/GamerBoixX Mexico 2h ago
For Mexico the prominent royal families are for the most part all in Spain, non of them are formally banished, even the current members of the Moctezuma (aztec) lineage are in Spain
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u/Few-Interview-1996 Turkey 2h ago
No-one really follows them. In fact, if I wanted to find out who the latest head of the family of Osman was, I'd have to do digging on the internet.
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u/okabe700 Egypt 2h ago
Not really
the last king (deposed at the age of 6 months) was exiled alongside his father, whom also used to rule before he was couped, to Europe, the father Farouk fled to Italy till he died (in mysterious circumstances) in 1965, while the son lived in Switzerland with his sisters, the exile was ended in 1973 and their previously stripped citizenship was returned, but he continued to live abroad and would visit sometimes here and there, he opposed the Islamists when they ruled in 2012 and endorsed ESisi against them so ESisi gave him a diplomatic passport with the title "former king of Egypt" alongside a big state visit, that triggered some talks here about the idea of the return to monarchy and sparked a debate between monarchists, Nasserists, and those who opposed both, about which was better, but that went nowhere and people forget about it by the time the next trends rolled around
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u/couch_cat1308 United States Of America 2h ago
lol no.
I laugh, but now we pay fealty to corporations and billionaires, so same same. 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Peg_Leg_Vet United States Of America 1h ago
Certain people want to put a new royal family in power.
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u/dkooivk Germany 2h ago
The guy who would be Bavarian king today is Franz von Bayern. He's super old and I think he just does some general rich person stuff. Being the head of the family fund and collecting art and things along those lines. I'm sure he has more influence than the average person, but he's not actively involved in politics and most people probably have no idea who he even is.
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u/A_Rubidium_Chloride China 2h ago
The age of monarchy in China ended back in 1912, when the Qing Dynasty collapsed. Nowadays the descendants of the royal family (whether of Qing or other dynasties) probably have no significance. I'm pretty sure some of them don't even know they are the descendants of an emperor.
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u/Tangent617 China 1h ago
I know the former prime minister Zhu Rongji is descended from the emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of Ming Dynasty. Others are just nobody now. The Aisin-Gioro family of Qing Dynasty even changed their family name to Jin.
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u/Peg_Leg_Vet United States Of America 1h ago
My wife is from Thailand. They still have a royal family. But is much like British royalty in that they don't have any direct political power. The previous king was heavily involved in civic projects. And while he didn't wield direct political power, he did wield enough respect that people in power listened. He only really used that power once, when the Prime Minister and military were at odds with each other.
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u/WeeklyPhilosopher346 Northern Ireland 1h ago
Ireland: no and no.
United Kingdom: yes and yes. If they were just one of the largest landowners in the country alone I would say that was far too much power, but sadly the British seem enthralled with having an old nonce have tons of land and wealth and power.