Prince Joao Henrique of Brazil

LANDED Podcast 030

Prince Joao Henrique of Brazil

Did you know that, to escape the Napoleonic forces invading Portugal in 1807, the Portuguese court relocated from Lisbon to Brazil? They ruled the empire from Rio de Janeiro until Brazilian independence in 1822.

Although no longer in power, the Portuguese royal line continues. Several of its contemporary members are well known for their public service and activism.

That legacy is carried on by His Highness Prince João Henrique Maria Gabriel Gonzaga de Orléans Bragança, a scion of Brazil’s Imperial House. A grandson of Pedro de Alcântara, he belongs to the Petrópolis branch of the Orléans Braganza family.

Educated in photography and business, João Henrique is a photographer, with about a dozen books capturing the landscapes and people of Brazil, Polynesia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. We discussed one of these books, Olhar de Joao, which highlights his time with 1978 documentation of the Xingu culture of Brazil’s Amazon region.

A committed environmentalist, Joao has focused on rainforest preservation. He owns and operates a boutique hotel, Pousada do Principe, in Paraty. He views small-scale tourism as a realistic path to environmental and cultural preservation.

Joao lives in Rio, near the rocky Arpoadaor Peninsula—the division between Copacabana and Ipanema. He’s the father of a son and a daughter, Prince João Philippe and Princess Maria Cristina.

With his relaxed Carioca surfer vibe and strong ties to Brazil’s monarchical past, João Henrique is a man for every age. A royal spirit, he is distinctly attuned to contemporary Brazilian culture and sustainability.