Catherine of Braganza Catherine of Braganza Catherine of Braganza (; 25 November 1638 – 31 December 1705) was queen consort of England, of Scotland and of Ireland from 1662 to 1685, as the wife of King Charles II. She was the daughter of King John IV, who became the first king of Portugal from the House of Braganza in 1640 after overthrowing the rule of the Spanish Habsburgs over Portugal. Catherine served as regent of Portugal during the absence of her brother in 1701 and during 1704–1705, after her return to her homeland as a widow. Owing to her devotion to the Roman
House of Braganza in 1921. She was succeeded by her grandson, Prince Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza, as Head of the Imperial House of Brazil, and he by his son and current Head, Prince Luiz of Orléans-Braganza. With the end of the banishment of the Imperial Family in 1920, some princes returned to live in Brazil, while another remained in Europe. After the end of World War II, Prince Pedro Henrique, then Head of the Imperial House and married to Princess Maria Elisabeth of Bavaria, returned to Brazil with his family. The Imperial House of Brazil divided into rival branches because of the renunciation