Prince Luís Filipe of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (in English Louis-Philip) was born in Lisbon, on March 21 1887. He was the eldest son of King Carlos I of Portugal by his wife Queen Amélie of Orléans . As heir to the throne of Portugal he held the titles of Duke of Bragança and Prince of Beira.

Luís Filipe was with his father and the rest of the royal family on February 1 1908, the day of the regicide. Carlos I was immediately killed by shots fired from a crowd by Republican fanatics, and Luis's younger brother Manuel was hit in an arm. Luís himself was severely wounded. Although attended by doctors, Luis died twenty minutes later, having technically succeeded his father for that brief time. After the deaths, Manuel became the last King of Portugal. A republic would be declared two years later, on October 5 1910.