Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas Boas

Fra' Ruy Gonçalo do Valle Peixoto de Villas-Boas, 5th senhor da Casa de Guilhomil (born 27 November 1939) is Grand Commander and a member of the Sovereign Council of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. As Grand Commander he automatically served as head of the Order, with the title Lieutenant ad interim, in 2020 and again in 2022.

Family Villas-Boas was born in Ramalde, Porto, Portugal. His father was Gonçalo Manuel Coelho Vieira Pinto do Vale Peixoto de Sousa de Vilas Boas, 4th senhor da Casa de Guilhomil (1901–1971), second son of the 1st Visconde de Guilhomil.

Order of Malta

In 1984 Villas-Boas became a member of the Order of Malta's Portuguese Association. He was elected Grand Commander by the Chapter General on 1 May 2019.

As Grand Commander, Villas-Boas automatically succeeded as Lieutenant ad interim of the Order at the death of Fra' Giacomo dalla Torre, 80th Prince and Grand Master, on 29 April 2020; he served until the election of Fra' Marco Luzzago as Lieutenant of the Grand Master on 8 November 2020. Again as Grand Commander Villas-Boas automatically succeeded as Lieutenant ad interim of the Order at the death of Fra' Marco Luzzago on 7 June 2022; he served until the appointment of Fra' John Dunlap as Lieutenant of the Grand Master by Pope Francis on 13 June 2022.

Villas-Boas has also served as a member of the Council and the Spiritual Coordinator of the Portuguese Knights of the Order. He is a knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

Publications Asociación de los Caballeros de la Soberana Orden Militar de Malta de Paraguay. Fonteireira, 2006. Associação Brasileira do Rio de Janeiro da Ordem Soberana Militar e Hospitalária de S. João de Jerusalém, de Rodes e de Malta. Fonteireira, 2006. Rol dos cavaleiros de Língua portuguesa dos sécs. XII a XIX e registo das comendas, governadores do hospital e das Maltesas. Fonteireira, 2002. "Igreja de S. Brás e Santa Luzia". Filermo 7–8 (1998): 163–183. "Os Grão-Mestres portugueses da Ordem de Malta". Filermo 5–6 (1996/97): 93–107. Rol dos cavaleiros de Língua portuguesa nos sécs. XVIII e XIX e registo de alguns Cavaleiros anteriores a esse período. Fonteireira, 1995.