Name Cayetana Stuart, | ||
 | ||
Tenure 18 February 1955 – 20 November 2014 Family House of AlbaFirst House of FitzJames Mother Maria del Rosario de Silva, 9th Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco Spouse Alfonso Diez Carabantes (m. 2011–2014) Children Eugenia Martinez de Irujo, 12th Duchess of Montoro Parents Maria del Rosario de Silva, Duchess of Alba, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba Grandchildren Fernando Fitz-James Stuart, 15th Duke of Huescar Similar Jacobo Fitz James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba, Carlos Fitz James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba, María del Rosario de Silva, Duchess of Alba | ||
Cayetana fitz james stuart 18th duchess of alba
Doña María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain (28 March 1926 – 20 November 2014), was head of the House of Alba and the third woman to hold the dukedom of Alba in her own right.
Contents
- Cayetana fitz james stuart 18th duchess of alba
- Bio estrena documental sobre cayetano mart nez de irujo
- Life and family
- Death
- Funeral
- Titles
- Styles
- Honours
- Honorary appointments
- References
Born at Liria Palace on 28 March 1926, she was the only child of the 17th Duke of Alba (a prominent Spanish politician and diplomat during the 1930s and 1940s) by his wife, María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, 9th Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco. Her godmother was the Queen Consort of Spain, Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, wife of Alfonso XIII de Borbón, King of Spain.
As head of the dynasty, she was styled by her most senior title of Duchess of Alba, whilst holding over 40 other hereditary titles. According to Guinness World Records, she was the most titled aristocrat in the world.
Via her descent from James FitzJames, she was King James II of England's senior illegitimate descendant.
She was inducted into Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 2011.
Bio estrena documental sobre cayetano mart nez de irujo
Life and family
On 12 October 1947, the Duchess married Don Luis Martínez de Irujo y Artázcoz (1919–1972), son of the Duke of Sotomayor. The wedding in Spain, just after the Second World War, is considered to be one of the last great weddings of European nobility and attracted the attention of the international media. The New York Times called it "the most expensive wedding of the world." It was reported that 20 million pesetas (€7,644,678 equivalent in 2014) was spent at that time. Six children were born of this marriage, who were all conferred noble titles by their mother, in accordance with Spanish Royal protocol, including the rank of Grandee of Spain.
After becoming a widow, the Duchess remarried on 16 March 1978 to Jesús Aguirre y Ortiz de Zárate (1934–2001), a Doctor of Theology and a former Jesuit priest. The wedding caused shock; Aguirre was illegitimate, which was scandalous in 1970s Spain. Eight years younger than the Duchess, he maintained a good relationship with her children. During their marriage he administered, with his stepson Carlos, the Alba estates. Aguirre died in 2001.
Details emerged in 2008 regarding the Duchess's intention to marry Alfonso Díez Carabantes, a civil servant who also runs a public relations business, 24 years her junior. It was reported that there were objections from her children and from King Juan Carlos, and the House of Alba that year issued a statement saying that the relationship "was based on a long friendship and there are no plans to marry". The duchess decided to proceed with the marriage, overcoming her children's opposition by giving them their inheritance in advance. The duchess's fortune included ancient palaces throughout Spain, paintings by old and modern masters (from Fra Angelico, Titian and Goya to Renoir and Marc Chagall), a first-edition copy of Cervantes's Don Quixote, letters written by Christopher Columbus, and huge tracts of land; her wealth was estimated at between €600 million and €3.5 billion. Díez formally renounced any claim to her wealth. They married on 5 October 2011 at the Palacio de las Dueñas in Seville. The Duchess, whose passions included flamenco, performed a quick few steps of the dance in front of the crowds that had gathered outside the palace on the day of the wedding.
As a socialite, the duchess met famous VIPs from Spain and abroad. Jackie Kennedy visited her Seville palace, as did Wallis Simpson, Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier of Monaco. In 1959 the duchess hosted one Dior show for charitable purposes in her Liria Palace in Madrid, together with designer Yves Saint Laurent. Movie stars such as Charlton Heston, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn and Raf Vallone visited Liria Palace. In her youth the duchess posed for Richard Avedon and Cecil Beaton and she appeared on the cover of Time and Harper's Bazaar.
The Duchess held titles including Duchess of Berwick, being a direct descendant of King James II and a distant relative to notable figures such as Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales. The lineage of the first Duke of Berwick traces back to Arabella Churchill, the sister of John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough. In 1802 after the death of the 13th duchess, who was childless, the dukedom passed to her relative, the duke of Berwick, a Spanish nobleman.
Death
The Duchess died in the Palacio de las Dueñas on November 20, 2014, at the age of 88. She was survived by her last husband, her six children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was succeeded by her son Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 14th Duke of Huéscar, who thus became the 19th Duke of Alba.
Funeral
After her death the Duchess' body was laid in repose at the Town Hall, where thousands of Sevillans paid their last respects. Pictures of the Duchess with her family were placed at her coffin. The King of Spain telephoned her son to pay his respects and sent two flower crowns to Seville. The Lord Mayor said that the flags of the city would be lowered in mourning. Msgrs. Juan José Asenjo and Curro Romero, and Mr. Rajoy, Spain's prime minister, also formally paid their respects. Her funeral was held at Seville Cathedral by Msgr. Carlos Amigo Vallejo where the Royal Family were represented by the Infanta Elena.