Tenure 1968–present | Name Francisco Borbon | |
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Title Duke of SevilleGrandee of Spain Predecessor Enriqueta de Borbon y Parade, 4th Duchess of Seville Spouse(s) Countess Beatrice von HardenbergIsabelle KaranitschMaria de los Angeles de Vargas-Zuniga Parents Francisco de Borbon y BorbonEnriqueta Escasany y Miguel | ||
Francisco de Paula Enrique de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville, Grandee of Spain (born 16 November 1943), is the current Duke of Seville and a distant relative of the Spanish Royal Family. He is a businessman and has been involved in banking, real estate and other commercial activities.
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Early life
Francisco was born in Madrid and is the eldest child of Francisco de Borbón y Borbón (1912–1995), who was the son of Francisco de Borbón y de la Torre and Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, 4th Duchess of Seville. Francisco's mother was Enriqueta Escasany y Miguel (1925–1962), the daughter of Ignacio Escasany y Ancell and Enriqueta de Miguel y Mas, the 2nd Marquesa de Pobla de Claramunt.
His paternal grandparents were first cousins, both being grandchildren of Infante Enrique, Duke of Seville. Francisco is a member of the Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon and is a relative of King Juan Carlos I of Spain, since both of them are male-line descendants of King Charles IV of Spain.
Duke of Seville
After the death of his grandmother, Enriqueta de Borbón y Parade, Francisco inherited the title of Duke of Seville. His father had renounced his own rights to succeed to the title in 1968.
Marriages and children
Francisco was married on 7 July 1973 at Baden-Baden to Countess Beatrice von Hardenberg (born 1947), daughter of Count Günther von Hardenberg and his wife Princess Maria Josepha of Fürstenberg. The couple had three children and divorced in 1989.
They have two daughters and one son:
Francisco married for the second time on 19 October 1991 at Vienna to Isabelle Karanitsch (born 1959). They had no children and divorced in 1993. He married for the third time on 2 September 2000 at Marbella to María de los Angeles de Vargas-Zuñiga (born 1958). They have no children.
The Order of Saint Lazarus
Francisco was elected as the 48th Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910) (Malta Obedience) on 5 October 1996 in Santa Maria della Passione, Milan, Italy. He succeeded his father, who had been Grand Master of the Order since 1959. Francisco retired from his position of Grand Master in 2008 and was succeeded by his cousin, Don Carlos Gereda y de Borbón, Marqués de Almazán. Francisco was then given the title of Grand Master Emeritus.
French succession
Since Francisco is a direct male-line descendant of King Louis XIV of France, he is in the legitimist line of succession to the French throne.