Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo
Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y de Grecia; born 20 December 1963), is the first child and eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía. As the eldest sister of King Felipe VI, Elena is the third in the line of succession to the Spanish throne. She has another younger sister, Infanta Cristina.[1]
| Infanta Elena | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duchess of Lugo | |||||
The Duchess of Lugo in 2011 | |||||
| Born | 20 December 1963 Our Lady of Loreto Hospital, Madrid, Spain | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Felipe de Marichalar y Borbón Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón | ||||
| |||||
| House | Bourbon-Anjou | ||||
| Father | Juan Carlos I of Spain | ||||
| Mother | Sophia of Greece and Denmark | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
| Signature | |||||
On 3 March 1995, on the occasion of her marriage to Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, Lord of Tejada, she was created Duchess of Lugo by her father, King Juan Carlos. The title, as part of the titles belonging to the Spanish crown, was granted to her for life and her descendants will not be able to inherit it.
Since the ascension of her younger brother to the Spanish throne, Elena is not part of the royal family. However, just as she did during her father's reign, she currently represents the Crown when required by the monarch. She has also represented her family abroad on several occasions, having travelled to Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, Japan, Peru, and the Philippines.
Early life and family Edit
Infanta Elena was born on 20 December 1963 at Our Lady of Loreto Hospital, now known as ORPEA Madrid Loreto, in Madrid. She is the first member to be born in hospital from King Juan Carlos I's family and she is eldest child of King Juan Carlos I, the former Spanish monarch, and his wife, Queen Sofía (born Princess of Greece and Denmark). She has one sister and one brother.[2]
Elena studied at Santa María del Camino School in Madrid[3] and got a diploma as teacher of secondary school in 1986, with a specialty in English studies.[4] She later moved to Paris in order to study French literature; it was during this time that she met her future husband.[5] After working as an English teacher at her childhood school, she graduated in Education Sciences by the Comillas Pontifical University in 1993.[4]
Equestrianism Edit
Since she was a child, Elena showed a special preference for horse riding, a passion that she inherited from her grandmother, Princess María de las Mercedes, Countess of Barcelona.[6] It was during her adolescence that she began to make a name for herself in the world of show jumping.[7] She debuted in an official competition in 1982 at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.[8] After this, in the late 1980s King Juan Carlos ordered the construction of stables and a riding arena at the Royal Palace of Zarzuela so that her daughter could practice her hobby in the palace.[8] As of 2022, although she no longer resides in Zarzuela nor is she part of the royal family, she continues to use these facilities that she upholds financially.[7]
Elena was described by fellow equestrian Luis Jaime Carvajal y Salas, 5th Duke of Aveyro, as a "very good [rider]" but he pointed that her problem was that it "requires time and she doesn't have it" (as member of the royal family.[6]
Among the most notable horses of the Infanta are Qant (her favorite horse since 2011)[8] and Jordano EB (Qant successor), a chestnut-bred horse that she bred herself.[7] As of 2016, Elena owned, at least, eight different horses.[8]
Elena has had several equestrian teachers; since she left the royal family, she has not had an official one. The most relevant are Felipe de Zuleta y Alejandro from 2006 to 2015,[9] an official of the Royal Guard and brother of the Duke of Abrantes, private secretary of Queen Letizia,[10] and Luis Astolfi Pérez de Guzmán, a former boyfriend and currently a close friend to the infanta. Luis and Elena relinked their friendship in 2013 after many years without contact.[11]
She shares this hobby with her daughter, Victoria, Grandee of Spain,[8] as well as watching bullfighting.[12]
Marriage Edit
Elena married Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, Lord of Tejada, a younger son of Amalio, 8th Count of Ripalda, and his wife María de la Concepción Sáenz de Tejada y Fernández de Bobadilla, Lady of Tejada, on 18 March 1995, in Seville Cathedral, Seville, at which time her father conferred on her the title Duchess of Lugo for life.[13] The couple have two children: Felipe (born 17 July 1998)[14] and Victoria (born 9 September 2000) were born at Ruber International Hospital in Madrid .[15]
On 13 November 2007, it was announced that Elena had separated from her husband.[16] In November 2009, the Spanish media reported that she and her husband would divorce, although a rumour to that effect had been circulating for a year before the announcement was made.[17][18] Their divorce papers were signed on 25 November 2009.[19] The Duchess and Duke Consort of Lugo were divorced in December 2009.[20] On 21 January 2010, the divorce was registered at the Civil Registry of the Spanish Royal Family. It was officially announced on 9 February 2010, that Jaime de Marichalar was no longer permitted to use the ducal title and that he was no longer considered to be an official member of the Spanish Royal Family.[21]
Activities and personal work Edit
Elena started to attend official events at very young age. One of the first official events she attended was the proclamation of his father in November 1975.[22] Since finishing her most basic education in 1983, Elena, along with her sister Cristina, supported their parents representing the Crown at official events such as the National Day, the wedding of Princess Astrid of Belgium,[23] the re-burial of Queen Victoria Eugenia at El Escorial,[24] the state visit of Mexican president Miguel de la Madrid to Spain,[23] and the 1984 Prince of Asturias Awards ceremony,[25] among others.
Since the ascension of her brother in June 2014 and the consequent departure from the royal family, Elena has reduced her public appearances. Exceptionally, that year she represented the Crown in some events, such as the funeral of Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba in November 2014[26] and the delivery of the National Sports Awards in December 2014.[27] Since then, Elena has limited her institutional activity to annually presiding over the awards ceremony for the Patrimonio Nacional's Children's and Youth Painting Contest.[28][29][30][31]
In addition to her obligations as an infanta, Elena has a personal job that allows her to compensate for the lack of public salary by not being a member of the royal family. Elena has worked at the Mapfre Foundation since 2008 and currently serves as director of social and cultural projects.[32] From this position, Infanta Elena has helped the foundation to promote projects and give visibility to various cooperation programs in Latin America through several international tours.[33] Most of the public appearances of the infanta are related to the social activities of this foundation.
Titles, styles, honours and arms Edit
Titles and styles Edit
- 20 December 1963 – 3 March 1995: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Elena[34]
- 3 March 1995 – present: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Elena, Duchess of Lugo
Honours Edit
National honours Edit
- Spain:
- Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III
- Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Dame of the Royal Cavalry Armory of Seville[35]
- Dame of the Royal Cavalry Armory of Zaragoza[36]
Foreign honours Edit
- Austria: Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria[37][38]
- Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold I[39]
- Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit[40]
- Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour[41]
- Guatemala: Grand Cross of the Order of the Quetzal[42]
- Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon[43]
- Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic[44]
- Japan: Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown[45]
- Jordan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan
- Luxembourg: Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
- Kingdom of Nepal: Member 1st Class of the Order of the Three Divine Powers
- Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau[46]
- Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav[47]
- Peru: Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun of Peru[48]
- Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Christ
- Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
- Sweden: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf
Ancestry Edit
| Ancestors of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo |
|---|
See also Edit
References Edit
- ^ "King Felipe of Spain's 21-year-old niece documents her lavish life on social media". HOLA. 28 January 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ "ABC (Madrid) - 21/12/1963, p. 65 - ABC.es Hemeroteca". hemeroteca.abc.es. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- ^ "La Infanta Elena visita el colegio que lleva su nombre". Europa Press. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ a b Taulés, Silvia (18 June 2020). "Polémica en las redes: no, el contribuyente no paga los bolsos de Victoria Federica". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Spain's King Juan Carlos' eldest daughter Infanta Elena to divorce". Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
- ^ a b Barrientos, Paloma (3 May 2023). "La razón que ha dado la infanta Elena para no participar en el concurso hípico Comunidad de Madrid". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Moro, María Luisa G. (20 December 2022). "La infanta Elena cumple 59 años: la intrahistoria de su faceta como amazona". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Todo lo que ha aclarado el accidente hípico de la Infanta Elena". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 3 September 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Bolonio, Marta (21 May 2015). "Las dos versiones que explicarían la ruptura profesional de doña Elena y Felipe Zuleta". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Higuera, Raoul (27 June 2014). "José Manuel Zuleta, la nueva mano derecha de la Reina doña Letizia". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Luis Astolfi y la infanta Elena: de su secreta historia de amor a su apoyo incondicional después de 30 años y tras las dificultades". Mujer Hoy (in Spanish). 10 July 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carla (11 May 2022). "Victoria Federica y su madre, la infanta Elena: tarde de toros en Las Ventas". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ . Archived from the original on 16 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^ "Froilán descoloca a sus propios familiares y amigos con un giro inesperado". 18 July 2018.
- ^ "Nace la primera nieta de los Reyes, que se llamará Victoria Federica". El País. 10 September 2000. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "Zarzuela anuncia el cese temporal de la convivencia matrimonial de los Duques de Lugo". ABC. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "La Infanta Elena y Jaime de Marichalar se divorcian de mutuo acuerdo" [Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar agreed to divorce]. El Mundo. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "¿Un divorcio de Estado?". El País. 13 September 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "El Periódico - Actualidad y noticias de última hora". Elperiodico.com. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ Villar, Cote. Guardián de acero para el divorcio real. La otra crónica, no. 55 (6 February 2010). El Mundo
- ^ "La Infanta Elena ya está divorciada de Marichalar". El Mundo. 10 February 2010. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "Así fue la proclamación de Juan Carlos I". Lecturas (in Spanish). 17 June 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ a b "El camino marcado por las infantas Elena y Cristina que podría seguir Sofía tras la marcha de Leonor". Vanity Fair (in European Spanish). 13 February 2021. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Orgambides, Fernando (26 April 1985). "Los restos mortales de la reina Victoria Eugenia, depositados en el monasterio de El Escorial". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Somovilla, Miguel (16 October 1984). "El rey Juan Carlos entregará hoy los premios que llevan el nombre de su hijo". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Duquesa de Alba: La infanta Elena preside el último adiós a la Duquesa de Alba en representación del Rey". HOLA (in Spanish). 21 November 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "Los Premios Nacionales del Deporte reúnen a casi toda la Familia Real". Diez Minutos (in European Spanish). 4 December 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Aragón, Heraldo de. "Un dibujo de una niña de Teruel, premiado en el Palacio Real de El Pardo". heraldo.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "La Infanta Elena entrega los premios del XXVII Concurso de Patrimonio Nacional de Pintura Infantil y Juvenil". Europa Press. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "La infanta Elena retoma su agenda oficial más sonriente que nunca y con su mejor 'look' del año". El Español (in Spanish). 16 June 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ "La infanta Elena retoma su actividad apoyando la pintura para los más jóvenes". Europa Press. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Confidencial, El (30 July 2008). "La Infanta Elena se incorporará a Fundación Mapfre a partir del 15 septiembre". elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Villar, Cote (5 March 2021). "El conflicto reputacional de las infantas Elena y Cristina más allá de la Corona". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 October 2023.
- ^ Real Decreto 323/1995, de 3 de marzo, por el que se concede, con carácter vitalicio, la facultad de usar el título de Duquesa de Lugo a Su Alteza Real la Infanta Doña Elena (BOE núm. 54 de 4 de marzo 1995)
- ^ "La infanta Elena regresa a la ciudad donde se casó junto a su padre, el Rey" [Princess Elena returns to the city where she married with her father, the King] (in Spanish). 23 May 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "La infanta Elena recibe el Lazo de Dama de la Real Maestranza en Zaragoza" [The Infanta Elena receives the Collar of Lady of the Royal Cavalry of Zaragoza]. El Periódico de Aragón (in Spanish). 9 May 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (PDF) (in German). 23 April 2012. p. 1124.
- ^ "El Rey recibe al presidente de Austria" [The King receives the President of Austria]. El País (in Spanish). 3 June 1997. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ ABC (Madrid) (in Spanish), Hemeroteca, 20 September 1994, p. 23
- ^ "Chile y Espana dejan atros tensiones" [Chile and Spain leave tensions behind] (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ "Don Juan Carlos recuerda que 'no hay espacio para los terroristas en nuestras sociedades libres'" [Don Juan Carlos reminds us that 'there is no room for terrorists in our free societies']. El Mundo (in Spanish). 26 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
- ^ Úbeda-Portugués, José Escribano (2005). La dimensión europea de la política exterior española hacia América latina: política internacional de los primeros gobiernos socialistas. Editorial Visión Libros. ISBN 9788498212440.
- ^ Icelandese Presidency Website[permanent dead link], Borbón, Elena de ; prinsessa ; Spánn ; 16 September 1985 ; Stórkross (= Elena of Bourbon, Princess, Spain, 16 September 1985, Grand Cross)
- ^ Italian Presidency, ELENA S.A.R. l'Infanta di Spagna – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
- ^ ABC (Madrid), Hemeroteca, 8 October 1994, p. 29
- ^ ABC (Madrid), Hemeroteca, 9 October 1985, p. 8
- ^ ABC (Madrid), ABC Hemeroteca, 25 April 1995, p. 24
- ^ "La Familia Real recibe, de gala, al Presidente de Perú en el Palacio Real de Madrid". 6 July 2004. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
External links Edit
- Her Royal Highness the Infanta Elena (official profile) (in Spanish)
- Video of her wedding on YouTube