Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo

Elena de Borbón
Infanta of Spain Duchess of Lugo
Elena in 2011
Born	20 December 1963 Madrid, Spain
Spouse	Jaime de Marichalar (m. 1995; div. 2010)
Issue	Felipe de Marichalar y Borbón Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón
Full name Spanish: Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y de Grecia
House	Bourbon
Father	Juan Carlos I of Spain
Mother	Queen Sofía of Spain
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Signature

Letterhead of Infanta Elena.

Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y de Grecia; born 20 December 1963 in Madrid) is the first child and elder daughter of Juan Carlos I of Spain and Queen Sofía of Spain, and third in the line of succession to the Spanish throne. She has a younger sister, Infanta Cristina, and a younger brother, King Felipe VI.

Infanta Elena has participated in many official events, having travelled to Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina, Japan, Peru, and the Philippines representing the Royal Family.

Personal life

In 1987, Infanta Elena met her future husband while she was studying French literature in Paris.^[1]

She married Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, son of the Count and Countess of Ripalda, on 18 March 1995, in Seville Cathedral, Seville, at which time her father conferred on her the title Duchess of Lugo for life.^[2]

The couple has two children:

• Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón (born 17 July 1998)
• Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón (born 9 December 2000)

On 13 November 2007, it was announced that the Infanta had separated from her husband.^[3] In November 2009, the Spanish media said that Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar would divorce, although a rumour to that effect had been circulating for a year before the announcement was made.^[4][5] Their divorce papers were signed on 25 November 2009.^[6] The Duchess and Duke of Lugo were divorced in December 2009.^[7] 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.^[8]

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 20 December 1963 – 3 March 1995: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Elena of Spain.^[9]
• 3 March 1995 – present: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Elena, Duchess of Lugo.

The Infanta's style and title in full: Her Royal Highness Doña Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y de Grecia, Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Lugo.

Honours

National honours

•  Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III^[10][11]
•  Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic^[12][13]
•  Spain: Knight of the Decoration of the Royal Cavalry of Seville^[14]
•  Spain: Knight of the Decoration of the Royal Cavalry Armory of Zaragoza^[15]

Foreign honours

•  Austria: Grand Cross of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria^[16][17]
•  Belgium: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold^[18][19]
•  Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit^[20][21]
•  Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour^[22][23]
•  Guatemala: Grand Cross of the Order of the Quetzal^[24][25]
•  Iceland: Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon^[26]
•  Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic^[27]
•  Japan: Paulownia Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown^[28][29]
•  Jordan: Knight Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan^[30]
•  Luxembourg: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau^[31]
• Nepalese Royal Family: Member Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Divine Powers^[32]
•  Netherlands: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau^[33][34]
•  Norway: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav^[35]
•  Peru: Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun^[36]
•  Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Christ^[37]
•  Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry
•  Sweden: Recipient of the 50th Birthday Badge Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf^[38]

Arms

Arms of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo

Notes The Duchess's personalized coat of arms are the shield of the arms of the monarch in right of Spain. Crest The crown of Infantes of Spain Escutcheon Quarterly 1stgules a castle or, triple-embattled and voided gate and windows, with three towers each triple-turreted, of the field, masoned sable and ajoure azure 2ndargent a lion rampant purpure crowned or, langued and armed 3rd or, four pallets gules and 4th gules a cross, saltire and orle of chains linked together or, a centre point vert Argent enté en point, with a pomegranate proper seeded gules, supported, sculpted and leafed in two leaves vert. Inescutcheon azure bordure gules, three fleurs-de-lys or. Orders The Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III ribbon. Other elements The whole differenced by a label of three points azure, the central point charged with a Eucharist or. Banner The Duchess of Lugo's personal Royal Standard is that of the Spanish Monarch (a crimson square flag) with a swallow-tail and charged with her personalized coat of arms.[39] Symbolism As with the Royal Arms of Spain. The first quarter are the arms of Castile, the second of León, the third of Aragon and the fourth of Navarre. Enté en point, the arms of Granada. Inescutcheon, the arms of Bourbon-Anjou. The Eucharist or has been a charge of the arms of Lugo.[40][41] Previous versions From 1995 to 2010 As a married woman the Duchess of Lugo had her arms displayed on an oval shield.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo

16. Alfonso XII of Spain               8. Alfonso XIII of Spain                       17. Maria Christina of Austria               4. Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona                             18. Prince Henry of Battenberg               9. Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg                       19. Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom               2. Juan Carlos I of Spain                                   20. Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta               10. Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies                       21. Princess Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies               5. Princess Maria Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies                             22. Philippe, Count of Paris               11. Princess Louise of Orléans                       23. Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans               1. Elena, Duchess of Lugo                                         24. George I of Greece               12. Constantine I of Greece                       25. Olga Constantinovna of Russia               6. Paul of Greece                             26. Frederick III, German Emperor               13. Sophia of Prussia                       27. Victoria, Princess Royal               3. Sophia of Greece and Denmark                                   28. Ernest Augustus, Crown Prince of Hanover               14. Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick                       29. Princess Thyra of Denmark               7. Frederica of Hanover                             30. William II, German Emperor               15. Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia                       31. Augusta Viktoria of Schleswig-Holstein

See also

• Line of succession to the Spanish Throne

References

1. Barcelona Reporter
2. Real Decreto 323/1995
3. ABC.es "Zarzuela announces the separation of the Duchess and Duke of Lugo" (Spanish)
4. (Spanish) Elmundo.es "Duchess and Duke of Lugo divorce". (Retrieved 17 November 2009)
5. (Spanish) Lola Galán. "Is it a State divorce?" Elpais.com (Retrieved 17 November 2009)
6. (Spanish) Elperiodico.com Infanta Elena of Spain and her husband sign divorce papers". (Retrieved 26 November 2009)
7. Villar, Cote. Guardián de acero para el divorcio real. La otra crónica, no. 55 (6 February 2010). El Mundo
8. (Spanish) Elmundo.es "La Infanta Elena ya está divorciada de Marichalar". (accessed 9 February 2010)
9. 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)
10. http://i726.photobucket.com/albums/ww266/rex74/Spanish%20Royal%20House%20of%20Bourbon/InfantaElena_Aguamarina.jpg
11. http://www.moncasidealvear.es/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/infanta-elena-con-traje-goyesco.jpg
12. http://spf.fotolog.com/photo/47/3/28/jcarlosysofia/1248714620374_f.jpg
13. http://i343.photobucket.com/albums/o458/manuesevilla3/Visitas%20a%20Spain/visitas050copia.jpg
14. http://www.hola.com/realeza/casa_espanola/2008052315952/casasreales/espanola/infanta/elena/rey
15. "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 29 May 2015.
16. "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (pdf) (in German). p. 1124. Retrieved November 2012.
17. Visita de Estado del Presidente de Austria a España
18. See the 4th photo in this serie
19. Hemeroteca ABC
20. Foro Dinastías, State visit of Chile in Spain, 2001, Group photo
21. Visita de Estado del Presidente de Chile a España
22. Foro Dinastías, State visit of Stephanopoulos in Spain, 2001, Group Photo
23. Visita de Estado del Presidente de Grecia a España
24. "At the Spanish Court" blog, State dinner in the Royal Palace, Queen Sofia, Elena & Cristina (1st State dinner for Cristina).
25. "La dimensión europea de la política exterior española hacia América latina". Escrito por José Escribano Úbeda-Portugués
26. Icelandese Presidency Website , Borbón, Elena de ; prinsessa ; Spánn ; 16 September 1985 ; Stórkross (= Elena of Bourbon, Princess, Spain, 16 September 1985, Grand Cross)
27. Italian Presidency, ELENA S.A.R. l'Infanta di Spagna – Cavaliere di Gran Croce Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana
28. Forum Príncipes de Asturias, State visit of Japan in Spain, 1994, Group photo
29. Hemeroteca ABC
30. Forum Príncipes de Asturias, State visit in Spain, 1999, Group photo 1 & Group photo 2
31. Foro Dinastías, State visit of Luxembourg in Spain, 2001, Group Photo
32. Foro Dinastías State visit of Nepal in Spain, 1983
33. Viva Máxima Blog, State visit of Beatrix in Spain in 1985, Group Photo
34. Hemeroteca ABC
35. Visita de Estado de los Reyes de Noruega a España
36. Visita de Estado del Presidente de Perú a España
37. http://www.pricescope.com/idealbb/files/IPA-20060925-0077-010THMBG.jpg
38. http://royauxsuedois.r.o.pic.centerblog.net/o/8BJLfM9U758.jpg
39. (Spanish) Royal Cadency of Spain-Standards. Blog de Heráldica – 1 November 2010. (Retrieved 10 October 2012)
40. "Cadency of the Spanish Royal House" (in Spanish). José Juan Carrión Rangel, Blog de heráldica. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
41. Proyecto Galicia : Serie de Heráldica Genealogía y Nobiliaria. T. V (LVIII). La Coruña: Hércules de Ediciones, 2011. ISBN 978-84-92715-31-2. P. 529.

External links

• Her Royal Highness the Infanta Elena (Official profile) (Spanish)
• Video of her wedding