Pilar González de Gregorio

Pilar Medina SIdonia attends the Hubert de Givenchy exhibition opening at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Madrid on October 2014.

Doña María del Pilar González de Gregorio y Álvarez de Toledo (born 10 January 1957), also known as Pilar Medina Sidonia, is a Spanish socialite. Born in Madrid, she is the daughter of Leoncio González de Gregorio y Martí and his wife Luisa Isabel Álvarez de Toledo, 21st Duchess of Medina Sidonia. Her main seat of residence is at González de Gregorio Palace, in Quintana Redonda, Soria. Pilar is a writer, and is the author of many articles and a novel, titled Nápoles 23. Since 2011, Pilar has served as chairman of Christie's Spain.^[1]

Family

She married, firstly, her second cousin, Rafael Márquez, 9th Count of las Torres de Alcorrín, second son of General José Joaquín Márquez y Álvarez de Toledo, 4th Duke of Santa Cristina, and María del Rosario Osorio y Díez de Rivera, 8th Countess of las Torres de Alcorrín, of the Ducal House of Alburquerque, on 16 September 1977, and divorced in 1981. She has one child from this marriage:

• Don José Márquez y González de Gregorio (b. 12 July 1978) who married at the Church of Santa Barbara, Madrid on 30 April 2010 to Countess Edina Melanie Marie Zichy, granddaughter of amateur tennis player Count Imre Zichy.

She married, secondly, Tomás María Terry y Merello, second son of Fernando Carlos Terry y del Cuvillo, a sherry producer from El Puerto de Santa María, of Irish descent, relative of the Cuban magnate Tomás Terry y Adán and of Blessed William Tirry, and had a second son:

• Don Tomás Terry y González de Gregorio (b. 6 August 1991).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Pilar González de Gregorio

16. Pedro González de Gregorio y López-Montenegro               8. Leoncio González de Gregorio y Martínez de Azagra                       17. Micaela Martínez de Azagra y Garcés de Marcilla               4. Leoncio González de Gregorio y Arribas                             18. Julián Casildo de Arribas y Arauz               9. María de la Concepción de Arribas y Turull                       19. María de la Concepción Turull y Comadrán               2. Leoncio González de Gregorio y Martí                                   20. Francisco Martí y Díaz de Jáuregui               10. Ernesto Martí y Saccone                       21. Ernestina Saccone y Langlais               5. María Leticia Martí y Rodríguez de Castro                             22. Manuel Rodríguez de Castro y Mena               11. Isabel Rodríguez de Castro y Bueno                       23. Leticia Bueno, 1st Marquise of Bueno               1. Pilar González de Gregorio, 13th Duchess of Fernandina                                         24. José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo, 18th Duke of Medina Sidonia               12. José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo, 19th Duke of Medina Sidonia                       25. Rosalía Caro y Álvarez de Toledo               6. Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo, 20th Duke of Medina Sidonia                             26. Carlos Caro, 18th Count of Caltavuturo               13. Rosalía Caro y Caro                       27. María de la Encarnación Caro y Gumucio               3. Luisa Isabel Álvarez de Toledo, 21st Duchess of Medina Sidonia                                   28. Antonio Maura y Montaner               14. Gabriel Maura, 1st Duke of Maura                       29. Constancia Gamazo y Calvo               7. María del Carmen Maura y Herrera                             30. Ramón de Herrera, 3rd Count of la Mortera               15. Julia de Herrera, 5th Countess of la Mortera                       31. Juana de Herrera y Sosa

Titles, styles and honours

Titles

The Dukedom of Fernandina was rehabilitated by King Juan Carlos I of Spain in 1993, by which it was agreed on that Pilar would receive the title. Her elder brother, Leoncio Alonso González de Gregorio, 22nd Duke of Medina Sidonia, and his eldest son, Don Alonso Enrique González de Gregorio y Viñamata, won a legal battle in order to strip her of her ducal title. The rehabilitation of the title was formally revoked in 2012.^[2]

Styles

• 10 January 1957 – 16 September 1977: The Most Illustrious Doña Pilar González de Gregorio y Álvarez de Toledo^[3]
• 16 September 1977 – 1981: The Most Excellent The Countess of las Torres de Alcorrín
• 1981 – 1 February 1993: The Most Illustrious Doña Pilar González de Gregorio y Álvarez de Toledo
• 1 February 1993 – 15 June 2012: The Most Excellent The Duchess of Fernandina
• 15 June 2012 – present: The Most Illustrious Doña Pilar González de Gregorio y Álvarez de Toledo

Honours

• Dame 3rd Class of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity (Italy, 26 July 2004)^[4]
• Dame of the Real Maestranza de Zaragoza (Spain)^[5]

Notes

1. Pilar announces the sale of decorator Duarte Pinto Coelho's collection
2. Boletín Oficial del Estado, Viernes 29 de junio de 2012 - website of the Boletín Oficial del Estado
3. Younger children of Grandees of Spain are styled in this way, while the heir apparent of the title is styled The Most Excellent. Francisco López-Nieto y Mallo, Honores y Protocolo, 2 Volumes, Consultor, 2006. ISBN 84-7052-290-6 and ISBN 978-84-7052-290-1
4. Pilar was conferred this decoration 26 July 2004. Pilar González de Gregorio, Cavaliere dell'Ordine della Stella della solidarietà italiana at Quirinale.it (Italian)
5. Real Maestranza de Caballería de Zaragoza

References

• www.geneall.net
• Arias, María, Pilar González de Gregorio,Duquesa de Fernandina: "Nápoles 23" at Promociones literarios de María Arias, 27 May 2002. (Spanish)
• Beltrán, J. Interview to the Duchess of Fernandina, at La Razón, 26 March 2010. (Spanish)
• Torrijos, Paloma, The González de Gregorio Palace at Quintana Redonda at Blog de Paloma Torrijos, 23 September 2009. (Spanish)
• Boda de José Márquez y González de Gregorio y Edina Zichy Sánchez-Arjona at Hola.com, 1 May 2010. (Spanish)
• Elenco de Grandezas y Títulos Nobiliarios Españoles, Hidalguía Editions, 2008