Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria
| Infanta Margarita | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duchess of Soria | |||||
 The Duchess and Duke of Soria and Hernani | |||||
| Duchess of Hernani | |||||
| Tenure | 6 January 1979 – Present | ||||
| Predecessor | Manfredo de Borbón | ||||
| Heir apparent | Alfonso Zurita y Borbón | ||||
| Born | 6 March 1939 Rome, Kingdom of Italy | ||||
| Spouse | |||||
| Issue | Alfonso Zurita y Borbón María Zurita y Borbón | ||||
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| House | Bourbons of Spain | ||||
| Father | Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona | ||||
| Mother | Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
| Spanish royal family |
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Extended royal family
Children of the late Duchess of Badajoz:
The Duchess of Soria and Hernani
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Infanta Margarita of Spain, Duchess of Soria, 2nd Duchess of Hernani, Grandee of Spain (Margarita María de la Victoria Esperanza Jacoba Felicidad Perpetua de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón; born 6 March 1939), is the younger sister of King Juan Carlos and aunt of the reigning King Felipe VI of Spain.
Early life
Infanta Margarita was born at American Hospital in Rome as the younger daughter of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, and Princess Mercedes of the Two Sicilies. Margarita has been blind since birth.[1]
Marriage
She married the physician Carlos Zurita y Delgado on 12 October 1972 in Estoril at St. Anthony's Church. They have two children:
- Alfonso Juan Carlos Zurita y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain, born on 9 August 1973 at Virgen de La Palomain Hospital in Madrid
- María Sofía Emilia Carmen Zurita y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain, born on 16 September 1975 in Madrid, she has a son
- Carlos Alfonso Juan Zurita y de Borbón, born on 28 April 2018 in Madrid[2]
Activities
In 1989, alongside her husband, they created the Fundación Cultural Duques de Soria (The Duke and Duchess of Soria Cultural Foundation). She's also Honorary President of Madrid's delegation of UNICEF and of the Spanish Heart Foundation.
Succession and Grandeeship
Infanta Margarita renounced her right of succession to the Spanish throne upon marriage.[3][4]
On 6 January 1979, the Infanta's cousin Manfredo de Borbón, 1st Duke of Hernani, died and willed his ducal title to be inherited by Margarita. The King granted this request, and on 27 May 1981, she became 2nd Duchess of Hernani with accompanying dignity Grandee of Spain. The peerage title refers to the town Hernani, Spain. The month after, on 23 June 1981, she was granted a higher dukedom for life by the king and also became Duchess of Soria (referring to the city Soria in Spain).
Titles, styles, honours and arms
Titles and styles
- 6 March 1939 – 27 May 1981: Her Royal Highness Infanta Margarita of Spain.
- 27 May 1981 – 23 June 1981: Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Hernani.
- 23 June 1981 – present : Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Soria and Hernani.
The Infanta's style and title in full: Her Royal Highness Doña Margarita María de la Victoria Esperanza Jacoba Felicidad Perpetua de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias de Zurita, Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Soria, Grande de España, Duchess of Hernani, Grande de España.
Honours
National honours
Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III[5][6][7]- Spain: 1,192nd Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa[8]
- Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Alfonso X[9]
Foreign honours
Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia[10]
Italy
Two Sicilian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Two Sicilian Royal Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George[11]
Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Henry[12][13][14][15]
Ancestors
| Ancestors of Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria |
|---|
References
- ^ Doña Margot. La Infanta más marchosa
- ^ Vanitatis
- ^ de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal; Coutant de Saisseval, Guy (2002). Le Petit Gotha. Paris: Laballery. pp. 419–420. ISBN 2-9507974-3-1.
- ^ Enache, Nicolas (1999). La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg, Reine de Hongrie et de Boheme. Paris: ICC. pp. 532–534. ISBN 2-908003-04-X.
- ^ (in Spanish) Universidad de Valladolid, Nota de Prensa 09-01-30 (accessed on 11 December 2009)
- ^ Static
- ^ Media cache
- ^ Geneall
- ^ (in Spanish) Royal Decree 483/2003 The Duchess of Soria and Hernani member of the Spanish Royal Order of Alfonso X. BOE, Spanish Official Journal. (accessed 2 November 2008)
- ^ Wedding of Juan Carlos of Spain and Sophia of Greece Archived 6 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Membership of the Constantinian Order Archived 5 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Media cache
- ^ Paperblog
- ^ Portugal Archived 17 January 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Portugal State visit to Spain
- 1939 births
- Living people
- House of Bourbon (Spain)
- Spanish infantas
- Royalty and nobility with disabilities
- Blind royalty and nobility
- Blind people from Spain
- People from Rome
- Dukes of Hernani
- Dukes of Soria
- Dames Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
- Dames of the Order of Queen Maria Luisa
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Prince Henry
- Recipients of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise