Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Born on 28 March 1926 in the historic Liria Palace in Madrid, Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart was the only child of her parents. Her full baptismal name was an extensive string of hereditary and personal names: María del Rosario Cayetana Paloma Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Fernanda Teresa Francisca de Paula Lourdes Antonia Josefa Fausta Rita Castor Dorotea Santa Esperanza Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva Falcó y Gurtubay.

1.2. Family Relationships

Her father was Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba, a prominent Spanish politician and diplomat during the 1930s and 1940s. Her mother was María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, 9th Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco. Cayetana was a direct descendant, specifically the eighth great-granddaughter, of James II and VII of England and Scotland. Her godparents were significant royal figures: Queen Victoria Eugenie and King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Furthermore, her great-grandmother, María Francisca de Sales Portocarrero, was the sister of Empress Eugénie, consort of Napoleon III.

2.1. High Society Engagements

As a prominent socialite, the Duchess frequently met with famous VIPs from both Spain and internationally. Her Seville residence, the Palacio de las Dueñas, welcomed notable guests such as Jackie Kennedy, Wallis Simpson, Princess Grace and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and Queen Anne-Marie of Greece and King Constantine II of Greece. In 1959, she hosted a notable Dior fashion show at her Liria Palace in Madrid for charitable purposes, an event that also saw visits from film stars including Charlton Heston, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, and Raf Vallone.

2.2. Media and Fashion Presence

The Duchess's distinctive style and public persona made her a frequent subject in major publications. She posed for renowned photographers like Richard Avedon and Cecil Beaton, and her image graced the covers of prestigious magazines such as Time and Harper's Bazaar. Her influence in the world of fashion was formally recognized in 2011 when she was inducted into Vanity Fair's International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame.

3.1. First Marriage

On 12 October 1947, the Duchess married Don Luis Martínez de Irujo y Artázcoz (1919-1972), the younger son of the Duke of Sotomayor and Ana María de Artázcoz y Labayen, a court lady of Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain. The wedding, held in Spain just two years after the conclusion of World War II, was a remarkably extravagant affair that defied the prevailing trend of declining lavish European aristocratic weddings. It garnered considerable international media attention, with The New York Times dubbing it "the most expensive wedding of the world." Reports indicated that the event cost approximately 20.00 M ESP, which was equivalent to around 10.00 M USD in 2015.

3.2. Second Marriage

After being widowed in 1972, the Duchess remarried on 16 March 1978 to Jesús Aguirre y Ortiz de Zárate (1934-2001). Aguirre, a Doctor of Theology and a former Jesuit priest, was eight years her junior. This marriage caused a considerable social stir in 1970s Spain, largely due to Aguirre's status as an illegitimate child, which carried a significant social stigma among the wealthy and devout circles of the time. Despite the initial shock, Aguirre maintained a positive relationship with the Duchess's children. During their marriage, he played an active role in administering the Alba estates alongside her stepson, Carlos. Aguirre passed away in 2001.

3.3. Third Marriage

In the 2000s, the re-widowed Duchess expressed her desire to marry Alfonso Díez Carabantes, a civil servant who also ran a public relations business and was 24 years her junior. This proposed union faced strong objections from her own children and reportedly even from King Juan Carlos I. In 2008, the House of Alba issued a statement denying marriage plans, asserting the relationship was based on "a long friendship." However, the Duchess remained resolute. To appease her children and proceed with the marriage, she took the extraordinary step of pre-emptively distributing her vast inheritance among them. This inheritance included majestic palaces across Spain, an impressive collection of art by old and modern masters (from Fra Angelico and Titian to Goya, Renoir, and Marc Chagall), a first-edition copy of Cervantes's Don Quixote, historic letters written by Christopher Columbus, and substantial landholdings. Her personal wealth was estimated to be between 600.00 M EUR and 3.50 B EUR at the time. Díez, in turn, formally renounced any claim to her wealth. They married on 5 October 2011 at the Palacio de las Dueñas in Seville, where the Duchess, known for her passion for flamenco, performed a short dance for the cheering spectators.

3.4. Children

From her first marriage to Luis Martínez de Irujo y Artázcoz, the Duchess had six children:

• Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba (born 2 October 1948, Madrid)
• Alfonso Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duke of Híjar (born 22 October 1950, Madrid)
• Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Martínez de Irujo, 23rd Count of Siruela (born 15 July 1954, Madrid)
• Fernando Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, 11th Marquis of San Vicente del Barco (born 11 July 1959)
• Cayetano Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, 4th Duke of Arjona, 13th Count of Salvatierra (born 4 April 1963, Madrid)
• Eugenia Martínez de Irujo, 12th Duchess of Montoro (born 26 November 1968)

4.1. Styles

Throughout her life, the Duchess of Alba held several official styles reflecting her evolving aristocratic status:

• '28 March 1926 - 11 January 1935': The Most Excellent Doña Maria del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva
• '11 January 1935 - 28 January 1947': The Most Excellent The Duchess of Aliaga
• '28 January 1947 - 18 February 1955': The Most Excellent The Duchess of Montoro
• '18 February 1955 - 20 November 2014': The Most Excellent The Duchess of Alba

4.2. Hereditary Titles

As head of the Alba dynasty, her primary style was "Duchess of Alba," despite holding over 50 other hereditary titles during her lifetime.

4.2.6. Lordships

• 29th Lady of Moguer
• 11th Baroness of Bosworth (an English title recognized as Spanish)

4.3. National and Foreign Honors

The Duchess of Alba was bestowed with numerous orders, decorations, and medals by both Spain and other nations.

Country	Appointment	Ribbon	Post-nominal letters
Kingdom of Spain	Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic		GYC
Kingdom of Spain	Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise
Kingdom of Spain	Knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild
Kingdom of Spain	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Alcántara
Kingdom of Spain	Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Charity
Kingdom of Spain	Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Agricultural Merit
Kingdom of Spain	Recipient of the Medal of Andalusia
Kingdom of Spain	Recipient of the Medal of Concepción
Kingdom of Spain	Recipient of the Medal of Línea
Kingdom of Spain	Recipient of the Medal of The Community of Madrid
Kingdom of Spain	Former Grand Master Recipient of the Medal of The Spanish Red Cross
Kingdom of Spain	Recipient of the Medal of Suffering for the Motherland
Greek Royal Family	Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Beneficence
House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies	Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Calabrian Two Sicilian Order of Saint George
Japan	Wisteria Dame of the Order of the Precious Crown, 4th Class

4.4. Honorary Appointments

The Duchess held various honorary positions both nationally and internationally.

;National honorary appointments

• Castilla-La Mancha: Marshal of Castilla-La Mancha
• Aragon: Constable of Aragon
• Llíria: Honorary Mayor of Llíria
• Seville: Knight of the Royal Cavalry Armory of Seville
• Spain: Honorary President of the Spanish Red Cross
• Spain: Honorary President of the Spanish National Orchestra
• Spain: Honorary President of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando

;Foreign honorary appointments

• United States: Member of the Hispanic Society of America
• United States: Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

5.1. Passing and Public Reaction

The Duchess died at the age of 88 on 20 November 2014, at her beloved Palacio de las Dueñas in Seville. Her death was met with widespread public mourning and official tributes. Thousands of civilians paid their respects as her body was laid in repose at the Town Hall, where photographs of the Duchess with her family were displayed beside her coffin. The King of Spain telephoned her son to offer condolences and sent two floral wreaths to Seville. The Lord Mayor of Seville announced that the city's flags would be lowered in mourning. Dignitaries including Juan José Asenjo, Curro Romero, and Mariano Rajoy, then Spain's Prime Minister, formally paid their respects.

5.2. Funeral Services

Her funeral was held at the magnificent Seville Cathedral, presided over by Carlos Amigo Vallejo. The Royal Family was represented by Infanta Elena. The Duchess was succeeded by her eldest son, Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, who became the 19th Duke of Alba. At the time of her death, her net worth was estimated to be around 5.00 B USD.

6.1. Record-Holding Aristocrat

Her status as the world's most titled aristocrat, officially recognized by Guinness World Records, made her an exceptional figure in modern nobility. This record has since been surpassed by Princess Victoria of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 20th Duchess of Medinaceli. Her immense collection of ducal, count-ducal, marquessate, countship, viscountcy, and lordship titles highlighted an extraordinary lineage deeply intertwined with Spanish and European history.

6.2. Cultural Impact and Controversies

Cayetana, the Duchess of Alba, cultivated a distinctive public image that garnered considerable media attention throughout her life. Her flamboyant personality, often expressed through her passion for flamenco and her bold fashion choices, made her a frequent subject of public discussion. Beyond her aristocratic status, she was seen by many as a cultural icon, embodying a certain free-spirited and unconventional attitude that stood out from traditional notions of nobility.

However, her life was not without controversies. Her marriages, particularly the second, which involved a former Jesuit priest who was an illegitimate child, and the third, due to the significant age difference with her partner and the familial objections, often fueled public debate and sometimes drew criticism. The immense scale of her inherited wealth and her decision to distribute much of it prior to her final marriage also highlighted the enduring power and influence of Spain's aristocracy in a contemporary democratic society. Despite, or perhaps because of, these aspects, she remained a captivating figure whose life choices and actions frequently made headlines, ensuring her a lasting presence in public memory.