36 years ago today, His Majesty’s Enthronement Mass took place in Los Jerónimos, Madrid.

On November 23 Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia opened a exhibition in the Museum of Contemporary Art of the Spanish artist Chema Mádoz, who won Spain’s Nationl Prize of Photography in 2000. The Chilean Minister of Culture and actor, Luciano Cruz-Coke; Santiago’s Mayor, actress Delfina Guzmán , the President of Spanish Cultural Action, Charo Otegui, writer Pablo Simonetti and the artist Chema Mádoz were all waiting for the Prince and Princess, who arrived at 11:30 a.m. Twenty minutes later, Cecilia Morel, the First Lady, arrived and the exhibit was officially opened. Don Felipe and Doña Letizia also opened the Museum’s restored porch, as the old one was affected by the 2010 earthquake.

With the First Lady at the Museum

Group Photo at the Museum

After the visit to the Museum, the Prince and Princess of Asturias had lunch at the Residence of Spain’s Ambassador in Chile with Chilean intellectuals like the writer Antonio Skármeta; the movie director Matías Bize; the former minister Juan Gabriel Valdés; the manager of the Latinobarómetro Marta Lagos; the former senator Carlos Ominami; the lawyer and president of the “Comunidad Mujer” NGO, Esperanza Cueto; the journalists Tamara Avetikian and Constanza Santa María; the mathematician Eric Goles; the businessman Jorge Andrés Saieh and the director of the “Hogar de Cristo” NGO, Susana Tonda.

Lunch at the Ambassador's Residence

In the afternoon, Their Royal Highnesses had a meeting with members of the Chile-Spain Foundation. The Foundation promotes exchanges between both countries.

Meeting with members of the Chile-Spain Foundation

The final engagement took place at six o’clock in the evening, when Don Felipe and Doña Letizia received the Spanish community living in Chile for a cocktail and a reception. After the Prince gave an speech thanking them for attending and delivering greetings from Their Majesties the couple shook everybody’s hands and stayed around 45 minutes at the reception.

Meeting with the Spanish community

Around a quarter past nine, the Prince and Princess arrived in Antofagasta, in the North of Chile, where the Royal Couple will continue their visit.

Arrival in Antofagasta at night

Photos

Video

Photos: Soy Chile/Sigfrido Carrasco, Daylife, Casa de S.M. el Rey/Borja Fotógrafos, Diez Minutos

Official Visit of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia to the Republic of Chile-Day 1(Afternoon/Evening)

24 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Chile, Dinner, Travel

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Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia

The Prince and Princess during the dinner at the Presidential Palace

After the events of the morning, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia visited the headquarters of the Congress in Santiago (the current Parliament meets in Valparaiso). Their Royal Highnesses, after being received by a Honor Guard, met with the President of the Senate, Guido Guirardi, members of the Senate’s Committee of Foreign Affairs and senators from the Group of Friends of Chile-Spain.

Visit to the Congress

After the meeting with the Senators Don Felipe, Doña Letizia and the official delegation had a meeting with the President of the House of Deputies, Patricio Melero with MPs of the Committee of Foreign Affairs and the Group of Friends Chile-Spain.

Visit to the Congress

At the end of the visit, Melero explained that the conversation with the Prince had focused on “the importance Spain gives to its relations with Chile” and “the need to strengthen trade, political and cultural ties between the two countries.”

Congress

Melero, in name of the Congress, gave the Prince and Princess the following presents, a couple of silver spurs, a lapis lazuli necklace and a dedicated book commemorating the bicentenary of the Parliament.

After the meetings they visited the building and left after another guard of honor around six o’clock in the evening.

With the Presidential Couple before the start of the dinner

Official dinner

Official Dinner

The day ended with an official dinner scheduled for 20:15 at the Presidential Palace, La Moneda, with President Piñera and his wife Cecilia Morel.

Prince Felipe speaks at the official dinner

Photo Galleries:

Videos

24 horas video

Keep reading: Official Visit of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia to the Republic of Chile- Day 1: Morning

Photos: Terra Noticias Chile, Diez Minutos, Cámara de Diputados de Chile, Daylife/Reuters, Bekia, Casa de S.M. el Rey/Borja Fotógrafos

Official Visit of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia to the Republic of Chile- Day 1(Morning)

23 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Business, Chile, Travel

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Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia

The Prince and Princess arrive at their first event on November 22

After arriving in Chile the previous day Their Royal Highness started their first official visit to Chile on November 22. After Mexico, Brazil, Peru and Colombia this is their fifth official visit to a Latin American country. The anecdote of the first day was the 5.6 earthquake that woke them up around 4 in the morning, scaring the Princess who had never felt an earth tremor before. Prince Felipe, however, is used to them; the last time he was in Chile for President Piñera’s inauguration an earthquake shook the country after the big Chilean earthquake of February 2010.

Ceremony at the Bernardo O'Higgins monument

Visit to the Crypt of Bernardo O'Higgins

The first thing on the agenda was a visit to the monument of Independence hero Bernardo O’Higgins, where Don Felipe laid a wreath. The Prince, Princess and the Spanish delegation visited the Crypt of the liberator before being received at the Presidential Palace of La Moneda, where they met with the President and the First Lady, Cecilia Morel while a military guard detail offered honors to the royal couple as the respective national anthems played.

Official Welcome at the Presidential Palace

Inside the Presidential Palace

After the meeting, the Prince of Asturias and the President had a working meeting with their respective delegations. Meanwhile, the First Lady had arranged for Doña Letizia an exhibit of traditional craftwork and a meeting with children of the Integra Foundation, of which Cecilia is president. According to the Chilean press the Princess was offered a snack of fruits and appeared relaxed, acceding to pose for pictures with the employees and the bodyguards.

Working meeting

Princess Letizia and Cecilia Morel with children from the Integra Foundation

Before leaving the Palace after noon, the couples exchanged gifts. The President and the First Lady gave Don Felipe an alpaca poncho and a necklace to Doña Letizia while the Prince and Princess brought a painting of Asturias.

The Prince of Asturias speaks at the opening of the forum

Princess Letizia listens during her husband's speech

After the official welcome in the Presidential Palace the Prince and Princess went to the Sheraton Tower Hotel, where they opened the Chile-Spain Investment Forum and Business Seminar. Besides the main Spanish companies in Chile, the Secretary of State of Foreign Trade and the Chilean Ministers of Economy, Tourism and National Heritage attended as well.

For more pictures of these events click on the following galleries:

Videos:

Keep reading: Official Visit of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia to the Republic of Chile- Day 1(Part 2): Afternoon and evening

Photos: Casa de S.M. el Rey/Borja Fotógrafos, Diez Minutos, La Voz Libre/GTres, Gobierno de Chile

Official Visit of T.R.H. the Prince and Princess of Asturias to the Republic of Chile

21 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Chile, Travel

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Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia

On Monday morning, Their Royal Highnesses The Prince and Princess of Asturias received an official farewell at the Barajas Airport from the Minister of Culture, D. Ángel Gabilondo; the Mayor of Madrid, D. Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón and the Chief of Defence Staff of the Armed Forces, General José Julio Rodríguez.

After the ceremony, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia boarded the plane that will take them to their first official visit to the Republic of Chile. The Minister of Culture and Innovation, Dr. Cristina Garmendia, the Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and Ibero-America, the Secretary of State of Foreign Trade and the General Secretary of the King’s Household travel with them.

The visit starts tomorrow in Santiago de Chile with a ceremony at the crypt of Bernardo O’Higgins and a meeting with the President and his wife at the Presidential Palace. Later tomorrow the Prince of Asturias will open an economic and business forum; for this event around 200 Spanish companies will travel to Chile.

Photos: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey/Borja Fotógrafos, Terra

Iñaki Urdangarín speaks after being named in corruption scandal

13 Sunday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Corruption Scandal, news

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Duke of Palma de Mallorca

Previously: Iñaki Urdangarín, husband of Infanta Cristina, under investigation over alleged corruption case

After last week the scandal erupted around him, the Infanta’s husband sent a note to the Spanish news agency EFE. From the Efeamerica article Spanish royal in-law ready to defend himself in corruption probe:

Iñaki Urdangarin, son-in-law of Spain’s King Juan Carlos, said Friday that he stands ready to proclaim his innocence in the case of an alleged diversion of public funds by a foundation he once headed.

“When I know the details … which at this time are formally secret, I will be able to speak out about their content,” Urdangarin, who holds the title of Duke of Palma, told Efe in a written statement.

Princess Cristina, the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, wed Iñaki Urdangarin in October 1997. The couple and their four children now live in Washington, where the duke is an executive with Spanish telecom giant Telefonica.

Urdangarin said he will defend his “honor and innocence in this matter from the conviction that my professional conduct has always been correct.”

The chief anti-corruption prosecutor for the Balearic Islands, Pedro Horrach, is leading the probe of the non-profit Instituto Noos, which Urdangarin led until 2006.

Horrach has no immediate plans to ask supervising magistrate Jose Castro to subpoena Urdangarin for questioning as a potential defendant, sources close to the investigation told Efe.

On Wednesday, the prosecutor took a statement from Diego Torres, a long-time Noos director who succeeded Urdangarin as president of the foundation.

Read the rest of the article here

Spanish Royals: Who’s who? Part 3

10 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Royal Family

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Infante Carlos, Two Sicilies

Officially, the Royal Family consists of the King, the Queen and their descendants. However there are more people with a royal title or conections and even the Royal Household slips from time to time and considers them members of the Royal Family, although they are supposed to be members of the King’s Family. For example the Infantas Pilar and Margarita and the Infante Carlos have carried out engagements reserved to members of the Royal Family. In this three parts guide to the very extended royal family, I’ve included every person alive with a Royal title, their spouses and children.The third part consists of the Infanta Alicia and her family, including her son the Infante Carlos and his family.

PART 1: THE ROYAL FAMILY

PART 2: THE EXTENDED ROYAL FAMILY-THE INFANTAS PILAR AND MARGARITA

PART 3: THE EXTENDED ROYAL FAMILY-THE INFANTA ALICIA AND THE INFANTE CARLOS

Her Royal Highness the Infanta Doña Alicia, Dowager Duchess of Calabria.

Doña Alicia was born in Vienna in 1917. The oldest living Infanta, Her Royal Highness is the daughter of the late Duke of Parma and Piacenza, head of the House of Borbón-Parma and HI&RH the Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria. She married HRH the Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria, one of the claimants to the headship of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. They had three children, a son and two daughters. Princess Alicia is the only person alive who was granted the title of Infante by HM Alfonso XIII.

Her husband the Infante Alfonso was the son of HRH the Infanta Mercedes, Princess of Asturias and HRH Prince Carlos of Borbón-Two Sicilies. The Infante Alfonso and HRH Princess María de las Mercedes, the Countess of Barcelona were half-siblings as they shared the same father but had different mothers. Don Alfonso was also a first cousin of the Count of Barcelona through his mother the Princess of Asturias, sister of Alfonso XIII.

His Royal Highness the Infante Don Carlos, The Duke of Calabria.

The Infante was born in 1939 in Switzerland and as his father’s heir, is one of the claimants to the headship of the House of the Two Sicilies. His Royal Highness is married to Princess Anne of France, and is the only male Infante in the family. Don Carlos was not born with the title and dignity of an Infante of Spain; King Juan Carlos granted him the title through a Royal Decree in 1994.

Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, The Duchess of Calabria.

Anne of Orléans was born in 1938 in Belgium, the daughter of the late Count of Paris, one of the claimants to the throne of France, and the Brazilian Princess Isabelle of Orléans-Braganza. Her Royal Highness married the Duke of Calabria in 1965 in France and have five children.

His Royal Highness Prince Pedro, The Duke of Noto.

Don Pedro Giovanni María Alejo Saturnino y Todos los Santos de Borbón Dos Sicilias, born in Madrid in 1968, is an engineer and the third child of the Duke and Duchess of Calabria . As their only son he is the Duke’s heir and bears the title of Duke of Noto. Prince Pedro, being the son of a Spanish Infante, is entitled to the treatment of His Excelency and the dignity of a Spanish Grandee. His godparents are the late Count of Barcelona and his paternal grandmother, HRH the Infanta Doña Alicia.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Noto.

Doña Sofía Landaluce y Melgarejo married the Duke of Noto in Madrid in 2001, after nine years of relationship and a six year old son, Jaime. The Infante don Carlos opposed to an unequal marriage for his heir, but relented and conferred the treatment of Royal Highnesses to both Doña Sofía and the Duke and Duchess of Noto’s first child. The couple has five other children: Juan, Pablo, Pedro, Sofía and Blanca.

Her Royal Highness Princess Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.

Princess Cristina Isabel María Luisa was born in Madrid in 1965. Her godmother was her maternal grandmother, the Countess of Paris while her godfather was her paternal aunt’s husband, the Marquess of Laula. Like the rest of her siblings, Doña Cristina, as the daughter of an Infante, is entitled to the treatment of Her Excelency and the dignity of a Spanish Grandee. The Princess lives in Madrid and is frequently seen with her cousins and her cousin-in-law the Princess of Asturias.

Don Pedro López-Quesada y Fernández Urrutia.

Don Pedro López-Quesada was born in 1964 and married HRH Princess Cristina in her family’s state in Ciudad Real in 1994. They have two children, Victoria, who was a page at the wedding of the Prince and Princess of Asturias, and Pedro.

Her Royal Highness Princess María of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Archduchess María of Austria.

Princess María Paloma Diana Irene was the second child of the Duke and Duchess of Calabria. Born in Madrid in 1967, Her Royal Highness was named María after her great-grandmother, the Infanta María de las Mercedes, Princess of Asturias. Doña María became an Austrian Archduchess by marriage in 1996, when she married at her family’s state “La Toledana” in Ciudad Real. The Princess lives in Liechtenstein with her family.

His Imperial and Royal Highness Archduke Simeon of Austria.

The Archduke was born in 1958 in Congo, the third eldest child of Archduke Rudolf of Austria, son of Emperor Charles I of Austria and Zita of Bourbon Parma. Archduke Simeon and Princess María have five children born in Austria and Switzerland.

Her Royal Highness Princess Inés María of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.

In 1971, Princess Inés María Alicia Ana Isabel was born in Madrid, and was named after numerous family members. Her godparents were her father’s maternal uncle, HRH the Duke of Parma and Piacenza, and her paternal aunt, Princess Inés of Bourbon Two Sicilies. Doña Inés married in Toledo in 2001.

Nobile Michele Carrelli Palombi dei Marchesi di Raiano.

Michelli Caroli, born in 1965, is the Italian noble married to Princess Inés since 2001. They have two daughters, Teresa, born in 2003 and Blanca born in 2005. The family lives in Rome, Italy. Michelle Carrelli is a lawyer.

Her Royal Highness Princess Victoria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.

The youngest child of the Infante Carlos and Princess Anne, Doña Victoria María Aline Carolina de la Santisíma Trindad y Todos los Santos was born in 1976 in Madrid. Being the daughter of an Infante, Her Royal Highness is entitled to the treatment of Her Excelency and the dignity of a Spanish Grandee. Despite being cousins, the press considered her an ideal bride for the then single Prince of Asturias.

Markos Nomikos.

Markos is a Greek shipowner born in 1965 who married Princess Victoria in 2003. They married in Ciudad Real, celebrating the wedding in her family’s state “La Toledana” They couple lives in Greece and has three children: Anastasios, Ana and Carlos.

Her Royal Highness Princess Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Marchioness of Laserna.

Doña Teresa, the first child of the late Infante D. Alfonso and the Infanta Doña Alicia and the eldest sister of the Infante D. Carlos, the Duke of Calabria, was born in Switzerland in 1937. Her Royal Highness married the 12th Marquess of Laula (who would become the Marquess of Laserna in 2010) in 1961 in Madrid. They had seven children; unfortunately the fifth child, don Fernado Moreno y Borbón died in a motorcycle accident on May 2011.

The Marquess of Laserna.

Don Iñigo Moreno de Arteaga, born in 1934, married Her Royal Highness Princess Teresa of Bourbon-Two Sicilies in Madrid on 1961. They had seven children: Rodrigo, Alicia, Alfonso, Beatriz, Fernando, Clara and Delia.

Her Royal Highness Princess Inés Maria of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

Doña Inés is the youngest sister of the current Duke of Calabria, the second daughter and last child of the late Duke and the Infanta Alicia. The Princess was born in Switzerland in 1949. Her Royal Highness married Don Luis de Morales y Aguado on 1965 in Madrid but divorced on 1978. Princess Inés has five children and numerous granchildren. On the picture the Princess with her mother the Infanta Doña Alicia:

Photos: Hola, EFE, Real Casa di Borbone delle Due Sicilie, Mujer Hoy.

Iñaki Urdangarín, husband of Infanta Cristina, under investigation over alleged corruption case

09 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Corruption Scandal, news

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Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina

There have been whispers about Urdangarín’s business dealings for years but until now nothing was published in the mainstream press.

The former autonomous government of the Balearic Islands has been under investigation for a case of embezzlement of public funds called the Palma Arena case since 2008, and in the last months, the rumours and accusations surrounding the Nóos Institute, of which Iñaki Urdangarín was president, have been growing steadily, until last Monday, when a judge ordered the search of the Institute headquarters and offices in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca. The judge in charge of the case and the anti-corruption district attorney’s office of Palma de Mallorca believe Urdangarín, his business partner Diego Torres and three relatives(including Torres wife) used the Institute to receive public and private funds for nonexistent or over-charged services. One of the main lines of the investigation are the 2,3 million euros the Institute received from the Balearic Government to organise a sports forum in 2004 and 2005. The Duke of Palma was president of the Nóos Institute, a Foundation dedicated to sports, until 2006. The anti-corruption district attorney’s office is investigating Iñaki Urdangarín’s involvement in the Institute for alleged misuse of public funds, corruption, fraud and falsified documentation during the years 2005 and 2006.

For now, Infanta Cristina’s husband has not been formally accused of anything. However, his partner Diego Torres is indicted and spent the evening giving his statement in a police station. This early afternoon, sources working on the investigation, declared that the unexplained millions euros the Nóos Institute received from the former Balearic Government under investigation on the Palma Arena case made charging Iñaki Urdangarín and having him explain before a judge the irregularities in the Institute’s accounts unavoidable.

UPDATE: According to the “El Mundo” newspaper, the Attorney’s Office has said that for now, Iñaki Urdangarín will not be formally accused. First, they’ll study all the information and hear the declarations from the people indicted by now. Only after analysing all that information, will they decide what is to be done with Infanta Cristina’s husband.

When asked, the Royal Household had no comment but wanted the investigations to proceed.

Spanish judge probes firm once run by king’s son-in-law

UPDATE 1: Read Urdangarín’s reaction to the rumours here.

Photo: El País

The Prussian or Hellenic Tiara

02 Wednesday Nov 2011

Posted by spanishcourt in Jewels, photo, Vintage

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Infanta Cristina, Infanta Elena, Princess Letizia, Queen Sofía

This tiara, probably best known for being the wedding tiara of both Queen Sofía and the Princess of Asturias, is one of the most used pieces of their collection. It is known as the Prussian (due to its origins) or the Hellenic tiara (for the classical Greek design)

The diadem was a wedding present for Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia from her father, Kaiser Wilhelm II. It was made by the Imperial jeweller Koch, in platinum and diamonds.

Three pictures of the same photo session: Princess Viktoria Luise wearing the tiara.

Click to enlarge

In 1912, Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover thanked the German Emperor in person for the message of condolence the Kaiser sent after his brother’s death. In Berlin, he met Princess Viktoria Luise and a year later, in May 1913, the Princess married him wearing her father’s present.

Already married to Prince Ernest Augustus of Hanover, who became Duke of Brunswick in November 1913

Ernest Augustus III, who would become the last reigning Monarch of the House of Hanover as the Duke of Bunrswick, and Viktoria Luise of Prussia, the Duchess of Brunswick, had five children. Their only daughter, Princess Frederika of Hanover, received the Prussian tiara from her mother, and took it with her to Athens when she married in 1938 the Crown Prince of Greece. Contrary to many reports in the Spanish press, the Princess didn’t marry wearing this tiara.

HRH Princess Frederica of Hanover

The Crown Prince and Princess had a daughter just ten months after their wedding, Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark, the current owner of the tiara, maternal granddaughter of the original owner, Princess Viktoria Luise of Prussia. Queen Frederica lent the tiara to her first daughter for some of her first tiara events, like her coming out ball and her official picture:

HRH Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark at her coming out ball

Official photo of HRH Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark.

Another photo of Princess Sophia from the same session

In September of 1961 the King of Greece announced her engagement to the Spanish Prince Juan Carlos.

The engaged couple during the celebrations of King Paul’s 60th birthday.

In 1962, Princess Sophia married Prince Juan Carlos of Spain in Athens, wearing the Prussian tiara. And through the now Princess Sofía of Spain, the diadem became part of the Spanish collection.

Princess Sophia during her wedding day

TRH the Prince and Princess of Spain

During the first years of marriage, first as Princess and later as Queen, Queen Sofía wore the tiara regularly. However, since her tiara choices grew and her daughters started using this one, Her Majesty stopped using the Prussian diadem so frequently. Since the Prince of Asturias marriage, practically the only member of the Family who has used it is Princess Letizia.

Official picture of Their Royal Highnesses

HM the Queen in the Royal Palace

The Prussian can be considered an starter tiara, it was a present for a young Princess of Prussia, it was used by a young Princess of Hanover and it was the first tiara a young Princess Sophia of Denmark used in public. The first time HRH the Infanta Cristina attended a State dinner in the Royal Palace, she used this tiara. It is, of course, the first tiara the Princess of Asturias wore.