María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco
Encyclopedia
María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco (born 26 February 1951 in Madrid
, Spain
) is a Spanish
aristocrat
and social figure. Under Spanish law since 2006 she precedes her younger brother as heir
to her mother's dukedom
, and is eligible to be succeeded by and/or to cede that grandeza
to her descendants.
, and Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco
Grandee of Spain. Her maternal grandparents were Spanish dictator Francisco Franco
, the Spanish Head of State and Carmen Polo
y Martínez-Valdés, 1st Lady of Meirás Grandee of Spain. Her paternal grandparents were José María Martínez y Ortega (1890–1970) and María de la O Bordiú y Bascarán, 7th Countess of Argillo (1896–1980). When Carmen was born in the Palacio del Pardo, the ancient palace of the Spanish Royal Family
, she was the first grandchild of General Franco. The palace was their family residence from 1940 when the Spanish Civil War
ended and Gen. Franco became the Spanish Head of State. She was the favorite grandchild, even though she had 6 other siblings: María de la O (Mariola), Francisco (Francis), María del Mar (Merry), José Cristóbal (Cristóbal), María de Aránzazu (Arantxa) and Jaime Felipe (Jaime).
in Madrid
when she was 21 years old with Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz
, son of Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia and grandson of King Alfonso XIII of Spain
. General Franco named Alfonso Duke of Cadiz and made him a Royal Highness, making Carmen a princess.
Alfonso and Carmen had two sons:
Gen. Franco died on 20 November 1975 and the family lost their political power. Alfonso and Carmen separated in 1979, received a civil divorce 1982 and an annulment in 1986. Alfonso was given custody of their sons.
of Italian descent, Jean-Marie Rossi (b. Paris
, 18 November 1930, 20 years her senior), divorced from Barbara Hottinger, by whom he had twin daughters Mathilda and Marella in 1971 and a son Frederick, and in Rueil-Malmaison
on 11 December 1984 she married him civilly. That year was terrible for the pair. In February, Carmen's son, Francisco de Asís, died in car accident; a little later Rossi's daughter, Mathilda, died in a boating accident. Carmen then had her last child, María Cynthia Francisca Rossi
, in Paris
on 28 April 1985.
In January 1989, her first husband died in a skiing accident in Colorado
and Carmen became involved in another losing child custody fight over her son, Luis Alfonso, with her former mother-in-law. She and second husband Rossi separated in 1994 and divorced in 1995. She then lived with an Italian, Robert Federici, but the relationship ended in 2004. Rossi married a third time to Marie Grimaux, without issue.
, Seville
, she married a third time to a Spaniard
, José Campos García (born in Santander
, 13 years her junior). She became a grandmother on 6 March 2007 with the birth of granddaughter Eugenia. In 2006, she was a contestant on "Mira quién baila!" the Spanish version of "Strictly Come Dancing
".
On 28 May 2010, Carmen had twin grandsons, Luis and Alfonso.
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Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
and social figure. Under Spanish law since 2006 she precedes her younger brother as heir
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
to her mother's dukedom
Duke of Franco
Duke of Franco is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The dukedom was created in 1975 by King Juan Carlos and bestowed upon Carmen, the daughter and only child of Spain's Caudillo, General Francisco Franco. Together with the dukedom, she received a Coat of Arms of new creation...
, and is eligible to be succeeded by and/or to cede that grandeza
Grandee
Grandee is the word used to render in English the Iberic high aristocratic title Grande , used by the Spanish nobility; Portuguese nobility, and Brazilian nobility....
to her descendants.
Birth and youth
She was born in the Palacio Real de El Pardo in Madrid and is the daughter of Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, 10th Marquess of VillaverdeCristóbal Martínez-Bordiú
Don Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú y Ortega, 10th Marquis of Villaverde was a Spanish aristocrat and noted heart surgeon.-Family:...
, and Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco
Duke of Franco
Duke of Franco is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility. The dukedom was created in 1975 by King Juan Carlos and bestowed upon Carmen, the daughter and only child of Spain's Caudillo, General Francisco Franco. Together with the dukedom, she received a Coat of Arms of new creation...
Grandee of Spain. Her maternal grandparents were Spanish dictator Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, the Spanish Head of State and Carmen Polo
Carmen Polo
María del Carmen Polo y Martínez-Valdés, 1st Lady of Meirás, Grandee of Spain was the wife of Francisco Franco and a member of the Spanish nobility.-Family:...
y Martínez-Valdés, 1st Lady of Meirás Grandee of Spain. Her paternal grandparents were José María Martínez y Ortega (1890–1970) and María de la O Bordiú y Bascarán, 7th Countess of Argillo (1896–1980). When Carmen was born in the Palacio del Pardo, the ancient palace of the Spanish Royal Family
Spanish Royal Family
The Royal Family of the Kingdom of Spain consists of the current king, Juan Carlos, his spouse, Queen Sofia of Spain and their direct descendants. The Spanish royal family belongs to the House of Borbón...
, she was the first grandchild of General Franco. The palace was their family residence from 1940 when the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
ended and Gen. Franco became the Spanish Head of State. She was the favorite grandchild, even though she had 6 other siblings: María de la O (Mariola), Francisco (Francis), María del Mar (Merry), José Cristóbal (Cristóbal), María de Aránzazu (Arantxa) and Jaime Felipe (Jaime).
First marriage
Carmen was married on 8 March 1972 in the Chapel of the Palace of El PardoEl Pardo
The Royal Palace of El Pardo is a historical building near Madrid, Spain, in the present-day district of Fuencarral-El Pardo. Owned by the Spanish state and administered by the Patrimonio Nacional agency, the palace began as a hunting lodge.-Overview:...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
when she was 21 years old with Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz
Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz
Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Duke of Cádiz, Grandee of Spain was a grandson of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and a Legitimist claimant to the throne of France.-Life:Alfonso was born in the Clinica Santa Anna in Rome, the elder son of Infante...
, son of Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia and grandson of King Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
. General Franco named Alfonso Duke of Cadiz and made him a Royal Highness, making Carmen a princess.
Alfonso and Carmen had two sons:
- Francisco de Asís, Duke of Bourbon (Madrid, 22 November 1972 - Pamplona, 7 February 1984)
- Luis Alfonso, Duke of AnjouLouis Alphonse, Duke of AnjouPrince Louis Alphonse of Bourbon, Duke of Anjou was not originally among his given names ; born 25 April 1974, Madrid) is a member of the historically royal dynasty of the House of Bourbon, and one of the current pretenders to the defunct crown of France...
(born 1974).
Gen. Franco died on 20 November 1975 and the family lost their political power. Alfonso and Carmen separated in 1979, received a civil divorce 1982 and an annulment in 1986. Alfonso was given custody of their sons.
Second marriage and family tragedies
After separating from Alfonso, Carmen lived with a FrenchmanFrench people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
of Italian descent, Jean-Marie Rossi (b. Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 18 November 1930, 20 years her senior), divorced from Barbara Hottinger, by whom he had twin daughters Mathilda and Marella in 1971 and a son Frederick, and in Rueil-Malmaison
Rueil-Malmaison
Rueil-Malmaison is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France. It is located 12.6 kilometers from the center of Paris.-Name:...
on 11 December 1984 she married him civilly. That year was terrible for the pair. In February, Carmen's son, Francisco de Asís, died in car accident; a little later Rossi's daughter, Mathilda, died in a boating accident. Carmen then had her last child, María Cynthia Francisca Rossi
Rossi
Rossi is an Italian surname, said to be the most common surname in Italy. Due to Italian emigration, it is also very common in other countries, including the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and France. Rossi is the plural of Rosso although it is argued the surname derives from...
, in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
on 28 April 1985.
In January 1989, her first husband died in a skiing accident in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
and Carmen became involved in another losing child custody fight over her son, Luis Alfonso, with her former mother-in-law. She and second husband Rossi separated in 1994 and divorced in 1995. She then lived with an Italian, Robert Federici, but the relationship ended in 2004. Rossi married a third time to Marie Grimaux, without issue.
Third marriage and first grandchild
On 18 June 2006 in Cazalla de la SierraCazalla de la Sierra
Cazalla de la Sierra is a small town in the province of Seville, in southern Spain. It is located in the foothills of the Sierra Morena, which acts as a border between the region of Andalusia and the regions of Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha....
, Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, she married a third time to a Spaniard
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
, José Campos García (born in Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
, 13 years her junior). She became a grandmother on 6 March 2007 with the birth of granddaughter Eugenia. In 2006, she was a contestant on "Mira quién baila!" the Spanish version of "Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
".
On 28 May 2010, Carmen had twin grandsons, Luis and Alfonso.
External links
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