Infanta Eulalia of Spain | |||||
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Duchess of Galliera | |||||
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Born | (1864-02-12)12 February 1864 Madrid,Kingdom of Spain | ||||
Died | 8 March 1958(1958-03-08) (aged 94) Irun,Spanish State | ||||
Burial | |||||
Spouse | |||||
Issue | Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera Infante Luis Fernando | ||||
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House | Bourbon | ||||
Father | Francisco de Asís, Duke of Cádiz | ||||
Mother | Isabella II |
Infanta Eulalia, Duchess of Galliera (María Eulalia Francisca de Asís Margarita Roberta Isabel Francisca de Paula Cristina María de la Piedad; 12 February 1864 – 8 March 1958), was the youngest and last surviving child ofQueen Isabella II of Spain andKing Francisco, and the youngest sister ofKing Alfonso XII. She authored memoirs that were controversial for their critical perspective and allegations about the political policies of variousSpanish and foreign governments.
Eulalia was born on 12 February 1864 in theRoyal Palace of Madrid, the youngest of the five children born to Isabella II during her marriage toFrancis de Assisi de Borbón, Duke of Cadiz, who survived to adulthood. She was baptised on 14 February 1864 with the namesMaría Eulalia Francisca de Asís Margarita Roberta Isabel Francisca de Paula Cristina María de la Piedad. Her godparents wereRobert I, Duke of Parma, and his sisterPrincess Margherita.[1]
In 1868, Eulalia and her family were forced to leave Spain in the wake of therevolution. They lived inParis, where Eulalia was educated. She received herfirst communion in Rome fromPope Pius IX.
In 1874, Eulalia's brotherAlfonso was restored to the throne in place of their mother Queen Isabella II. Three years later, Eulalia returned to Spain. She lived at first inEl Escorial with her mother, but later moved to theAlcázar of Seville and then to Madrid.
On 6 March 1886, at Madrid, Eulalia married her first cousinInfante Antonio de Orléans y Borbón, Duke di Galliera, son ofAntoine, Duke of Montpensier, and his wife,Infanta Luisa Fernanda of Spain.[2] The officiant was CardinalZeferino González y Díaz Tuñón,Archbishop of Seville. The wedding was delayed several months on account of the death of Eulalia's brother, King Alfonso XII. Eulalia and Antonio spent their honeymoon at thePalacio Real de Aranjuez.
Eulalia and Antonio had two sons:
After the birth of her younger son, Eulalia lived apart from her husband. She maintained residences in Spain and France and visitedEngland frequently.
In May 1893 Eulalia visited theUnited States; her controversial visit to theWorld's Columbian Exposition inChicago was particularly well-documented. She traveled first toPuerto Rico,[3] then toHavana,Cuba,[4] and arrived in New York on 18 May on theSpanish NavycruiserInfanta Isabel,[5] before making her way toWashington, D.C., where she was received by PresidentGrover Cleveland at theWhite House.[6] She then proceeded toNew York City.[7] Eulalia was later admitted to membership in theDaughters of the American Revolution as a descendant of KingCharles III of Spain.[8]
Eulalia was the author of several works that were controversial within royal circles, although she never ceased to have frequent contact with her relatives both in Spain and elsewhere.
In 1912, under the pseudonymComtesse de Avila, Eulalia wroteAu fil de la vie (Paris: Société française d'Imprimerie et de Librarie, 1911), translated into English asThe Thread of Life (New York: Duffield, 1912).[9] The book expressed Eulalia's thoughts about education, the independence of women, the equality of classes, socialism, religion, marriage, prejudices, and traditions. Her nephew KingAlfonso XIII telegraphed her to demand that she suspend the book's publication until he had seen it and received his permission to publish it. Eulalia refused to comply.
In May 1915, Eulalia wrote an article about theGerman Emperor William II forThe Strand Magazine. The following month she publishedCourt Life from Within (London: Cassell, 1915; reprinted New York: Dodd, Mead, 1915).
In August 1925, Eulalia wroteCourts and Countries After The War (London: Hutchinson, 1925; reprinted New York: Dodd, Mead, 1925). In this work she commented on the world political situation and articulated her belief that there could never be peace between France and Germany. She also made a celebrated observation aboutBenito Mussolini's Italy by reporting that she crossed the Italian frontier and heard the phrase "Il treno arriva all'orario" [the train is arriving on time], a boast often cited in connection with theFascist regime at the time.[10]
In 1935, Eulalia published her memoirs in French, theMémoires de S.A.R. l'Infante Eulalie, 1868–1931 (Paris: Plon, 1935). In July 1936, they were published in English asMemoirs of a Spanish Princess, H.R.H. the Infanta Eulalia (London: Hutchinson, 1936; reprinted New York: W.W. Norton, 1937).[11]
On 9 February 1958, Eulalia had a heart attack at her home inIrun.[12] She died there on 8 March[13] and is buried in the Pantheon of the Princes inEl Escorial. She was the last surviving grandchild ofFerdinand VII of Spain.
Royal styles of Infanta Eulalia of Spain, Duchess of Galleria | |
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Reference style | Her Royal Highness |
Spoken style | Your Royal Highness |
Alternative style | Doña |
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Eulalia is here. Spanish Infanta arrives in New York