Royal Profile: 28 Facts about Infanta Elena of Spain, Duchess of Lugo

1. Infanta Elena Maria Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbon y Grecia of Spain was born on 20 December 1963 to then Infante Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sofia of Greece & Denmark. 
2. She has two younger siblings:
1. Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallora (1965)
2. Prince Felipe of Astrurias (1968)
3. Her father would become King of Spain when the young Infanta was only 12 years old, in 1975. 
4. Her godparents were: 
1. Princess Maria Mercedes, The Countess of Barcelona (her paternal grandmother
2. Infante Don Alfonso de Orleans (a paternal distant cousin)
5. She attended Santa Maria del Camino School and trained as a teacher at the ESCUNI University School, where she qualified as an primary education teacher, with a specialization in English in 1986.
6. She then returned to her alma mater, Santa Maria del Camino School, where she worked as a English teacher for one year. 
7. After that, she took a sociology and education course at Exeter University, and completed her education at Comillas Pontifical Univserity, earning a degree in Education in 1993.
8. When the young Infanta became of age in 1981, she began to take part in activities of the Royal Family such as foreign heads of states visits to Spain, traveling officially to places like Germany, England, The USA, Argentina Japan, and the Philippines, more often than not she presided over various cultural events both abroad and in Spain.
9. In 1995, she married Jaime de Marichalar y Saenz de Tejada, and was granted the duchary of Lugo upon the occasion by her father. 
10. Together, they have two children:
1. Don Felipe Juan de Marichalar y Borbón(17 July 1998)
2. Doña Victoria Federica de Marichalar y Borbón (9 September 2000)
11. On 21 January 2010, it was announced that her marriage to Jaime de Maricharlar was over in divorce by mutual consent. 
12. As for her life today, the Infanta serves as a Director of Cultural & Social Projects of theMapfre Foundation. 
13. She also participates in numerous official activities of the Royal Family such as Spain's National Day (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 & 2012) and the annual Red Cross Fundraising Day.
14. She serves as honorary president of Spain's Paralympic Committee and attended numerous events in London in 2012 with her two children. 
15. An avid horsewoman, she participated in the 2011 Global Champions Tour event in Valencia, Spain in May 2011.
16. She also serves as godmother to various members of her extended family. She is godmother to:
1. Don Juan Valentin de Todos los Santos Yrdangarian y de Borbón (1999, her nephew via her sister Infanta Cristina) 
2. Prince Achileas-Andreas of Greece (2000, son of her 1st cousin, Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece)
3. Master Carlos Morales y de Grecia (2005, son of her 1st cousin, Princess Alexia of Greece)
17. She is the eldest grandchild of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece.
18. She was only a year old when her maternal grandfather died.
19. She was 18 years old when her maternal grandmother died.
20. She was 29 years old when her paternal grandfather died.
21. She was 37 years old when her paternal grandmother died.
22. She almost shares a birthday with her paternal grandmother. Almost. Princess María Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Countess of Barcelona's birthday was 23 December.
23. She has 5 maternal cousins, all children of her uncle King Constantine:
1. Princess Alexia
2. Crown Prince Pavlos
3. Prince Nikolas
4. Princess Theodora
5. Prince Philippos
24. Infanta Elena has 7 paternal cousins:
1. Doña María de Fátima Simoneta Luisa Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (1968, Infanta Pilar)
2. Don Juan Filiberto Nicolás Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (1969, Infanta Pilar)
3. Don Bruno Alejandro Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (1971, Infanta Pilar)
4. Don Luis Beltrán Ataúlfo Alfonso Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (1973, Infanta Pilar)
5. Don Alfonso Juan Carlos Zurita y de Borbón  (1973, Infanta Margarita)
6. Don Fernando Humberto Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (1974, Infanta Pilar)
7. Doña María Sofía Emilia Carmen Zurita y de Borbón  (1975, Infanta Margarita)
25. She is related to several reigning families:
1. Greek: King Constantine is her maternal uncle
2. British: Queen Elizabeth is her 3rd cousin 1x removed via Queen Victoria on the paternal side on the maternal side (Elena's mother) she is also 3rd cousins 1x removed via Queen Victoria (her parents were the great-great grandchildren of Queen Victoria's daughters Princess Victoria, The Princess Royal and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom). She is also related to Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh via George I of Greece, and they are 1st cousins 2x removed.
3. Sweden: King Carl XVI Gustaf is her 3rd cousin via Queen Victoria 
26. Infanta Elena holds orders from Spain, Austria, Belgium,  Chile, Greece, Guatemala, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Nepal.
27. In April 1980, a Spanish Naval Ship  was named after her {Source}
28. She also has a hospital in her name {Source}