Royal Profile: The Infanta Elena of Spain, The Duchess of Lugo

The Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y de Greciaof Spain, The Duchess of Lugo was born 20 December 1963 as the eldest child of King Juan Carlos I & Queen Sofia of Spain {Source}.

Her father would become King of Spain when the young Infanta was only 12 years old. Her godparents were:
  1. Princess María Mercedes, The Countess of Barcelona (paternal grandmother) 
  2. Infante Don Alfonso de Orleans(paternal distant cousin)

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. She then returned to her alma mater, Santa Maria del Camino School, where she worked as a English teacher for one year. After that, she took a sociology and education course at Exeter University, and completed her education at Comillas Pontifical University, earning a degree in Education in 1993.

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.

In 1995, she married Jaime de Marichalar y Saenz de Tejada, and was granted the duchary of Lugo upon the occasion by her father. 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)
On 21 January 2010, it was announced that her marriage to Jaime de Maricharlar was over in divorce by mutual consent.


As for her life today, the Infanta serves as a Director of Cultural & Social Projects of the Mapfre Foundation. 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 &2013) and the annual Red Cross Fundraising Day. She serves as honorary president of Spain's Paralympic Committee and attended numerous events in London this year with her two children. In 2014, she attended, alongside her son, the abdication of her father andenthronement of her brother.


She also participated in the 2011 Global Champions Tour event in Valencia, Spain in May 2011.


She also serves as godmother to various members of her extended family. She is godmother to:
  1. Don Juan Valentin de Todos los Santos Urdangarian 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. Don Miguel Urdangarin y de Borbon (2002, son of her sister, Infanta Cristina)
  4. Master Carlos Morales y de Grecia (2005, son of her 1st cousin, Princess Alexia of Greece)

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