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

Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos de Borbón y de Grecia of Spain, The Duchess of Lugo was born 20 December 1963 as the eldest child of King Juan Carlos I &Queen Sofia of Spain{Source}. She has two younger siblings, two siblings-in-law and three nieces and two nephews:

1. Infanta Cristina of Spain (1965)
1. Iñaki Urdangarín (1968, m.1997)
1. Don Juan Urdangarín y de Borbón (1999)
2. Don Pablo Urdangarín y de Borbón (2000)
3. Don Miguel Urdangarín y de Bórbon (2002)
4. Doña Irene Urdangarín y Bórbon (2005)
2. King Felipe VI of Spain (1968)
1. Queen Letizia of Spain (1972, m. 2004)
1. Leonor, Princess of Asturias (2005)
2. The Infanta Sofia of Spain (2007)

Her father would become King of Spain when the young Infanta was only 12 years old. Her godparents were:

• Princess María Mercedes, The Countess of Barcelona (paternal grandmother)
• 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:

• Don Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón (1998)
• Doña Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón (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 theMapfre 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 in 2012 with her two children. In 2014, she attended, alongside her son, the abdication of her father and enthronement of her brother. In 2017, she went on a skiing trip with her children in Baqueira Beret, Spain, attend the funeral of Infanta Alicia, and attended an event by Real Sporting de Gijon Football Club, attended IV Bullfighers and Ranchers Charity Golf Tournament, attended the Comadore Bullfighting Awards, attended a Thanksgiving Mass in honor of Medinaceli's Christ, undertook a trip to Brazil, attended bullfights in Aranjuez with her children, was joined by her daughter and father for the 2017 San Isidro bullfighting fair in Las Ventas bullring in Madrid, and took part in an equestrian competition, joined her father for the inauguration of the Macan Winery, participated in 2017 Charity Day, participated in another equestrian competition, awarded the prize for XXV Children and Youth Painting Contest, attended the 2017 Mapfre Foundation Awards with her mother, attended US Independence Day celebrations at the American Embassy in Madrid, attended the 'Jose Manuel Soto 30th Anniversary Celebration, a bullfight with her children in Coliseo Balear in Palma de Mallorca, was joined by her father for the 2017 International Polo Tournament Final, joined members of her family for the fifth day of the Copa del Rey Mapfre Sailing Cup, and attended bullfights in Palma de Mallorca with her children, spent some time visiting her sister Infanta Cristina in Switzerland, attended the opening of the Centers for Butterfly Skin Patients, was among the crowds for the Spanish military parade to celebrate National Day with her daughter, attended and participated in the 2017 Horse Championship Tournament with her daughter. She also participated in the 2011 Global Champions Tour event in Valencia, Spain in May 2011.