by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014
Infanta Elena of Spain, Duchess of Lugo
Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos of Spain, Duchess of Lugo, is the eldest child of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark, She was born on December 20, 1963, at Our Lady of Loreto Clinic in Madrid, Spain.
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Elena with her parents at her christening
Elena was christened on December 27, 1963, at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain. Her godparents were:
- María Mercedes, Countess of Barcelona, her paternal grandmother, born María Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
- Infante Alfonso of Spain, Duke of Galliera
Elena has two younger siblings:
- Infanta Cristina (born 1965), married Iñaki Urdangarín, had three sons and one daughter
- King Felipe VI (born in 1968), married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, had two daughters
She completed her basic education at the College of Santa Maria del Camino and went on to study teaching at ESCUNI University School in Madrid, graduating in 1986 as a teacher of general basic education, specializing in English literature. After working for a few years as an English teacher at the College of Santa Maria del Camino, she studied sociology and education at the University of Exeter. She then enrolled at the Comillas Pontifical University, in Madrid, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Education in 1993.
On March 18, 1995, Infanta Elena was married to Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, at the Cathedral of Seville. At the time of her marriage, she was given the personal title Duchess of Lugo. The couple had two children:
- Felipe Juan “Frolian” de Marichalar y Borbón (born 1998)
- Victoria Frederica de Marichalar y Borbón (born 2000)
Elena and her husband separated in 2007 and were formally divorced in January 2010.
During the reign of her father, Infanta Elena often represented the monarchy at functions both within Spain and abroad. However, since the accession of her brother King Felipe VI, she and her sister no longer take on any official duties. She serves as Director of Social and Cultural Projects for the MAPFRE Foundation, based in Madrid.
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