Carmen Franco y Polo

María del Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco (b. February 14, 1926, in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain) is the only child of Spain's Caudillo, leader, General Francisco Franco and his wife Carmen Polo y Martínez Valdés. In Asturian fashion, she is known by many cryptic nicknames, namely Nenuca, Carmencita, and Morita.

[edit] Family life

On April 10, 1950, in El Pardo, she married Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, 10th Marquis de Villaverde (August 1, 1922, Mancha Real-February 4, 1998, Madrid). Villaverde was a prominent surgeon, being responsible for the first heart transplant ever made in Spain (the patient was another son of José María Martínez y Ortega and his wife Esperanza Bordiú y Bascarán, 7th Countess de Argillo ?!). Franco had several children by this marriage;

María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco, married (firstly) Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, son of Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia, legitimist pretender to the French throne and head of the House of Bourbon.
Francisco Franco Martinez-Bordiu, Señor de Meirás and 11th Marquis de Villaverde.
María de la O (Mariola) Martinez-Bordiu
María del Mar (Merry) Martinez-Bordiu
José Cristóbal Martinez-Bordiu
María de Aránzazu (Arantxa) Martinez-Bordiu
Jaime Martinez-Bordiu

After her father died in 1975, King Juan Carlos of Spain created her Duchess of Franco and a Grandeza de España in her own right, with the title of Doña.

Universal Studios Newsreel for 8th April, 1957: "18th anniversary of end of Spanish revolution in Spain, Franco and daughter watch soldiers, the caudillo looks on with pride, 18 years of peace and rebuilding".