María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco
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| María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco | |
| Born | February 26, 1951 Madrid, Spain |
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| Spouse | (1972-1979) Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz (1984-1995) Jean Marie Rossi (2006-) José Campos |
| Children | Francisco de Bourbon(1972-1984) Luis Alfonso, Duke of Anjou (b.1974) Cynthia Rossi (b.1985) |
| Parents | Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú (1922-1998) Carmen Franco y Polo (b.1926) |
María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco (born February 26, 1951 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish aristocrat and social figure. Under current Spanish law she is heir to her mothers Dukedom.
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[edit] Birth and youth
She was born in the Palacio Real de El Pardo in Madrid and is the daughter of Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, the 10th Marquess of Villverde, and Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco. Her maternal grandparents were General Francisco Franco, the Spanish Head of State and Carmen Polo y Martínez-Valdés, Señora de Meirás, Grandee of Spain. Her paternal grandparents were José María Martínez y Ortega (1890-1970) and María de la O Bordiú y Bascarán, Countess of Argillo (1896-1980). When Carmen was born in the Palacio del Pardo, the ancient palace of the Spanish Royal Family, she was the first grandchild of General Franco. The palace was their family residence from 1940 when the Spanish Civil War ended and Gen. Franco became the Spanish Head of State. She was the favorite grandchild, even though she had 6 other siblings: María de la O (Mariola), Francisco (Francis), María del Mar (Merry), José Cristóbal, María de Aránzazu (Arantxa) and Jaime.
[edit] First Marriage
Carmen was married on March 8, 1972 in the Chapel of the Palacio del Prado when she was 21 years old with Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, son of Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia and grandson of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Franco named Alfonso the Duke of Cadiz and made him a Royal Highness, making Carmen a princess. Eight months after the wedding, on November 22, 1972, they had their first child, Francisco. In April of 1974, they had their second son, Luis Alfonso, Duke of Anjou. Gen. Franco died on November 20, 1975 and the family lost their political power. Alfonso and Carmen separated in 1979 and divorced that same year. Alfonso was given custody of their sons.
[edit] Second Marriage and family tragedies
After separating from Alfonso, Carmen lived with a Frenchman, Jean Marie Rossi (20 years her senior), and in December of 1984 she married him civilly. That year was terrible for the pair. In February, Carmen’s son, Francisco, died in car accident; a little later Rossi’s daughter, Mathilda, died in a boating accident. Carmen then had her last child, Cynthia Rossi, on April 28, 1985.
In January 1989, her first husband died in a skiing accident in Colorado and Carmen became involved in another losing child custody fight over her son, Luis Alfonso, with her former mother-in-law. She and second husband Rossi separated in 1994 and divorced in 1995. She then lived with an Italian, Robert Federici, but the relationship ended 2004.
[edit] Third Marriage and first grandchild
On July 8, 2006, she married a third time to a Spaniard, José Campos (13 years her junior). She became a grandmother on March 6, 2007 with the birth of granddaughter Eugenia. In 2006, she was a contestant on "Mira quién baila!" the Spanish version of "Dancing with the Stars".
[edit] References
- Hola magazine website article (Spanish)
- 20 Minutos article (Spanish)
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María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco
Born: 26 February 1951 |
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| French royalty | ||
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| Preceded by Emmanuelle de Dampierre |
— TITULAR — Legitimist Queen Consort of France and of Navarre March 20, 1975 – 1986 (ended with annulment following divorce) |
Vacant
Title next held by
María Margarita de Vargas y Santaella |
