The richest and most amazing woman in Spain, known as the 18th Duchess of Alba, is a representative of an ancient clan dating back to 584 years of history. The head of the Alba clan has the largest number of titles in the world. She has over 40 officially recognized by the government. This became the reason for the inclusion of Caetana in the Guinness Book of Records as the most titled person in the world.
The Spanish Duchess of Alba belongs to the family, originating from the famous aristocrats and grandees of Spain, who owned the city of the same name, spread out on the Tormes River. Their title was established in 1429 by Juan II of Castile, and the first owner was Archbishop Alvarez de Toledo. After his death, due to celibacy, the title of count was inherited by the priest’s nephew, Marquis Coria. In 1472, the title of Alba's house was raised to the ducal.
Duchess of Alba born in 1926 in Madrid. The godparents of the girl were the reigning persons Victoria Eugene and Alfonso XIII. Cayetans from early childhood instilled a love of the cultural traditions of Spain. The best mentors of the country were engaged in her training. She perfectly mastered German, French and English. The young Duchess's best friends were Lizzie, the future Elizabeth II, Count Tolstoy, Jacqueline Kennedy and Prince Windischgraetz.
Horse riding, tennis, skiing, were a component of secular education and the main hobbies that the Duchess of Alba was fond of in her youth. Photos of those years tell about the past of a pretty pretty woman, happy life. They clearly indicate wealth and respect in high society.
In 1947, the Duchess of Alba married for the first time to a representative of a no less well-known kind of princes de Sotomayor. From her first marriage, she gave birth to 6 children. The last child, the long-awaited daughter of Eugene, appeared when the duchess was already 42 years old. Caetana, being a widow, entered into a
second marriage with Jesus Aguirre, who headed the music department at the Spanish Ministry of Culture. The reaction to her marriage in the world was mixed. Caetana was accused of swagger, and her husband, who was 8 years younger than his wife, for selfish motives. Despite the hail of criticism, this marriage was happy, but was interrupted by the death of Jesus in 2001, which was a serious blow for the duchess.
The third marriage of the titled person in 2008 with the antique dealer Alfonso Diaz, who was 24 years younger, became the subject of numerous ridicule and the reason for the split inside the Alba's house. The eldest son lost the right to inheritance and in protest stopped communication with his mother.
Nevertheless, the Duchess of Alba went into conflict with her family and wrote to them most of her many palaces, mansions and a significant part of the art gallery, consisting of paintings by Rembrandt, Goya, Rubens, Murillo, Velazquez. Alfonso, trying to prove that Caetana’s condition was not the cause of the marriage, wrote a written refusal of any claims for her money.
The marriage with Alfonso, numerous unsuccessful plastic surgeries made the Duchess the heroine of the yellow press. According to an extraordinary noble person, all this does not prevent her from enjoying her old age. Rumor has it that the richest aristocrat of Spain can travel the whole country from north to south, without leaving the limits of their possessions.
The Duchess of Alba, despite various gossip, is revered in Spain. About her life, the film La Duquesa was shot by the television company Telecinco, in which Adriana Osores played the main role. In Puerto Banos (Marbella), a personalized star was laid in honor of the Duchess, a monument was erected on Paseo de Cristina Cayetan during her lifetime, and in Seville one of the squares bears her name.