Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Borbón and the second or maternal family name is Borbón-Dos Sicilias.

Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria, 2nd Duchess of Hernani (Margarita María de la Victoria Esperanza Jacoba Felicidad Perpetua de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón; born 6 March 1939), is the younger sister of King Juan Carlos and aunt of the reigning King Felipe VI of Spain.

Infanta Margarita
Duchess of Soria and Hernani
Margarita with her husband, Carlos, in 2010
Born	(1939-03-06) 6 March 1939 (age 86) Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Spouse	Carlos Zurita y Delgado ​ ​ (m. 1972)​
Issue	Alfonso Zurita y Borbón María Zurita y Borbón
Names Margarita María de la Victoria Esperanza Jacoba Felicidad Perpetua de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón
House	Bourbon-Anjou
Father	Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona
Mother	Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies

Early life

Infanta Margarita was born at Hotel Firenze Anglo American in Rome as the younger daughter of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, and Princess Mercedes of the Two Sicilies. Margarita has been blind since birth.^[1]

Marriage

She married the physician and aristocrat Carlos Zurita y Delgado on 12 October 1972 in Estoril at St. Anthony's Church.^[2] They have two children:

• Don Alfonso Juan Carlos Zurita y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain, born on 9 August 1973 at Virgen de La Palomain Hospital in Madrid.
• María Sofía Emilia Carmen Zurita y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain, born on 16 September 1975 in Madrid. Queen Sofia of Spain was her godmother.

Activities

In 1989, alongside her husband, they created the Fundación Cultural Duques de Soria (The Duke and Duchess of Soria Cultural Foundation). She's also Honorary President of Madrid's delegation of UNICEF and of the Spanish Heart Foundation.

Succession and grandeeship

Infanta Margarita renounced her right of succession to the Spanish throne upon marriage because it was not a dynastic wedding.^[3][4]

On 6 January 1979, the Infanta's distant cousin Manfredo de Borbón, 1st Duke of Hernani, died and willed his ducal title to be inherited by Margarita. The King granted this request, and on 27 May 1981, she became 2nd Duchess of Hernani with accompanying dignity Grandee of Spain. The peerage title refers to the town Hernani, Spain. The month after, on 23 June 1981, she was granted a higher dukedom for life by the king and also became Duchess of Soria (referring to the city Soria in Spain).

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Spanish Royal Family by country

National

• Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III^[5]
• Spain: 1,192nd Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Noble Ladies of Queen Maria Luisa
• Spain: Knight Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise^[6]

Foreign

• Greek Royal Family: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Saints Olga and Sophia
• Italy
  • Two Sicilian Royal Family: Knight Grand Cross of Justice of the Two Sicilian Royal Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George^[7]
• Portugal: Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Henry^[8]

Ancestors

Ancestors of Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria

8. Alfonso XII of Spain 4. Alfonso XIII of Spain 9. Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria 2. Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona 10. Prince Henry of Battenberg 5. Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg 11. Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom 1. Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria 12. Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta 6. Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies 13. Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies 3. Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies 14. Prince Philippe, Count of Paris 7. Princess Louise of Orléans 15. Princess Marie Isabelle of Orléans