Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Princess Teresa's funeral

A funeral mass for Princess Teresa of Orleans-Braganca was held today in Estoril, Portugal.   King Juan Carlos II's two sisters, Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz, and Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria, attended the funeral.  Infanta Margarita was accompanied by her son, Alfonso Zurita y de Borbon.   The late princess was a very close friend to the King's late mother, the Countess of Barcelona, who's sister, Esperanza, was married to Teresa's brother, Pedro.   The princess's two daughters, Elisabeth, who was accompanied by her two daughters, and Nuria, were also among the mourners, who included the Duchess of Cadaval, who is married to Prince Charles-Philippe, Duke of Anjou , the Duke and Duchess of Braganca, and the duke's two younger brothers, Prince Miguel and Prince Henrique and Archduke Joseph Arpad of Austria.
The Duke of Braganza and the Duke of Anjou are the nephew and great-nephew, respectively, of the late Princess.

During their years of exile from Spain, the Count and Countess of Barcelona lived at Villa Giralda in Estoril, not too far from Princess Teresa, who, in 1957, married Ernesto Martorell.   The future King Juan Carlos was a godfather to Teresa's elder daughter, Elisabeth.

Teresa was known to family and friends as Teté.  She died on April 18 at her home in Estoril at the age of 91.  Following a second mass at the princess' home,  her remains will be cremated.

No comments: