Francisco de Borbón

The 5th Duke of Seville left this world in the same way he lived: with his eyes fixed on his nearest and dearest. Many posthumous tributes have been paid to the nobleman who put Marbella on the map.

In an interview with ELM Exclusive Life Magazine just a few months before his death, he told us that he defined himself as “someone who always tried to do their duty and carry the name of Spain with them wherever they resided.”

During the final years of his life, he divided his time between Madrid and Marbella. He loved spending time with his children and grandchildren, walking by the sea, sailing: he would talk about how he had crossed the Atlantic Ocean twice in a sailboat; skiing, polo, archaeology and art.

The duke was of the philosophy that it was easier to accept death and not dwell on it than to live with the constant fear that it could come at any time and not focus on living. The death of his brother, Alfonso de Borbón, just ten days earlier, had affected him greatly and filled him with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia.

He had already experienced other significant losses in his life, including the deaths of his daughter Cristina, and the mother of his children, Beatriz de Borbón. This time, the Grim Reaper appeared furtively, with Olivia, the legal heir to the Duchy of Seville, holding the duke’s hand as he departed.

The title granted by King Ferdinand VII in 1823 to his nephew Enrique de Borbón will continue to be held by Enrique’s descendants, who are related to King Felipe VI. Paco, as he was known to those of us who loved him, did not want to leave without capturing his life story in his book ‘Cuasi memorias’. We presented it at Trocadero Arena during the Foro de Encuentros con la Cultura, where he opened up, sharing anecdotes from his intense and passionate life, sometimes marked by greatness and sometimes by misfortune.

“I had no intention of writing anything,” he pointed out in our last interview, “but my friends, hearing about my travels around the world and the relationships I’ve had, encouraged me to write these quasi-memoirs. I’ve written them from the heart, despite my memory no longer being what it was, in the hope that my children and grandchildren will see what life was like in the era in which I’ve lived.”

Everyone who knew him praised his strong sense of duty, which he always carried out to the letter. In his memoirs, he portrays his children in different passages of the book. In particular, Olivia, who chose to live with her father in Madrid when the Duke separated from Duchess Beatrice von Hardenberg Beatrice, his first wife. «I’m happy about my children’s marriages. I think Sophie is a wonderful mother, and Julian is an impeccable man and a great person for my daughter Olivia,» he told ELM.

In his memoirs, Francisco de Borbón also pays tribute to his daughter Cristina, who died in 2020: “I like to remember my daughter Cristina as she was: a loving and fragile person. She was always affectionate and kind, always generous with me. Her mother and I had to admit her to various recovery centres on numerous occasions. But after a short time, she would relapse. She became increasingly anorexic and started drinking more alcohol. Inevitably, she met a tragic end.»

Three marriages and an intense love life

Paco de Borbón was full of love. He had three marriages and an intense love life. His first marriage, to the mother of his three children, the Duchess Beatrice von Hardenberg, made headlines all over the world. In the book, he describes her as shy and discreet, «until her shyness ran out and she ended up walking a little pig on a leash in Marbella and organising flamenco parties at her house with Lola Flores». I will always remember her originality and warmth.

He did not have the same kind words for his second marriage. “It was the worst thing that ever happened to me,” he said of Isabel Karanitsch, whom he described as “a social climber and fortune-hunter like no other I have ever met, and who never loved me. A malevolent person I fell madly in love with.» Although the marriage only lasted a few months, she continues to take advantage of the Bourbon name wherever she goes.

In his book, Francisco recounts how he had little desire to remarry after his brief and unhappy marriage to Isabel, until he met Ángeles Vargas-Zúñiga, who would become his third wife and companion for 24 years.

His widow is suffering from a serious illness, and Paco had to look after her during her years of decline. The Duke recounts this in his memoirs: «Six years ago, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and has gradually lost her faculties. I don’t know how long it will be before she stops recognising us, I hope it will be a long time.»

Carrying the title, a great responsibility

He always said that being the Duke of Seville came with great responsibility: “I am fully aware that those of us who carry the title have an obligation to keep it clean. It is a family heritage held for a lifetime, and it must be passed on as clean as when it was given to us.”

Francisco de Borbón y Escasany’s ancestors played a significant role in 19th-century Spanish history. The 5th Duke of Seville and grandee of Spain presided over a number of companies and foundations. One of these was the Military Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, the Grand Mastery of which he handed to his son Francisco a few years ago.

His great-great-grandfather was born in Seville and became the first Duke of Seville. Thus the title has been passed down from generation to generation. When we asked him if his grandson, ‘Little Fran’, would be the next heir, he replied that if they choose, he would be the successor, but that an election would first have to be held.

All the charitable activities to which the Duke of Seville devoted his time were carried out through the Order of Saint Lazarus. For many years, the military order focused on hospital projects.

The ‘Big Brother’ of King Juan Carlos

One issue that concerned the Duke of Seville was the recent attacks on the nobility. «Ever since left-wing parties came into existence, the nobility has been under attack, and is doing what it can to defend itself.» It plays a discreet role in safeguarding family traditions. That’s what it does.’

As part of these left-wing attacks, we asked him about the situation with the King Emeritus. Paco de Borbón was unequivocal: «Juan Carlos de Borbón did more for Spain than almost anyone else. It would be a great historical mistake to remember him only for recent events, given all that he contributed to Spain becoming a democracy. The king cannot be judged on the basis of current affairs. He should be valued for the significant role he played in the transition.”

The nobleman would complain that: «We are living in a real ‘Big Brother’ situation. Things would have been different before, but now we are under the spotlight and any mistake will be highlighted.”