Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba

Her Excellency Doña María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y Silva, more popularly known as Cayetana de Alba, is the 18th and present Duchess of Alba. She is the third female to carry the title in her own right.

She was born March 28 1926 in Madrid as the daughter of Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, 17th Duke of Alba and Maria del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, 15th Duchess of Aliaga and IX Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco. She is the current head of the House of Alba.

Doña Cayetana has more titles than any other noble in the world. She has eight other ducal titles, 15 marquesal titles, 19 committal titles and is 20 times a Grandee of Spain.

Titles belonging to Doña Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y De Silva

• Duchies:
  • 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • 11th Duchess of Berwick (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Duchess of Arjona (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Duchess of Híjar (with Grandee) (from December 31, 1957)
  • 11th Duchess of Liria and Jérica (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
• Counties-Duchies:
  • 14th Countess-Duchess of Olivares (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955).
• Marquess:
  • Marchioness of El Carpio (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • 12th Marchioness of la Algaba (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Almenara (from December 31, 1957)
  • 14th Marchioness of Barcarrota (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Castaneda (from 24 de febrero de 1995)
  • 19th Marchioness of Coria (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Eliche (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Mirallo (from December 3, 1986)
  • Marchioness of la Mota (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Moya (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Orani (from November 9, 1991)
  • Marchioness of Osera (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of San Leonardo (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Sárria (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Tarazona (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Valdunquillo (from September 25, 1986)
  • Marchioness of Villanueva del Fresno (from February 18, 1955)
  • Marchioness of Villanueva del Río (from February 18, 1955)
• Earldoms:
  • Countess of Aranda (with Grandee) (from December 31, 1957)
  • Countess of Lemos (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Lerín and Condestablesa of Navarra (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Miranda del Castañar (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Monterrey (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Osorno (with Grandee) (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Palma del Río (with Grandee) (from December 31, 1957)
  • Countess of Villalba (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of San Esteban de Gormaz (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Santa Cruz de la Sierra (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Andrade (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Ayala (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Casarrubios del Monte (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Fuentes de Valdepero (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Fuentidueña (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Galve (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Gelves (from February 18, 1955)
  • Countess of Ribadeo (from December 31, 1957)
  • 11th Countess of Tinmouth
• Viscounties:
  • Viscountess of la Calzada (from February 18, 1955 to 1971).
• Baronies:
  • 11th Baroness of Bosworth

Life and family

On October 12 1947 Doña Cayetana married Don Pedro Luis Martínez de Irujo y Artacoz (1919-1972), son of the Duques of Sotomayor. The wedding was a great social event and was described by the newspaper Liberation as "the most expensive wedding of the world". . Six children were born of this marriage, all of whom have received noble titles with Grandee of Spain from their mother.

• Carlos Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, XVIII Duke of Huéscar, born on October 2, 1948 in Madrid. On 1988, he married Matilde Solís y Martínez de Campos, but they later divorced.
  • Fernando Juan Fitz-James Stuart y Solís (born September 14, 1990 in Madrid)
  • Carlos Arturo José María Fitz-James Stuart y Solís (born November 29, 1991 in Madrid)
• Alfonso Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, Duke of Aliaga, born October 22 on 1950 in Madrid. On July 4, 1977, he married María de la Santisima Trinidad de Hohenlohe y de la Cuadra (born April 8, 1957), who he later divorced.
  • Luis Martínez de Irujo y Hohenlohe (born May 26, 1978).
  • Javier Martínez de Irujo y Hohonlohe (born January 1981).
• Jacobo Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, Count of Siruela, born on July 15, 1954 in Madrid. On November 1, 1980, he married María Eugenia Fernández de Castro y Fernández-Shaw (born October 15, 1954), from whom he's currently separated.
  • Jacobo Martínez de Irujo y Fernández de Castro (born January 23, 1981).
  • Brianda Eugenia Martínez de Irujo y Fernández de Castro (born April 11, 1984).
• Fernando Martínez de Irujo, Marquis of San Vicente del Barco, born July 11, 1959.
• Cayetano Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, Count of Salvatierra, born April 4, 1963 in Madrid.
• María Eugenia Brianda Timotea Cecilia Martínez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart, XI Duchess of Montoro, born November 26, 1968. On October 23, 1988, she married bullfighter Francisco Rivera Ordóñez. The couple divorced on 2002.
  • Cayetana Rivera y Martínez de Irujo (born October 16, 1999).

After widowing, the duchess remarried on March 16, 1978 to Jesús Aguirre y Ortiz de Zárate (1937-2001), doctor on Teology. He was a former Jesuit priest, which was polemic back then. Jesús was a educated man, 11 years younger than the Duchess, who had a good relationship with her children. Since the marriage, he took care, alongside his step-son Carlos, to administer the Alba family wealth.

The duchess is a well-known socialite in Spain and is featured prominently on various television shows and in various media reports.