The royal family confirms it: the sad news about Juan Carlos I becomes official

The Royal Family is once again in mourning following the death of Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, Duke of Seville and first cousin of Juan Carlos I. The aristocrat passed away yesterday, Tuesday, May 20, at his home in Madrid at the age of 81. This sad news was confirmed by his son-in-law, Julián Porras Figueroa, through an emotional message on social media.

The disappearance of this figure within the Royal Family's family tree has been another blow to Juan Carlos I's circle. It has been barely ten days since the Borbón y Escasany family bid farewell to Alfonso, the Duke's younger brother. What impact does this double loss have on the emeritus's spirits, and what does it symbolize in the current course of the Royal House?

The Royal Family confirms the death of Francisco de Borbón y Escasany

The loss of Francisco de Borbón y Escasany marks the end of an era for one of the most influential aristocratic branches of the nobility. The death occurred at his Madrid residence, surrounded by his family, as confirmed by his son-in-law.

"With immense sorrow, I inform you that tonight my father-in-law Francisco de Borbón y Escasany has passed away in Madrid. Thank God we were able to be with him until the last moment," wrote Julián on his personal Instagram account.

The message continued detailing the funeral arrangements. "Tomorrow from 12:00 we will be at the San Isidro Funeral Home and at 18:30 a mass will be held there for his soul. The burial will be on Thursday at 12:00 at the Sacramental de San Justo cemetery," he added.

This announcement has moved society, especially as it comes just ten days after the death of Alfonso de Borbón y Escasany, his younger brother. Precisely, Francisco's last public appearance took place during his brother's wake at the La Paz funeral home, where he was photographed with a visibly affected face.

The absence of Juan Carlos I in the final farewell

The chapel of rest set up at the San Isidro funeral home will become a meeting point for the aristocracy today, who will come to pay their respects to the late Duke of Seville. However, a notable absence will mark the farewell. Juan Carlos I, the deceased's cousin, will not be able to attend the funeral as he recently returned to Abu Dhabi after his last visit to Spain.

This detail has not gone unnoticed by many. The emeritus is once again unable to participate in significant family events due to his complicated personal situation and his residence in the United Arab Emirates.

Francisco de Borbón y Escasany: a life of lineage, business, and encounters with history

Francisco de Borbón y Escasany was not only recognized for his ties to the Royal Family and his title of Grandee of Spain. He also stood out as a brilliant businessman with a solid academic and professional background.

He held a degree in Economics from the University of Madrid and in History from the prestigious Sorbonne in Paris. The Duke of Seville developed an impressive career in the world of international finance that led him to reside in multiple countries.

For more than three decades, the aristocrat held the directorship of the London merchant bank Hill Samuel and Co. Limited, consolidating his reputation in the global financial sector. He also went on to chair the Miami National Bank as general manager and to assume the presidency of the Cannon Group Iberoamérica.

Juan Carlos I's cousin's business vision was not limited to the banking sector. Together with his brother Alfonso, he founded various companies that represented a significant diversification of his commercial interests.

Among his most notable projects is the Sociedad Internacional de Equipos Clínicos. With participation in the American Liberty de Equipos Clínicos in the United States, as well as Vapor S.A.

In his memoirs, published under the suggestive title Cuasi memorias in 2021, Francisco de Borbón revealed fascinating aspects of his cosmopolitan life. His privileged position allowed him not only to settle for long periods in France, England, Germany, and the United States but also to meet historical figures such as Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi.

A man of intense loves and a pain he could never overcome

The press always showed special interest in the Duke of Seville's tumultuous love life, who had three marriages throughout his life. His first union, celebrated in 1973, linked him to Central European aristocracy by marrying Countess Beatrice Wilhelmine Paula von Hardenberg-Fürstenberg. This relationship lasted for sixteen years until their divorce in 1989, from which his three children were born: Francisco, Olivia, and Cristina.

Just two years after ending his first marriage, the emeritus king's cousin remarried, this time to Isabelle Eugénie Karanitsch. However, this second marital attempt was short-lived, as the couple mutually agreed to divorce in 1993, without having any joint offspring.

The Duke's heart was rekindled in 2000, celebrating his third wedding with María de los Ángeles de Vargas-Zúñiga y Juanes. She was the granddaughter of the Count of Oliva de Plasencia, thus linking him once again to an important aristocratic family. Unfortunately, this relationship also did not prosper.

However, there is an event that deeply marked his life, which was undoubtedly the tragic and unexpected death of his daughter Cristina Elena de Borbón. On February 13, 2020, at the age of 44, the Duke's daughter lost her life in a fatal traffic accident in Madrid.

There is no doubt that the official confirmation of Francisco de Borbón y Escasany's death represents another loss for the Royal Family and especially for Juan Carlos I. His legacy as a businessman, aristocrat, and father leaves an indelible mark on the recent memory of the Spanish nobility. Now, his figure bids farewell in silence, but with the symbolic weight of one who was a witness to an era that also fades with him.