06 MAR 2024
A tribute & memorial website to honour​ - Lord Louis MOUNTBATTEN, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma
QUEEN VICTORIA EUGÉNIE OF SPAIN
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Throughout the latter part of her life, Victoria Eugénie spent most of her time with her family and enjoyed being a grandmother. She also became busy on the social scene of society and in particular became very close to Princess Grace of Monaco, the former Hollywood film star Grace Kelly (1929-1982), who in 1956 married Prince Ranier III of Monaco (1923-2005). In March 1958, Victoria Eugénie became a god-mother to Prince Ranier’s heir - Prince Albert, who later succeeded his father in 2005 as Prince Albert II (b.1958). Victoria Eugénie was also god-mother to Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón (1928-2014), who later married King Baudouin of the Belgians (1930-1993).
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ABOVE: Queen Victoria Eugénie
with her grandson -
Infante Juan Carlos,
later King Juan Carlos I of Spain
ABOVE RIGHT:
The 1967 portrait of Queen Victoria Eugénie by Ricardo Macarrón
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ABOVE & RIGHT:
Queen Victoria Eugénie holding
her great-grandson - Infante Felipe,
later King Felipe VI of Spain
at his baptism in February 1968
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Queen Victoria Eugénie of Spain
Queen Victoria Eugénie with (right) Princess Grace of Monaco
(the former Hollywood actress Grace Kelly) in May 1967
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ABOVE & LEFT:
Queen Victoria Eugénie from a Life Magazine photoshoot
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In February 1968, Victoria Eugénie returned to Spain for the first time since leaving to go into exile in April 1931 for the baptism of her great-grandson Infante Felipe, later King Felipe VI of Spain (b.1968). Whilst in Spain, she stayed at the Palacio de Liria with another of her god-daughters - Doña María Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes (1926-2014). Large crowds turned out at the Palace of Zarzuela, Madrid to see Victoria Eugénie and members of the Royal Family for this event - but little did many know that this would be one of her last public appearances.
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Victoria Eugénie returned to her home in Lausanne after her brief visit to Spain but soon her health began to deteriorate. She became seriously ill on 1st March 1969 and later lapsed into a coma. Victoria Eugénie died on 15th April 1969 aged 81yrs, at her Swiss home (38 years to the day that she had been forced to leave Spain in 1931).
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Victoria Eugénie was initially buried at the cemetery of the Church of the Sacré Coeur, Lausanne, Switzerland, close to her beloved Swiss home. However, on 25th April 1985 her remains were returned to Spain at the request of her grandson - King Juan Carlos I of Spain (b.1938) and re-interred next to the remains of her late husband - King Alfonso XIII of Spain and her three sons who predeceased her, within the Royal Vaults at the Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Madrid, Spain.
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Mourners at the funeral of Queen Victoria Eugénie of Spain -
(left to right) Prince Edward, 2nd Duke of Kent; Mountbatten; Princess Grace of Monaco
& Prince Albert of Monaco, Marquis of Baux, later Prince Albert II of Monaco
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A short film (no audio) by Pathé
about the funeral of Queen Victoria Eugénie
in Lausanne, Switzerland in April 1969
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The Royal Vaults within
The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain
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The sarcophagus of Queen Victoria Eugénie in the The Royal Vaults
within The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain
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A new six-part costume drama called "Ena" - about the tumultuous events between 1905-1945 in the life of Victoria Eugénie is being filmed by Spanish broadcaster RTVE. Taking the leading role is Canarian actress Kimberley Tell (b.1989), with the role of King Alfonso XIII played by Joan Amargós (b.1990). Filming will continue until December 2023.
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ABOVE: Kimberley Tell in the role of Queen Victoria Eugénie
in the forthcoming TV drama "Ena"
LEFT: Joan Amargós
in the role of King Alfonso XIII
with Kimberley Tell
as Queen Victoria Eugénie
in the forthcoming TV drama "Ena"
