Today marks the 120th Anniversary of the birth of Infanta Isabel Alfonsa of Spain, Countess Zamoyski, who was born on this day in 1904! Infanta Isabel Alfonsa was the daughter of Infante Carlos, nee Prince of Borbon-Two Sicilies, and Infanta Maria de las Mercedes, the eldest daughter of King Alfonso XII and Queen Maria Cristina. While not as famed as some of her royal relatives, the Infanta led a life deeply rooted in devotion to her family and faith. Married to Count Jan Zamoyski, she navigated the challenges of exile and political upheaval, yet remained committed to her charitable work and strong religious convictions throughout her singular life, so to mark the day, we are featuring her Seville Diamond and Pearl Brooch!
The wedding of Infanta Isabel Alfonsa of Bourbon to Count Jan Zamoyski, a Polish nobleman from a prestigious aristocratic family with deep roots in European royalty and nobility, which took place in Madrid on July 9, 1929, was one of the last grand royal events before the fall of the Spanish monarchy just two years later. While the celebration carried all the traditional splendour of a royal marriage, it was overshadowed by the recent death of her beloved grandmother, Queen Maria Cristina, to whom Isabel Alfonsa had been especially close. The Queen had passed away just a month earlier, casting a shadow of mourning over the court. The Spanish Royal Family, joined by guests from around Europe, temporarily set aside their mourning to honour the occasion, pausing their grief for one day to celebrate the marriage.
To mark the occasion, Infanta Isabel Alfonsa received a lavish corbeille de mariage, which had been carefully overseen by Queen Maria Cristina before her passing. In addition, Isabel Alfonsa gained access to an important collection of jewels inherited from her late mother, Infanta Maria de las Mercedes, which had been safeguarded by her grandmother for 25 years. Furthermore, she received her rightful share of Queen Maria Cristina’s jewels, including one of the Queen’s most prized tiaras, adding to the significance of her inheritance. The Infanta’s closest relatives, as well as Spanish institutions and authorities, also presented her with prized objects and jewels, which the press described quite meticulously:
“His Majesty the King, her godfather, gifted her a splendid Spanish-made auto-mobile. Yesterday, the Count of Bulnes, on behalf of the Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla, presented a valuable silver tray with the Maestranza’s coat of arms. The palace officials also gave Her Highness a tray of great value and artistic merit.
The Spanish nobility presented a magnificent gold bracelet adorned with diamonds and other precious stones, while Seville’s aristocracy gifted a beautiful gold handbag, decorated with diamonds, as well as an impressive tableware silver dinner service, with the coats of arms of the couple’s respective families engraved.
The Queen’s ladies-in-waiting gave her a magnificent diamond necklace with an aquamarine pendant. The daughters of the King and Queen gave their cousin two beautiful silver candelabras. Her Majesty Queen Victoria presented her niece with a magnificent pair of valuable antique earrings, featuring three rows of diamonds, and another pair made of splendid pearls with a precious diamond in each”.
In addition, the City Council of Seville, on behalf of the city and its citizens, the dearest place for the Infanta and her family, presented her with a jewel as a wedding gift:
“A commission of councillors visited Infante Carlos, Infanta Luisa and Infante Isabel Alfonsa at the Palace of the General Captaincy, to give their wedding present to the bride. Their Highnesses expressed their feelings of profound gratitude, asking the Mayor to extend it to the City Council and through the press, to the people of Seville for their delicate attention. The gift is a beautiful brooch with diamonds and pearls, with the symbol of the city in the centre. The Infanta gave the mayor an envelope containing 5000 pesetas to distribute among the poor”.
The NO8DO is a symbol of the city of Seville, deeply connected to its history and identity. The symbol consists of the letters “NO” and “DO,” separated by an image of a figure eight, which represents a skein of wool, or madeja in Spanish. The phrase is a visual pun that reads “No me ha dejado”—meaning “It has not abandoned me.” This motto is traditionally associated with King Alfonso X of Castile, who, according to legend, awarded Seville this motto in gratitude for the city’s loyalty during his endeavours against his son, Sancho IV, in the 13th century. The NO8DO symbol appears throughout the city, from lampposts to public buildings, and serves as a proud reminder of Seville’s steadfastness and rich historical heritage.
After the wedding ceremony, the Infanta, now Countess Zamoyski, and her husband, started their married life in the then Czechoslovakia, where the Count owned an imposing Castle, several properties, and a thermal spa, where the match invested a considerable sum of their private fortune to modernize it. World War II and the raising of Communism in central Europe truly affected the couple’s stability and finances, as they were forced to escape, leaving behind a major part of their possessions. With the aid of her parents, the Infanta and her children ended up relocating in Seville, adopting a less polished lifestyle, running a farm, while the Count separated from his family. Isabel Alfonsa was able to bring with her some of her prized jewels, including the Diamond and Pearl Brooch.
In December 1944, the Infanta wore the Seville Brooch for the wedding of her younger sister, Princess Esperanza, to Prince Pedro of Orléans Braganza.
In 1954, Isabel Alfonsa paired the Pearl and Diamond Brooch with a Sapphire Tiara, on loan from her sister, the Countess of Barcelona, for the Debutante Ball of Infanta Pilar, in Estoril. An occasion that many of her relatives would recall as special, as no one was used to see ‘Bela’ in a gala attire and jewels:
“She let herself be persuaded and groomed by her sisters who combed her hair, fixed her face and hands; Doña Isabel let them do it but while waiting she bit her lips to tone down the lipstick and with the backs of her hands outstretched, so that the nail polish wouldn’t run, she tried to flatten her hair; Don Pedro, always kind, said to her with pity: «But Bela, why did you let them do that?» – and she answered: «It’s because Charity also obliges the family»”.
“She dressed simply and never dressed up much. I remember an anecdote in Estoril, during the coming in society ceremony of the Infanta Pilar. Aunt Isabel was staying in a hotel and the Countess of Barcelona went to do her nails, for which she knelt down in front of her, but Aunt Isabel immediately said: «I will not allow you to do this, Maria, you are the one who has to sit and I should be on my knees», and she immediately did so”.
Isabel my sister, who was too simple, said that she did not like to dress elegantly, and then we, Alfonso and Dolores, my brothers, the Bavieras, Don José Eugenio and Marisol, decided to put her beautiful for this occasion. In the end she was looking great, just like La Chata! She spent the whole night tight-lipped because she said that the taste of the lipstick disgusted her. “
In 1962, the Infanta’s daughter, Countess Maria Teresa Zamoyska borrowed the Pearl and Diamond Brooch for the Wedding Gala of her cousin, Prince Juan Carlos, and Princess Sofia of Greece, in Athens. For that occasion, the young lady wore it as a headpiece, fixing it on her hair vertically.
Doña Isabel kept wearing her Seville Brooch until her later years, when she decided to offer it to the image of the Virgin of Rocío, one of the biggest devotions in the region of Andalusia. The piece is now part of Our Lady’s treasure. For special occasions, as the yearly procession, for Pentecost Monday, Infanta Isabel Alfonsa’s Pearl and Diamond Brooch can always be admired pinned to the Lady’s golden embroidered dress.
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
Infanta Isabel Alfonsa’s Diamond Brooch
Sapphire Tiara
