Seventy years ago, the exiled Spanish Royal Family, Spanish Aristocracy, and the leading Italian Noble Families got together for a dazzling Gala at the magnificent renaissance Palazzo Torlonia in the heart of the city of Rome to celebrate the 18th Birthday and the debut into society of Doña Alessandra (Sandra) Torlonia, the eldest granddaughter of King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain.
Princess Sandra was the eldest daughter of Alessandro Torlonia, V Prince of Civitella-Cesi, and Infanta Beatriz of Spain. Her beauty was much admired by the international press, who were frequently fabricating stories of hypothetical high-profile pretenders for the Italian young lady, namely the still-single King Baudoin of the Belgians.
Her Debutante Ball generated plenty of interest from the media. As Julián Cortes Canavillas, ABC’s correspondent at the event would recall:
“Doña Alessandra Torlonia y Borbón, a blonde and beautiful eighteen-year-old girl, dressed for the first time a candid woman’s gown in the historical venue of an ancient Roman palace. For the debut of Princess Sandra, the ancient names of booming titles of the patriciate of Rome had taken out of from their cases the most precious jewels on Sunday night. In the salons, very rich in Spanish memorabilia – paintings, flags, portraits and reliquaries – around the slender Sandra Torlonia, with any other adornment on her snow dress except her graceful youth, a party was thrown in the style of the old Europe”.
Many bejewelled Italian aristocratic ladies were photographed arriving at Palazzo Torlonia. They were followed by the Spanish Royal Family, from whom Queen Victoria Eugenie was the most awaited invitee. The ABC chronic continues:
“Among so many Roman princesses, young and beautiful, only one serene figure shone in august old age with more solemnity than all. It was Queen Victoria Eugenie. On her head sparked the tiara that Madrid’s sun has fallen in love with, made of turquoises and diamonds. Around her neck, the famous necklace with her treasured “chatones”. Her presence was everything at the Torlonia Palace party. When the grand lady arrived, all the heads of the historical titles were bowing in the besamano, first, her children, Infanta Beatriz, as the hostess, and her husband, Prince Alessandro, the Count and Countess of Barcelona and Infanta María Cristina. Then, her grandchildren: the celebrated Alessandra, the Infantita María del Pilar, Prince Don Alfonso, son of Don Jaime, and Prince Marco and Prince Marino. Then, the remaining guests: Ambassadors, Roman Princes and those who had received the honour of joining in the party”.
Queen Victoria Eugenie was wearing some of her most treasured pieces of jewellery, namely her Chaumet Turquoise Tiara, paired with her Cartier Diamond Stomacher, her Bulgari Diamond Earrings, her Bulgari Diamond Twin Bracelets and her treasured Diamond Rivieres.
Infanta Beatriz also wore her most import jewellery set, the Aquamarine Parure she received as a wedding gift from her mother, Queen Ena. However, Princess Torlonia decided to play a bit with the stones from the Parure’s Tiara, deciding to remove them from the diamond-set circles and attaching them upright on her Bulgari Diamond Necklace.
Infanta Maria Cristina, Countess of Marone, went Tiara-less for the event. For instance, Doña Cristina wore an Emerald Necklace from the collection of Infanta Isabel paired with Diamond Earrings and Diamond Bracelets.
The Countess of Barcelona wore (for the first and only time which we are aware) the Sapphire Tiara she inherited from her mother, together with her Diamond Rivière and her long Diamond Earrings, also a maternal inheritance. Infanta Pilar would celebrate her Debutante Ball later this year. Because of that, she was not wearing a Tiara.
The ABC chronic ends:
“Like the old worldly chroniclers of the XIX century, I would say that the ladies were all “as one would appreciate” and that “the chronicler does not dare to describe the dresses and jewellery.” The fundamental thing for a Spaniard present there was represented by the beautiful debutante and her close relatives. Also, the wonderful oil painting of King Alfonso XIII signed by Benedito, as well as the solemn luminosity of Sorolla’s canvas, reflecting the full beauty of Queen Victoria Eugenie, and the purple flag of the Kingdom Castile that flew for the last time on April 15, 1931, on the cruise ship “Prince Alfonso” carrying our noble King into exile”.
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
