Four Kings and Eight Queens led the Royal Guests and Relatives from around the world who joined the Spanish Royal Family for a spectacular Gala Dinner at Villamanrique de la Condesa’s Palace, on this day in 1995, 30 years ago, on the eve of the Wedding of Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, joined by their three children, then-Prince of Asturias, Infanta Cristina and Infanta Elena, as well as by Jaime de Marichalar, and his mother, the Dowager Countess of Ripalda, as they received the distinguished guests at the Palace’s Main pateo. The dinner was served in the main rooms of Villamanrique’s Palace, where the guests were sitting in round tables.
Around three hundred royal guests attended a Pre-Wedding Banquet hosted by Prince Pedro Gastão and Princess Esperanza of Orléans-Braganza, paternal great-uncle and great-aunt of the bride, at their property, in the outskirts of the city of Seville. This Palace has been the Andalusian gathering site for the Orleans Family for almost over two centuries.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, together with Queen Noor of Jordan, Queen Paola of the Belgians, Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands, the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, and King Constantine II of Greece and Queen Anne Marie.
Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar, together with Prince Albert of Monaco, Prince Henri and Princess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, and Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan.
The Prince of Asturias together with Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg, King Michael and Queen Anne of Romania, King Simeon and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria, Princess Marie of Liechtenstein and the Duke of Brabante.
Infanta Cristina with the Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, the Crown Prince and Princess of Cambodia, and Princess Margaretha and Prince Philippe of Liechtenstein.
The Infanta Elena wore the diamond and pearl drop earrings she received as an 18th birthday present, and a golden bracelet set with diamonds, a wedding gift from her paternal grandmother, the Countess of Barcelona.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia (wearing her Emerald Demi-Parure).
The Countess of Barcelona and her sister and brother in law, Princess Esperanza and Prince Pedro.
The Infanta Pilar (wearing Queen Isabella’s Emerald Earrings) and the Infanta Margarita, her husband, the Duke of Soria, and their children, María and Alfonso.
The Infanta Pilar’s eldest daughter, Simoneta (wearing her mother’s Diamond Earrings) and her husband, José Fernández Sastrón.
King Constantine II of Greece and Queen Anne Marie (wearing her part of Queen Alexandrine’s Diamond Sautoir and Queen Frederica’s Diamond Clips), and Princess Irene with Crown Prince Pavlos, and his then-fiancee, Marie-Chantal Miller, with Princess Alexia of Greece.
Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands and her sons, the Prince of Orange, Prince Friso, and Prince Constantjin.
Queen Paola of the Belgians (wearing her Diamond Necklace and Half-Moon Earrings) and her eldest son, the then-Duke of Brabante.
Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg (wearing Princess Ingeborg’s Emerald Brooch and Queen Astrid’s Emerald Earrings) and her children, Prince Henri and Princess Maria Teresa, Princess Margaretha and Prince Philippe of Liechtenstein, Princess Marie Astrid and Archduke Carl Christian of Habsburg, and Prince Guillaume and Princess Sibilla.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, and Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Martha-Louise of Norway.
Princess Marie of Liechtenstein (wearing her Diamond Earrings) and her daughter, Princess Tatiana.
Prince Albert of Monaco.
Empress Farah of Iran and Queen Noor of Jordan.
Prince Hassan and Princess Sarvath of Jordan.
King Simeon and Queen Margarita of Bulgaria with their children, Prince Kardam, Prince Konstantin and his wife, Prince Kiril and his wife, and Princess Kalina.
Archduchess Regina of Austria (wearing her Diamond Necklace) with her son Archduke Georg. Archduke Karl and his wife, Francesca.
Archduchess Sophie of Austria and her husband, Prince Mariano Hugo of Windisch-Graetz.
Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Princess Benedikte of Denmark.
The Countess of Paris (wearing her Diamond Riviere, Earrings, and Cross Brooch).
Duke Carl and Duchess Diane of Wurttemberg, and their children, Duke Eberhard and Duchess Mathilde and her husband, Count Enrich of Waldburg-Zeil.
Princess Beatrice of Orleans and the Duke of Braganza.
Prince Michael and Princess Marina of Greece (wearing her Van Cleef and Arpels Parure) and their daughters, Princess Olga and Princess Alexandra.
The Prince and Princess of Naples and their son, the Prince of Venice, and Princess Maria Gabriella of Savoy.
Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia and her mother, Princess Leonida Bagration.
The Crown Prince and Princess of Cambodia, and Princess Lalla Hasma of Morocco.
The Aga Khan IV
This article was written by assistant editor, David Rato, who runs the Spanish Royal Jewels account on Instagram!
