(Image source: Vanity Fair)
BY UNA LUE
ANCHOR AUSTIN Kim
You're watching multisource world news analysis from Newsy.
They say love is priceless.
Even so -- the media’s gaping at the story of a Spanish royal -- giving up her fortune -- to marry a civil servant.
The Guardian says the duchess is one of the richest women in Spain, and has more titles than the Queen.
“According to Guinness World Records, Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva … has more titles than any noble on earth, being a duchess seven times over, a countess 22 times and a marquesa 24. As head of the 539-year-old House of Alba, her privileges include not having to kneel before the pope and the right to ride on horseback into Seville cathedral.”
The 85-year-old Duchess of Alba is worth an estimated 600 million to 3.5 billion euros -- but apparently, not for long. Her wedding plan was vetoed -- by her children -- and to get around them, she plans to fork over their inheritance money early. Here’s the BBC on her beau.
“The duchess's six children have ... opposed her plans to wed Alfonso Diez, who is 24 years her junior. Mr Diez is a civil servant in the department of social security and also runs a PR business. The pair have been close friends for several years.”
Her children are reportedly concerned Mr. Diez is in it for the money.
Some reports say -- even the King of Spain is worried the duchess is head over heels. The Hindustan Times explains.
“In 2008 it appeared that the proposed marriage to Díez had been called off when the House of Alba issued a statement saying that the relationship ‘was based on a long friendship and there are no plans to marry’. The statement came after an alleged telephone call from King Juan Carlos discouraging the duchess from marrying Díez.”
The duchess reportedly argues -- each of her kids is divorced, even though she has never split up with any of her husbands. (Video: YouTube)
So exactly how much inheritance does true love run you?
According to a report published in Spanish newspaper El País...
“...the duchess has given her children and eight grandchildren ‘a palace each’ … as well as a chunk of the thousands of acres of Spain that she owns.”
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