The children of Alfonso XIII of Spain

[lostfan]

King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie's oldest and youngest sons were hemophiliacs, and in Nicholas & Alexandra, Robert Massie writes that they were dressed in padded suits and sent out to play in the park, where the trees were also padded.

Are there photographs of the padded trees, and of the suits, with the princes wearing them? Did the Spanish people know about the condition of the boys? What was the reaction of their parents when they found out about their boys' condition?

[kmerov]

I think that Alfonso blamed his wife for the childrens diseases, and it drove them apart.
As for the people i think there was a rumor among them, that a man had to die every day to give his blood to the crown prince, or something like that!

[Eurohistory]

Rumors of this ilk where passed among the ignorant classes and it did little to protect the reputation of the royal family.

It is quite certain that Alfonso XIII was advised of the fact that his intended brode could be a carrier of the hemophilia gene...he did not marry Victoria Eugenia without knowing the information.

Arturo Beéche

[cimbrio]

I'm Spanish and I've heard these rumours several times (the killing of blood doners, padded trees...) To em they sound like total bull, I've never seen or heard anything from a reliable source and have been to Madrid...Frankly I can't imagine the trees in the Royal palace Park being padded! Alfonso certainly blaimed Ena for the hemophilia, but he ahd been advised not to amrry her before their wedding (especially by his aunts, who took opposing sides during the fight). Alfonso believed his wife not to eb a carrier and therefore went on as planned. Only when she ahd hemophiliac babies (first a hemophiliac son (his heir!), then a weak baby that went deaf being young, then a daughter, a stillborn son, another daughter, a healthy (finally!) son and another hemophiliac son) did he realise how (can I say wrong?) he ahd been... ah well, it's history

[Luke]

The Last And Extraordinary Interview With Infanta Beatriz by Hola Magazine - July 1999.

It is, fortunately, on the web.  You can read the interview here where the Infanta discusses her childhood, her relations with her mother and father, how Hitler told Mussolini she was an English spy and must be kicked out of Italy, her marriage, etc. (In Spanish)

www.fororeal.net/infbeatriz.htm

[otmafan]

I was reading Born to Rule and was curious to know more about Infante Jaime's deafness. What caused it and how did it affect him throughout the years (did he know sign language or lip reading like Alice of Greece)?

[Prince_Lieven]

I think the disease causing his deafness was something called mastodoids or mastodoitis or something like that. Further than that, I am afraid my medical knowlege is limited.

[Eurohistory]

Mastoiditis.  He needed ear surgery to correct the problem, but the doctors screwed up and left him deaf.  Many have assumed her was mute, but that was not the case.

Arturo Beéche

[TampaBay]

Mastoiditis.  He needed ear surgery to correct the problem, but the doctors screwed up and left him deaf.  Many have assumed her was mute, but that was not the case.

Arturo Beéche

Arturo

Did he not marry?  

Does not one of his male grandchildren have some type of claim to the French Throne.  

If I am lost again, I apologize in advance.

TampaBay

[Prince_Lieven]

He did marry. He married Emmanuela de Dampierre, thus giving up any right to the throne of Spain. He has two children - Alphonso, who was styled Duke of Anjou and Cadiz, and Gonzalo. Jaime claimed to be the senior heir of Hugh Capet, through his descent from Philippe of Bourbon, grandson of Louis XIV. The Orleans claimant to the French throne, though, pointed out that Philippe had given up any claim to the throne of France through his acceptance of the throne of Spain.

[Marlene]

Jaime gave up his rights two years before his marriage.

He did marry. He married Emmanuela de Dampierre, thus giving up any right to the throne of Spain. He has two children - Alphonso, who was styled Duke of Anjou and Cadiz, and Gonzalo. Jaime claimed to be the senior heir of Hugh Capet, through his descent from Philippe of Bourbon, grandson of Louis XIV. The Orleans claimant to the French throne, though, pointed out that Philippe had given up any claim to the throne of France through his acceptance of the throne of Spain.

[Eurohistory]

Arturo

Did he not marry?  

Does not one of his male grandchildren have some type of claim to the French Throne.  

If I am lost again, I apologize in advance.

TampaBay

You are not lost at all...don Jaime rennounced his Spanish rights (the only ones he was born with) soon after his eldest brother don Alfonso did the same to marry a Cuban girl.  At the time (early 1930's), and with the family in exile, King Alfonso XIII believed that radio was the only way the royal family could continue keeping in contact with its supporters in republican Spain.  Jaime having speech problems caused by his botched surgery, was thus not a suitable candidate to function as head of the family once the King passed.  The decision was made by the King to ask Jaime to rennounce to his Spanish claims, which he did, openning the door for don Juan, later known as the Count of Barcelona, to succeed the King his father as Head of Family.

Jaime was a troublesome presence within the family.  A dreadful husband and a quarrelsome brother, and a very absent father really.  His regal dreams in France, as well as those of his descendants, have been the cause of much torment to various branches of the family.

Arturo Beéche

[TampaBay]

Arturo,

Was it Jamie's son that married General Franco's granddaughter?  The Bourbons are so much easier when we stick to Marker's Mark & Jim Beam & Kentucky Tavern.

TampaBay

[Eurohistory]

Yes, the late Alfonso de Borbón y Dampierre was married to María del Carmen Martinez-Bordiu.

Arturo Beeche

[cimbrio]

His story is a bit confusing because Emanuela de dampierre was married off to him (i.e. it wasn't a love match apparently) but still he ahd to resign his rights to the throne. Also interesting to know is that his youngest son, Gonzalo, who died a few years ago, was the father of an illegitimate daughetr called Estefania (or Stephanie). I believe she has (or had, before she married anyway) the right to use the surname "de Borbon". However, she had two sons before getting married so they have (or had?) their mother's surname and are thus also styled De Borbon. The next children were born in wedlock. I don't know what ehr relationship with the Spanish Royal Family is like, nor with ehr cousin Luis Alfonso, the present Duke of Anjou.
D