Carlos Fitz-James Stuart, 19th Duke of Alba


Carlos Fitz-James Stuart y Martínez de Irujo, 19th Duke of Alba, GE, is a Spanish aristocrat. He is the head of the House of Alba, one of the most prominent families of the Spanish nobility.

Life and career

He was born in Madrid and is the eldest son of Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba and her first husband,, a younger son of the 9th Duke of Sotomayor. In 1951, he became the 14th Duke of Huéscar – a title which was ceded to him by his grandfather, Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba and 13th Duke of Huéscar. He is a direct descendant of James II of England.
He obtained a degree in law at the Complutense University of Madrid and now works as an adviser for several cultural institutions, such as the Hispania Nostra Foundation, the Valencia de Don Juan Institute, and the Hispanic Society of America. He is in charge of the House of Alba Foundation and, thus, in principle of a great deal of the significant House of Alba heritage and patrimony. He is also a Knight of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla.
Upon the death of his mother in 2014, he was first in line to succeed as 19th Duke of Alba and also to inherit 38 other titles. The succession to most of the titles was officially confirmed in 2015 except for the Lordship of Moguer and the County of Modica that have been inherited traditionally. Later in 2015, he ceded two titles – Duke of Huéscar to his elder son and heir apparent Fernando, and Count of Osorno to his younger son Carlos.

Family

On 13 June 1988, he married Matilde de Solís-Beaumont y Martínez de Campos in the Seville Cathedral. She is the daughter of Fernando de Solís y Atienza, 10th Marquess of la Motilla, and his wife Isabel Martínez de Campos Rodríguez, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Seo de Urgel.
The couple had two sons before their marriage was annulled in 2004:
Subsequently, between 2004 and 2006, he maintained a friendly relationship with Alicia Koplowitz, a Spanish businesswoman who ranked as Spain's richest woman in the Forbes World's Richest People list.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles

;Dukedoms
;Count-Dukedoms
;Marquessates
  • 17th Marquess of Carpio, Grandee of Spain
  • 17th Marquess of La Algaba
  • 19th Marquess of Barcarrota
  • 11th Marquess of Castañeda
  • 24th Marquess of Coria
  • 15th Marquess of Eliche
  • 17th Marquess of Mirallo
  • 21st Marquess of la Mota
  • 21st Marquess of Moya
  • 13th Marquess of Osera
  • 15th Marquess of San Leonardo
  • 20th Marquess of Sarria
  • 13th Marquess of Tarazona
  • 16th Marquess of Valdunquillo
  • 19th Marquess of Villanueva del Fresno
  • 18th Marquess of Villanueva del Río
;Countships
;Viscountcies
  • 13th Viscount of la Calzada
;Lordship
  • 30th Lord of Moguer

Honours