Prince Ataúlfo of Orléans


Prince Ataúlfo of Orléans, was a Spanish prince, the youngest son of Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera and Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh. He was President of Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro from 1962 to 1966.

Life and family

He was born in Madrid, as the third and last son of Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera and Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He was named after king Athaulf, who ruled the Visigothic Kingdom from 410 to 415.
Although he was not made an Infante like his eldest brother, Alfonso XIII gave him and his other brother Alonso the same privileges and honours. His godparents were Infante Carlos of the Two-Sicilies, and Isabella de Borbón. Prince Ataúlfo was a student at Sandroyd School in Wiltshire.
He was idolised by Priscilla Scott-Ellis who was not deterred by his mother who hinted that he was not interested. He would later reveal his homosexuality.
When the Spanish Civil War broke out, Prince Ataúlfo volunteered in the Condor Legion, the German volunteer unit that was sent by Hitler to repel Communism in Spain. Only he and two of his cousins, Luis Alfonso and José Eugenio of Bavaria represented the Spanish royal family in Francoist official acts, due to the pro-democratic views held by most of the royal family. He was followed to Spain by Priscilla Scott-Ellis who volunteered as a nurse mainly to be near him. In time she married another Spanish aristocrat.
He died in Málaga the 8th of October 1974 as a result of pancreatitis.

Honours