Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera

Alfonso de Orleans y Borbón, Infante of Spain, Duke of Galliera (November 12, 1886 – August 6, 1975) was a Spanish infante and a military aviator.

Early life

Alfonso was born in Madrid, Spain, the elder son of Infante Antonio de Orleans-Galliera y Borbón and of his wife, Infanta Eulalia of Spain. ["The Times" (November 13, 1886): 5.] On his paternal side he was a grandson Antoine, Duke of Montpensier, while on his maternal side he was a grandson Queen Isabella II of Spain. On November 30, 1886, in the Royal Palace of Madrid, he was baptised with the names "Alfonso María Francisco Antonio Diego". ["Spain", "The Times" (December 1, 1886): 5.]

In 1899 Alfonso and his younger brother Luís Fernando were sent to England to be educated by the Jesuits at Beaumont College. [Bernardo Rodríguez Caparrini, "A Catholic Public School in the Making", "Paedagogica Historica" 39 (December 2003): 743.] They remained there until 1904.

Aviation career

In 1906 Alfonso graduated from the Academia Militar de Toledo (Military Academy of Toledo). In 1910 he trained as a pilot in France. Upon returning to Spain, be successfully become one of the first and most distinguished aviators in the Spanish military. He served as chief of aerial operations for the 1925 amphibious landings at Al Hoceima in Morocco.

In May 1930 Alfonso was a passenger on the "Graf Zeppelin" flight from Seville to Brazil. ["20 Engage Passage for Ocean Flight", "The New York Times" (May 19, 1930): 5; "Zeppelin Flies to Seville", "The New York Times" (May 20, 1930): 1.] He then continued in the "Graf Zeppelin" to New York City and visited President Herbert Hoover in Washington, D.C., before returning to Spain.

On February 27, 1931, Alfonso was named Chief of Staff of the Spanish Air Force and Commander of the First Aero District by his cousin King Alfonso XIII. ["King Makes Cousin Madrid Air Chief", "The New York Times" (February 28, 1931): 20.]

After the founding of the Second Spanish Republic on April 14, 1931, Alfonso was exiled to London. When he returned to Spain in 1932, he was imprisoned at Villa Cisneros (now Dakhla, Western Sahara). On January 1, 1933, Alfonso and some thirty other monarchist prisoners escaped in a boat, travelling 1800 miles to Lisbon. ["Ragged Spanish Grandees Tell of Escape", "The New York Times" (January 16, 1933): 1.]

In 1937 after the start of the Spanish Civil War Alfonso returned to Spain to head the aerial forces of General Francisco Franco. At the end of the war, he was promoted to general. He was made head of the Second Division Air Force in 1940. Three years later, he was promoted to brigadier general.

For many years Alfonso was the unofficial representative in Spain of the Count of Barcelona, the son and heir of King Alfonso XIII. In 1941 Alfonso was godfather for the Count of Barcelona's younger son Alfonso. [José María Zavala, "Dos infantes y un destino" (Barcelona: Planez & Janés, 1998), 101.] In 1945, Alfonso resigned his position in the Spanish Air Force to show his support for the Estoril Manifesto, a manifesto of the Count of Barcelona arguing for the restoration of the monarchy. This decision put an end to his military career although he continued to pilot aircraft as a civilian.

Marriage and children

On July 15, 1909, Alfonso married Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1884-1966), daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (second son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom). ["The Marriage of Princess Beatrice of Coburg", "The Times" (July 17, 1909): 5; "Princess Beatrice Married", "The New York Times" (July 16, 1909): 4.] There was a civil ceremony in Schloss Rosenau, followed by a Catholic religious ceremony in St. Augustine's Church in Coburg, and finally a Protestant religious ceremony in Schloss Callenberg.

"The New York Times" reported that Alfonso did not have the permission of his cousin King Alfonso XIII of Spain to marry and that he had been "stripped of his Spanish honours and decorations". ["Alfonso Punishes Prince", "The New York Times" (July 18, 1909): C4.] Beatrice had been raised Protestant, and chose not to convert to Catholicism. ["Princess Held to Faith", "The New York Times" (July 19, 1909): 1.] Several days after the marriage it was revealed that King Alfonso XIII had no personal objection to the marriage: indeed, he encouraged it and used his influence to obtain a dispensation so as to allow a Catholic ceremony. Nevertheless, the Spanish government insisted that the marriage of a Spanish "infante" to a Protestant could not receive official approval. ["King Alfonso Aided Cousin's Marriage", "The New York Times" (July 24, 1909): 4.]

Alfonso was removed from his regiment as a consequence of his marriage. "The Times" reported that he would also be "tried by a disciplinary council for marrying without the permission of the military authorities." ["The Spanish Royal Marriage", "The Times" (July 19, 1909): 5.]

Alfonso and Beatrice had three children:
* Álvaro de Orleans, 6th (4th) Duke of Galliera (April 20, 1910 - August 22, 1997)
* Afonso de Orleans (May 28, 1912 - November 18, 1936)
* Ataulfo de Orleans (October 20, 1913 - October 8, 1974)

In 1911 Alfonso was restored to the rank of lieutenant in the army. In 1912 King Alfonso XIII issued a decree restoring his title. ["Prince Goes to the Front", "The New York Times" (September 15, 1913): 1.]

In August 1913 Beatrice was received into the Catholic Church. ["Princess to Enter Catholic Church", "The New York Times" (August 15, 1913): 4.]

Trip to North America

In 1928 Alfonso visited North America accompanied by his wife and eldest son. ["Alfonso's Cousin Will Tour America", "The New York Times" (October 22, 1928): 4.] The visit was intended to be a preliminary to a visit by King Alfonso XIII which never occurred. On November 13 they arrived in New York City, where they stayed at the home of General Cornelius Vanderbilt. ["Royal Visitors from Spain Due Here Nov. 13", "The New York Times" (November 3, 1928): 25; "Mrs. C. Vanderbilt Dines Royal Party", "The New York Times" (November 16, 1928): 34.] They were then the guests of Percy Rivington Pyne, II, at his country home in Roslyn, Long Island. ["Spanish Royalties Honored at Dinner", "The New York Times" (November 21, 1928): 33.] They proceeded to Philadelphia where they were the guests of Joseph E. Widener. Later they visited Washington, D.C. (where they met Vice President and Mrs. Charles G. Dawes), Boston, Montreal (where they met the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, Narcisse Pérodeau), Detroit, and Niagara Falls. They left New York City and returned to Spain on December 7. ["Spanish Royalty to be Here Today", "The New York Times" (December 6, 1928): 41.]

Death

In 1975 Alfonso died of a heart attack at his palace in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. ["Prince Alfonso de Orleans", "The New York Times" (August 7, 1975): 29.]

The Fundación Infante de Orleans, a foundation dedicated to the preservation of historical aircraft in Spain, established in 1989, is named in his honour.

Notes

Bibliography

* "Viaje a los Estados Unidos de S.S.A.A.R.R. los infantes don Alfonso y doña Beatriz de Orleáns y su hijo el príncipe don Álvaro = Trip to the United States of Their R.H. the Infantes Don Alfonso y Doña Beatriz de Orleans and their son the Prince Don Alvaro". Paris, 1929.

External links

* Yusta Viñas, Cecilio. [http://www.fio.es/el%5Finfante/ El Infante] . From the website of the Fundación Infante de Orleans.
* [http://www.fio.es/ Fundación Infante de Orleans.]