12/11/2015

A second funeral Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Rio Martin, Military Ordinary and Archbishop Castrense,for the sound of the late Infante Don  Carlos, Duke of Calabria, at 7.00 pm on 12 November in the Basilica of San Lorenzo de Escorial. There were approximately 800 mourners present at the ceremony, organised by the Royal Household with special seating for members of the Constantinian Order, which was represented by over 200 Knights, many of whom had travelled long distances to be there.

When the congregation was seated the family of the late Infante entered. Led by his widow and followed by the Duke and Duchess of Calabria, Princess Cristina and her his and Pedro López-Quesada, Archduchess MARIA accompanied by her husband Archduke Simeon, Princess Ines accompanied by her husband Michele dei Marchesi Carrelli Palombi, Princess Victoria accompanied by her husband Markos Nomikos and the Duke of Noto with his cousin Victoria López-Quesada y Borbón.

TM King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, accompanied by Infanta Elena, were greeted by the new Duke of Calabria and his sister Princess Cristina, and were escorted to their seats at the front of the congregation by the latter. TM King Felipe and Queen Letizia were greeted by the Duke of Calabria who accompanied them as they processed down the main aisle of the magnificent 16th century basilica which had been the site of so many Royal funerals in the past.

The family of the late Infante were seated in the south transept, along with the sisters of the late Infante and their cousins including Princess Chantal of Orléans and her husband François-Xavier de Sambucy de Sorgue among other close relations and the Duke of Alba, seated with the family as the most senior member of the Deputation of the Constantinian Order.

HMEmH the Prince Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta was represented by Don Francesco Moncada of the Princes of Paternò. The President of the Spanish Association of the Order of Malta also attended, as did the Duke of Hijar, President of the Deputation of Grandezas along with other members of the Deputation, as well as the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Education, Culture and Sport, and the presidents of the Senate and the Congress of Deputies.

Those attending included several senior members of the Order  included Infanta Pilar, Archduke István, Archduke Josef-Arpad, and Archduke Josef-Karl, the Duke (President of the Spanish Knights of the Order) and Duchess  of Hornachuelos, the Duke of  Pastrana (Auditor-General of the Royal Deputation) and the Duchess of Pastrana, Duke Diego de Vargas Machuca (President of the Italian Knights of the Order), Jorge Fernández Díaz (Minister of the Interior), Juan Abello, Baron Emmanuele Emanuele (Grand Treasurer), the Vice-Grand Chancellor and Sra Sainty, Amadeo Rey y Cabieses, Vice-Auditor-General, Carlo de Gregorio of the Princes of S. Elia (Delegate for Naples), and Florencio Alvarez Labrador, Secretary-General of the Deputation.

Following the ceremony TM the King and Queen gave a small reception in the old  Sacristy of the Monastery for family members, members of foreign royal families, senior members of the Constantinian Order and other senior dignitaries.

 
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08/10/2015

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