The royal families of Spain and the Two Sicilies reunite at the most anticipated aristocratic wedding of the year
Pedro López-Quesada, King Felipe VI of Spain, Victoria López-Quesada y de Bórbon-Dos Sicilias, Princess Cristina de Bourbon of the Two Sicilies and Pedro López-Quesada y de Bórbon-Dos Sicilias, brother of the bride in his Navy uniform (Photo: Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
Victoria López-Quesada brings together the royal family of the Two Sicilies and the royal family of Spain at her wedding
This Saturday, August 31, 2024, Victoria López-Quesada y de Bórbon-Dos Sicilias married Enrique Moreno de la Cova, in Madrid. The celebration took place in the afternoon, at the Soto Mozanaque estate, owned by the Duke of Albuquerque, in the Madrid region. The wedding has changed date and location several times, in order to coincide with the royal agenda. The presence of King Felipe VI was more than desired. The bride's father, Pedro López-Quesada, belongs to a prestigious family of Spanish high society. He is the president of the American investment bank Citi Group in Spain and is one of King Felipe's best friends.
King Felipe’s presence was not only due to his proximity to the bride’s father. Victoria López-Quesada is also a cousin of the royal family through her mother, Princess Cristina of Bourbon Two Sicilies. Princess Cristina married Pedro López-Quesada in 1994, and the couple have two children: Victoria (1997) and Pedro (2003). Prince Pedro, Princess Cristina’s brother, is the current Duke of Calabria, since his father’s death in 2015. On the Spanish side, King Felipe VI was present with his two sisters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina. Their mother, Queen Sofia, was also present. Queen Letizia, meanwhile, is ensuring a royal presence at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
The bride arrives on the arm of her father, one of King Felipe's close friends (Photo: Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
In 1700, King Louis XIV allowed his grandson, Philip V, to ascend the throne of Spain. From Philip V onwards, he and his descendants would reign over several European thrones, notably in Sicily, Naples and Parma, allowing the Bourbon dynasty to reign supreme over the Italian peninsula. The kingdoms of Naples and Sicily would merge in 1816 during the reign of Ferdinand I, Philip V's grandson. The Kingdom of Two Sicilies covered the southern half of the Italian peninsula. This large kingdom had nearly 10 million inhabitants when it was annexed to the new Kingdom of Italy, which was unified in the name of King Victor Emmanuel II of Sardinia of the Savoy dynasty in 1861.
The happy newlyweds: Victoria López-Quesada and Enrique Moreno de la Cova (Photo: Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
The Royal Family of the Two Sicilies and the Royal Family of Spain share a common history, both being branches of the Bourbon family of French origin. More recently, the two families have been brought together through marriages. Charles of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies (1870-1949) is the common ancestor of King Felipe VI and the bride Victoria. His daughter, Maria de las Mercedes is the mother of King Juan Carlos, while his son, Alfonso, is the grandfather of Princess Cristina, the bride's mother. King Juan Carlos is the first cousin of the bride's grandfather.
The Royal Family of the Two Sicilies and the Royal Family of Spain are descended from the Royal Family of France, through King Philip V, grandson of Louis XIV. Both families are also related to the Orléans branch of the French Royal Family. The Orléans branch descends from a brother of Louis XIV, titled Duke of Orléans. One of their descendants, Louis Philippe I, would later become King of the French. Juan Carlos' mother was the daughter of Prince Charles of the Two Sicilies and Princess Louise of Orléans, a descendant of Louis Philippe I. As for the bride, she too is related to the Orléans family. Princess Cristina is the daughter of Princess Anne of Orléans, herself the aunt of the Count of Paris, the current head of the French royal family.
Le mariage était célébré sur le domaine de Soto Mozanaque, appartenant à Juan Miguel « Ioannes » Osorio y Bertrán de Lis, du 19e duc d’Alburquerque (Photo : Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
Victoria López-Quesada's wedding dress, ancestral tiara and family veil
To make her wedding dress, Victoria called on the couturier of aristocrats, Lorenzo Caprile. On July 15, 1994, Princess Cristina married Pedro López-Quesada in a dress also made by Lorenzo Caprile. The couturier notably designed the wedding dress of Infanta Cristina of Spain, sister of Felipe VI, in 1997, that of Princess Carla for her marriage to Prince Kubrat of Bulgaria in 1993, and the dress worn by Queen Letizia in 2004 at the party organized the day before her marriage to King Felipe.
Photo of the bride and groom, Victoria and Enrique, on August 31, 2024 (Photo: Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
The bride also wore the family veil, in the shape of a triangle, with embroidered flowers. This veil was worn by her mother, Princess Cristina, and by her grandmother, Princess Anne of Orléans at her wedding to Carlos of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria. The bride's tiara is a jewel inherited from the Austrian imperial family, dating from the 18th century, which was given to Princess Alice of Bourbon-Parma, on the occasion of her marriage in 1936 to Alphonse of Bourbon, Duke of Calabria. Princess Alice's mother was Archduchess Marie-Anne of Austria, through whom the jewel was passed down.
Thirty years ago, Princess Cristina chose to wear this tiara in an original way. Dismantled from its structure, the tiara was held intertwined in the braid of her hair. Princess Anne of Orléans wore it on numerous occasions, both as a pendant on pearl necklaces and in other types of settings.
The Spanish Royal Family reunited with the Royal Family of the Two Sicilies. Seated, from left to right: Princess Cristina of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Infanta Elena of Spain, Duchess of Lugo, Dowager Duchess of Calabria, née Princess Anne of Orléans, Queen Sofia of Spain and Infanta Cristina of Spain. Standing behind, King Felipe VI and the bride and groom, surrounded by the bride's paternal family and the groom's family (Photo: Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
The bride is the daughter of Pedro López-Quesada, who comes from a family of aristocrats and businessmen. Pedro is a long-time friend of Felipe and is part of the same group of friends frequented by the sons of King Simeon II of Bulgaria. Many princes of Bulgaria, sons and grandsons of King Simeon II, attended this wedding. Pedro is also a patron of the Reina Sofía Higher School of Music. The groom, Enrique Moreno de la Cova, is the son of the Sevillian rancher Enrique Moreno de la Cova Maestre and the painter Cristina Ybarra y Sainz de la Maza.
This wedding was the most anticipated of the year among the Spanish aristocracy, rescheduled several times so that King Felipe could attend (Photo: Cortesía de la familia López-Quesada / Foto: Bibiana Fierro @bibianafierrophoto)
The closeness between the two families is expected to continue through the generations. The bride’s brother, also named Pedro, has just started school at the Naval Military School in Galicia, as has Princess Leonor. The Princess of Asturias and her cousin are expected to take part together in the training cruise on the Elcano training ship, starting in January 2025. For six months, they will live and study together at sea. Pedro López-Quesada attended his sister’s wedding in his white Navy uniform.
Cristina appears in a photo of the royal family for the first time since the Nóos affair
Since the wedding took place on a private estate, it was impossible for the press to get hold of the images. The only photos were taken when the guests arrived at the venue by car. On the night of Sunday to Monday, the family agreed to share photos taken by the official photographer of the event, Bibiana Fierro. In these photos, we see the two royal families together. On the Spanish side, it should be noted that this is the first official photo in which we can see Infanta Cristina posing alongside her family, and in particular with her brother Felipe, since November 2018. King Felipe was also photographed at the wheel of his car, when he arrived at the estate. In the passenger seat was his sister Cristina. Since the Nóos affair and the loss of her title of Duchess of Palma, Cristina has deliberately kept her distance from the sovereign.
King Felipe arrived at the estate in his Lexus, with Infanta Cristina in the passenger seat. King Felipe had not been seen by his younger sister since November 2018 (Photo: GTres/ABACAPRESS.COM)
Other guests who were seen arriving by car at the estate included Pedro and his wife Sofia, Duke and Duchess of Calabria, the bride's uncle and aunt. Also present were Teresa de Borbón-Dos Sicilias and Íñigo Moreno de Arteaga. Carlos Fitz-James Stuart and Belén Corsini, Count and Countess of Osorno were present. The Count of Osorno is the second son of the Duke of Alba.
Nicolas Fontaine
ROYAL ARTS VISIONS; The royal families of Spain and the Two Sicilies reunite at the most anticipated aristocratic wedding of the year