La Duquesa (2010) (2011)

Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart was born in 1926. Her mother died in 1934, when Cayetana was still a child. Her father, who was the 17th Duke of Alba, died in 1953.

Cayetana inherited the title from her father, who was a Duke. Since was a woman, she was a Duchess.

The Spanish word for a Duchess is Duquesa. Cayetana was the 18th Duchess of Alba until her death in 2014. In Spain she was known as La Duquesa.

She was married three times:

The first husband

Luis Martinez de Irujo (1919-1972)

Cayetana and Luis were married in 1947, only two years after the end of World War Two. They were married until his death in 1972. The couple had six children. Five sons and one daughter.

The second husband

Jesus Aguirre y Ortiz de Zarate (1934–2001)

Cayetana and Jesus were married in 1978. They were married until his death in 2001. The couple did not have any children.

The third husband

Alfonso Diez Carabantes (born 1950)

Cayetana and Alfonso were married in 2011, when she was more than 80 years old. They were married until her death in 2014. Obviously, the couple did not have any children.

The story of her colourful and dramatic life is told in a television series which was shown on Spanish television a few years ago: La Duquesa

There are two seasons:

** Season 1 (two episodes) premiered in 2010

** Season 2 (two episodes) premiered in 2011

The series covers the life of Cayetana from 1926, when she was born, until the death of her second husband in 2001.

The final years of her life (2001-2014) are not covered in the series. This is why the third marriage (2011-2014) is not covered in the series.

Here is some basic information about the series:

** Director = Salvador Valverde Calvo

** Writers = Antonio Hernandez Centeno and Carmen Pombero

** Language = Spanish

** Run time of season one: 77 + 72 minutes

** Run time of season two: 70 + 81 minutes

** Total run time: 300 minutes

The cast includes the following:

** Adriana Ozores as Cayetana (adult)

** Irene Visedo as Cayetana (young)

** Carmen Sanchez as Cayetana (child)

** Manuel de Blas as Jacobo Fitz-James y Falco - the 17th Duke of Alba and the father of Cayetana

** Roberto Enriques as Luis Martinez de Irujo - the first husband

** Carlos Hipolito as Jesus Aguirre y Ortez de Zarate - the second husband

** Diego Martin as Carlos Fitz-James Stuart - the oldest son of Cayetana, born in 1948, and since 2014 the 19th Duke of Alba

The series was created while Cayetana was still alive.

She worked with the television team and gave the team permission to film many scenes inside two famous palaces which are owned by the House of Alba:

** Liria Palace in Madrid

** Las Dueñas Palace in Seville

But when she saw the television series in 2010 and 2011, she was not happy. She complained strongly about the way in which her second husband Jesus Aguirre was presented.

She said the presentation of this person was too negative. She said he should have been presented in a more positive way.

What do reviewers say about this historical drama?

Here are two answers:

** 63 percent = IMDb

** 88 percent = Amazon UK

In my opinion, the rating on IMDb is too low, while the rating on Amazon is too high.

I want to find a position between the two cases. I think this series deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).

REFERENCES

Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart – the 18th Duchess of Alba

Carlos Fitz-James Stuart – the 19th Duke of Alba

The House of Alba

Palacio de Liria