The Spanish book market is experiencing a real memoir boom. Ahead of the holiday season, many well-known personalities have published their recollections, sparking renewed public debate about events from days gone by. Among them, the books by Mar Flores and Isabel Preysler stood out, but the real sensation came from the posthumous revelations of the Duke of Sevilla, who passed away in May last year just ten days after his brother Alfonso.
In his memoirs, Francisco de Borbón Escasany, father of Olivia and Francisco de Borbón, for the first time gave a detailed account of his romantic relationship with Beatriz Preysler. The sister of “the queen of gloss” Isabel passed away in 2011 at the age of 53 after battling lung cancer. This loss was yet another in a series of family tragedies for the Preysler-Arrastia clan, which had previously lost two more of Isabel’s siblings, the last of whom, Carlos, also died of cancer in 2013.
The Duke of Sevilla, known for his sociable and open character, gave an interview shortly before his death to mark the release of his book, “Almost Memoirs.” He admitted that the idea to write an autobiography wasn’t his, but rather came from close friends who encouraged him to share the story of his remarkable life. The main goal of this work was to leave his children and grandchildren an honest account of what he experienced, described—by his own words—wholeheartedly and with a clear mind, despite his advanced age.
All three of his children found a place within the pages of the book. He spoke with bitterness about his daughter Cristina, who passed away suddenly in 2020, describing her as a “fragile soul” and admitting he had never come to terms with the pain of her loss. He spoke warmly of Olivia de Bourbon, who moved to Madrid to live with him after her parents’ divorce, and of his son Francisco, the future heir to his title. He also did not ignore his former wives. About his first wife, Beatriz von Hardenberg, he wrote that she was a shy woman who eventually transformed into an eccentric socialite, throwing flamenco parties with Lola Flores and walking a pig through Marbella. He described his second wife, Isabel Caranich—whom he was married to for only a few months—as an evil genius he was madly in love with.
However, the most touching words were dedicated to Beatriz Preysler. Their relationship was complicated by external circumstances. Beatriz was married to polo player Luis Castillejo, the father of her two sons, and, like her sister, was constantly under paparazzi scrutiny. The Duke admitted that he liked Beatriz much more than Isabel, both in appearance and personality. Unfortunately, life’s hardships prevented their romance from blossoming. Beatriz’s tragic death was a heavy blow for her children. Her son, Álvaro Castillejo, later said in an interview that they learned to live with the loss, and that his aunt, Isabel Preysler, became a second mother to them.
