In the shadow of her famous sister Carmen and other members of the Franco clan, Maria Aranzazu, better known as Arancha Martinez-Bordiu, has always kept a low profile. She is the most private of all the children of Carmen Franco and the Marquis of Villaverde—a choice she made quite deliberately. Unlike her siblings, who actively cultivated public lives or profited from exclusive interviews, Arancha chose peace and quiet, far from the camera flashes.
When her grandfather, the dictator Francisco Franco, passed away, Arancha was only thirteen. As a result, her memories of him are limited to her childhood and early teenage years, far removed from the strict protocol of the El Pardo palace where her older relatives grew up. This fact largely shaped her life path and her reluctance to be in the spotlight. The media paid far less attention to her than to other family members, allowing her to preserve her privacy.
Despite her desire for privacy, Arancha maintains a very warm relationship with her sister Carmen, the former Duchess Franco. One of her rare public appearances was at Carmen’s wedding to José Campos, a photo from which graced the cover of ¡Hola! magazine. For many years, this magazine was closely linked to the family, but even that didn’t sway Arancha from her principles. Soon after, she withdrew completely from public life and moved to Portugal, where she now leads an almost anonymous existence. Nevertheless, she periodically returns to Spain to visit her loved ones.
Arancha’s personal life has always been kept out of the spotlight. She has only been married once. In her youth, she had several significant relationships, including with Adolfo, the brother of Miriam Ungría, and Alejo Martínez-Bordiú, son of the Baron de Gotor. Her last relationship faced family disapproval and did not progress. In her younger years, during the rise of the countercultural movement Movida Madrileña, Arancha found herself in different, more elite circles. She could be spotted in the trendy clubs Archy and Joy Eslava, which were also frequented by the then-Prince of Asturias and his sister, Infanta Cristina.
The only major social event where Arancha took center stage was her own wedding. The celebration took place on July 27, 1996, at a location deeply significant to the family — the Palacio de Meirás. Her chosen partner was Claudio Quiroga Ferro, son of Francisco Quiroga, who once served as CEO of the major energy company Unión Fenosa. This marriage connected Arancha to an influential business family, with whom she established an excellent relationship from the very beginning. In addition to family matters, Arancha has a passionate hobby — restoring paintings, an interest she shares with her sister Merry. Nevertheless, she has always remained involved in business affairs, actively managing the family’s real estate assets that the Franco clan has focused on in recent decades.
