Background
The Duke was son of Carlos María Fitz-James Stuart, 16th Duke of Alba and María del Rosario Falcó, 21st Countess of Siruela.
The Duke was son of Carlos María Fitz-James Stuart, 16th Duke of Alba and María del Rosario Falcó, 21st Countess of Siruela.
He was one of the most important aristocrats of his time, and held, among other titles, the Dukedoms of Alba de Tormes and Berwick, the Countship of Lemos, Lerín and Montijo and the Marquessate of Carpio. He served as Lord of the Bedchamber to the young King Alfonso XIII, who had acceded on his birth. In May 1902 royal visitors came to Madrid for the festivities to mark the King´s birthday and enthronement.
Between 2 February 1930 and 18 February 1931 Alba was Foreign Minister in Spain.
Alba became General Franco"s official representative in London. He was still the Ambassador there in 1939, when Neville Chamberlain"s cabinet formally gave Franco"s Nationalists diplomatic recognition.
Following World World War II, Alba"s relations with Franco markedly cooled, the result of Alba supporting a prompt monarchist restoration much more than Franco did. He was a leading guest at the 1947 wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Titles = Dukedoms = Count-Dukedoms = Marquisates = Countships = Viscountcies = Baronies Styles The Most Excellent The Duke of Huéscar (1878–1901).
The Most Excellent The Duke of Alba de Tormes (1901–1953). His Grace The Duke of Berwick (1901-1953).
Dukedoms = 17th Duke of Alba, Grandee of Spain 13th Duke of Huéscar, Grandee of Spain -Ceded to his grandson Don Carlos 10th Duke of Berwick, Grandee of Spain (Jacobite Peerage) 10th Duke of Liria and Jérica, Grandee of Spain 10th Duke of Montoro, Grandee of Spain -Ceded to his daughter Doña Cayetana 2nd Duke of Arjona, Grandee of Spain = Count-Dukedoms = 11th Count-Duke of Olivares, Grandee of Spain = Marquisates = 16th Marquis of the Carpio, Grandee of Spain 22nd Marquis of Coria 19th Marquis of Ardales -Ceded to his sister Doña Sol 19th Marquis of la Mota 19th Marquis of Moya 18th Marquis of Sarria 17th Marquis of Barcarrota 17th Marquis of Villanueva del Fresno 16th Marquis of Villanueva del Río 15th Marquis of la Albaga 13th Marquis of Eliche 13th Marquis of San Leonardo 11th Marquis of Osera 11th Marquis of Tarazona = Countships = 21st Count of Lemos, Grandee of Spain 21st Count of Siruela, Grandee of Spain 19th Count of Lerín, Grandee of Spain, Constable of Navarre 19th Count of Osorno, Grandee of Spain 15th Count of Monterrey, Grandee of Spain 24th Count of San Esteban de Gormaz 20th Count of Miranda del Castañar 20th Count of Modica (Kingdom of Sicily) 19th Count of Villalba 18th Count of Andrade 17th Count of Gelves 16th Count of Galve 15th Count of Casarrubios del Monte 15th Count of Fuentes de Valdepero 13th Count of Ayala 11th Count of Santa Cruz de la Sierra 10th Count of Fuentidueña 10th Earl of Tinmouth (Jacobite Peerage) = Viscountcies = 11th Viscount of la Calzada = Baronies = 10th Baron Bosworth (Jacobite Peerage).
Real Academia Española. Real Academia de la Historia. Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.
