Edelmira Sampedro y Robato
Encyclopedia
Edelmira Ignacia Adriana de Sampedro-Ocejo y Robato (Sagua La Grande
, 5 March 1906 - Coral Gables
, Miami, Miami-Dade County
, Florida
, 23 May 1994) was known as Countess of Covadonga after her marriage to Alfonso, Prince of Asturias in 1933.
The Countess was the daughter of a Cuba
n merchant
, Luciano de Sampedro y Ocejo, later hyphenated to de Sampedro-Ocejo, and wife Edelmira Robato y Turro, later hyphenated Robato-Turro. She was a cousin of Jorge Mañach y Robato
. She met the Prince at a Lausanne
sanatorium
where he was being treated for his haemophilia
. They saw each other one night at a cinema in the Swiss city of Lausanne and they fell in love.
Everything was adverse for this young couple from the beginning. The Spanish royal family did not accept the engagement and Edelmira soon had to suffer pressure from the messengers of Alfonso XIII
, already exiled in Paris
, who took away from his son his five cars, noticeably curtailed his monthly allowance and definitively obliged him to give up his right to succession. No one from the Royal House attended the religious or civil wedding in Ouchy
, Lausanne
, Switzerland
on 21 June 1933, and the invitations that the Count of Covadonga sent to friends and acquaintances were returned to him “with regret”. In the face of his father's bitter opposition to the match, the Prince was quoted: "I love her and want to marry her. Let Juan have the throne.".
On the one hand, Edelmira’s disproportionate jealousy and on the other hand, the haemophilia suffered by Alfonso, would make their life together very difficult. The couple broke up from time to time but they always got back together until 1937 when she accused him of having another woman. It was the end. In New York City
, Alfonso requested the marriage to be nullified and in Havana, Edelmira asked for a divorce, which eventually came on 8 May 1937. On that particular occasion, Edelmira's accusation was based on fact. Alfonso was secretly seeing another Cuban lady, model
Marta Ester Rocafort-Altazarra
(18 September 1913 – 4 February 1993). They would get married on 3 June 1937 in Havana
and divorce a few months later.
Alfonso died later die from his injuries from a car accident in Miami on 6 September 1938. He was entombed at Woodlawn Park Cemetery and Mausoleum (now Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Park North Cemetery and Mausoleum
) in Miami (In 1985, he was re-entombed in the Pantheon of the Princes in El Escorial
, with Edelmira attending). After her divorce and his death the Royal family of Spain treated her well and accorded her all the rights of a widow in the royal family. She never gave an interview in over 60 years and never re-married. When Alfonso's mother Queen Victoria Eugenie died Edelmira was left some jewellery. She first lived in Havana and after the Cuban Revolution
at 710 Malaga Avenue in Coral Gables, Florida until her death.
Sagua La Grande
Sagua La Grande is a municipality and city located on the north coast of the province of Villa Clara in central Cuba, on the Sagua la Grande River. The city is close to Mogotes de Jumagua, limestone cliffs...
, 5 March 1906 - Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, Miami, Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, 23 May 1994) was known as Countess of Covadonga after her marriage to Alfonso, Prince of Asturias in 1933.
The Countess was the daughter of a Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, Luciano de Sampedro y Ocejo, later hyphenated to de Sampedro-Ocejo, and wife Edelmira Robato y Turro, later hyphenated Robato-Turro. She was a cousin of Jorge Mañach y Robato
Jorge Manach
Jorge Mañach y Robato was a Cuban writer and attorney, considered among the most distinguished of his time...
. She met the Prince at a Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
sanatorium
Sanatorium
A sanatorium is a medical facility for long-term illness, most typically associated with treatment of tuberculosis before antibiotics...
where he was being treated for his haemophilia
Haemophilia
Haemophilia is a group of hereditary genetic disorders that impair the body's ability to control blood clotting or coagulation, which is used to stop bleeding when a blood vessel is broken. Haemophilia A is the most common form of the disorder, present in about 1 in 5,000–10,000 male births...
. They saw each other one night at a cinema in the Swiss city of Lausanne and they fell in love.
Everything was adverse for this young couple from the beginning. The Spanish royal family did not accept the engagement and Edelmira soon had to suffer pressure from the messengers of Alfonso XIII
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
, already exiled in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, who took away from his son his five cars, noticeably curtailed his monthly allowance and definitively obliged him to give up his right to succession. No one from the Royal House attended the religious or civil wedding in Ouchy
Ouchy
Ouchy is a commune, port, and popular lakeside resort located south of the city of Lausanne in Switzerland at the edge of the Lake Léman ....
, Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
on 21 June 1933, and the invitations that the Count of Covadonga sent to friends and acquaintances were returned to him “with regret”. In the face of his father's bitter opposition to the match, the Prince was quoted: "I love her and want to marry her. Let Juan have the throne.".
On the one hand, Edelmira’s disproportionate jealousy and on the other hand, the haemophilia suffered by Alfonso, would make their life together very difficult. The couple broke up from time to time but they always got back together until 1937 when she accused him of having another woman. It was the end. In New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Alfonso requested the marriage to be nullified and in Havana, Edelmira asked for a divorce, which eventually came on 8 May 1937. On that particular occasion, Edelmira's accusation was based on fact. Alfonso was secretly seeing another Cuban lady, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
Marta Ester Rocafort-Altazarra
Marta Ester Rocafort-Altazarra
Marta Esther Rocafort y Altuzarra, later hyphenated Rocafort-Altuzarra was the second wife of the Count of Covadonga ....
(18 September 1913 – 4 February 1993). They would get married on 3 June 1937 in Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
and divorce a few months later.
Alfonso died later die from his injuries from a car accident in Miami on 6 September 1938. He was entombed at Woodlawn Park Cemetery and Mausoleum (now Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Park North Cemetery and Mausoleum
Caballero Rivero Woodlawn Park North Cemetery and Mausoleum
Caballero Rivero Woodlawn North Park Cemetery and Mausoleum is one of the oldest cemeteries in Miami, Florida.In 1913, Thomas O. Wilson, William N. Urmey and Clifton D. Benson established Woodlawn Park Cemetery...
) in Miami (In 1985, he was re-entombed in the Pantheon of the Princes in El Escorial
El Escorial
The Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial is a historical residence of the king of Spain, in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, about 45 kilometres northwest of the capital, Madrid, in Spain. It is one of the Spanish royal sites and functions as a monastery, royal palace, museum, and...
, with Edelmira attending). After her divorce and his death the Royal family of Spain treated her well and accorded her all the rights of a widow in the royal family. She never gave an interview in over 60 years and never re-married. When Alfonso's mother Queen Victoria Eugenie died Edelmira was left some jewellery. She first lived in Havana and after the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
at 710 Malaga Avenue in Coral Gables, Florida until her death.