Isabel Preysler
Encyclopedia
María Isabel Preysler Arrastía, better known as Isabel Preysler, (born February 18, 1951) is a Filipina
journalist
, socialite
, and television host.
, Philippines, the third of six children to a wealthy family. She attended a private Roman Catholic school; Her father, Carlos Preysler y Pérez de Tagle, was the executive director of Philippine Airlines
and on the Board of Directors for El Banco Español de Manila (Spanish Bank of Manila), while her mother, María Beatriz Arrastia y Reynares, was the owner of a real estate company in Manila. She is of Filipino
and Spanish
descent.
The Perez de Tagle family produced copra and abaca, which was the main ingredient in ropes and other products prior to the invention of nylon.
The Arrastía family is from the province of Pampanga
. Their old town was Lubao
, site of the ancient San Nicolas Tolentino Cathedral. The Arrastías used to own one of the largest haciendas there, most of which were utilized to plant rice and sugarcane.
who participated in beauty pageants and charity events for the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
in Manila and went on to win titles in several events. At the age of 16, she migrated to Madrid
in Spain
to live with her uncle and aunt and to study at Mary Ward College, an Irish Catholic University in Spain, where she studied accounting.
Preysler began working as a journalist for Spanish magazine ¡Hola!
in 1970, and her first interviewee was her future husband Julio Iglesias. In 1984, she hosted a Spanish lifestyle television programme, "Hoy en Casa", and has hosted and appeared in various programs since. In May 2001, she was Prince Charles
' guest of honour for the opening of his Spanish Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show
in England. She was his guest of honor again in 2005 at a garden party during a holiday to Spain by the Royal Crown. In 2004, Preysler became Spain's welcoming host for David
and Victoria Beckham
when she hosted a welcoming party at her house for the celebrity couple. She became close friends with Victoria and was often photographed shopping with her during their stay in Madrid.
Preysler continues to be the national spokesmodel for Ferrero Rocher
, Suárez
jewelry, Manolo Blahnik
shoes, Chrysler
cars and Porcelanosa
tiles, for which American
hollywood actor George Clooney
recently worked with her in 2006 to represent the brand in an advertising campaign.
Readers at Hola magazine have voted Preysler as the most elegant and best-dressed woman in Spain for 1991, 2002 and 2006. In 2006, Preysler was also honored along with Hillary Clinton, Shakira
and Yoko Ono
among others with the Women Together Award, which honors women for their philanthropical contributions to the United Nations in New York, making her the first Filipino
woman in history to win the award.
In 2007, she and her daughters were invited by Prince Charles of England to be guests of honor at the Clarence house at their estate in the United Kingdom
and was voted out of a total of more than 40,000 Hola magazine readers as the most elegant woman in Spain.
player named Julio Iglesias
, who just signed a recording contract to become a singer. Iglesias invited her to watch a Juan Pardo concert. The couple was married seven months later on January 29, 1971. They were married for seven years and had three children, Chabeli Iglesias
, Julio Iglesias Jr. and Enrique Iglesias
. Their marriage was annulled in 1979.
Preysler married the Marques de Griñón, Carlos Falcó, on March 23, 1980. The short-lived marriage resulted in the birth of a second daughter, Tamara Falcó. She later married former Spanish finance minister Miguel Boyer, with whom she had another daughter, Ana Boyer. In 1987, her two sisters immigrated to Spain with their families to be closer to Isabel. She holds dual citizenship in both the Philippines and Spain.
Her father, Carlos Preysler, is deceased and her mother, Beatriz Preysler, lives in Miami with son Enrique Iglesias
.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
, and television host.
Early years
Preysler was born in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines, the third of six children to a wealthy family. She attended a private Roman Catholic school; Her father, Carlos Preysler y Pérez de Tagle, was the executive director of Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
and on the Board of Directors for El Banco Español de Manila (Spanish Bank of Manila), while her mother, María Beatriz Arrastia y Reynares, was the owner of a real estate company in Manila. She is of Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
and Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
descent.
The Perez de Tagle family produced copra and abaca, which was the main ingredient in ropes and other products prior to the invention of nylon.
The Arrastía family is from the province of Pampanga
Pampanga
Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast...
. Their old town was Lubao
Lubao
Lubao may refer to:* Lubao, Pampanga, a 1st class municipality in the southwestern part of the province of Pampanga, Philippines* Lubao, Foshan , a town within Sanshui county, in Guangdong province, China* Lubao, Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, site of the ancient San Nicolas Tolentino Cathedral. The Arrastías used to own one of the largest haciendas there, most of which were utilized to plant rice and sugarcane.
Career
During her youth, Preysler was a modelModel (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....
who participated in beauty pageants and charity events for the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
in Manila and went on to win titles in several events. At the age of 16, she migrated to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
to live with her uncle and aunt and to study at Mary Ward College, an Irish Catholic University in Spain, where she studied accounting.
Preysler began working as a journalist for Spanish magazine ¡Hola!
¡Hola!
¡Hola! is a weekly Spanish-language magazine specializing in celebrity news, published in Spain and 13 other countries. It also has local editions in Brazil, Canada, Greece, Mexico, Peru, Britain, Russia and Argentina. It is the second most popular magazine in Spain, after the Pronto, the most sold...
in 1970, and her first interviewee was her future husband Julio Iglesias. In 1984, she hosted a Spanish lifestyle television programme, "Hoy en Casa", and has hosted and appeared in various programs since. In May 2001, she was Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
' guest of honour for the opening of his Spanish Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show
Chelsea Flower Show
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London...
in England. She was his guest of honor again in 2005 at a garden party during a holiday to Spain by the Royal Crown. In 2004, Preysler became Spain's welcoming host for David
David Beckham
David Robert Joseph Beckham, OBE is an English footballer who plays midfield for Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer, having previously played for Manchester United, Preston North End, Real Madrid, and A.C...
and Victoria Beckham
Victoria Beckham
Victoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
when she hosted a welcoming party at her house for the celebrity couple. She became close friends with Victoria and was often photographed shopping with her during their stay in Madrid.
Preysler continues to be the national spokesmodel for Ferrero Rocher
Ferrero Rocher
Ferrero Rocher is a spherical chocolate sweet made by Italian chocolatier Ferrero SpA. Introduced in 1982, the chocolates consist of a whole roasted hazelnut encased in a thin wafer shell filled with hazelnut cream and covered in milk chocolate and chopped hazelnuts. The sweets each contain 73...
, Suárez
Suarez
Suárez is a common Spanish language surname. In origin a patronymic meaning "son of Suero" or "son of Soeiro". It may refer to:-Arts and sciences:*Alex Suarez , American bassist*Aurelio Suárez , Spanish surrealist painter*Bobby A...
jewelry, Manolo Blahnik
Manolo Blahnik
Manuel "Manolo" Blahnik Rodríguez CBE, , is a Spanish fashion designer and founder of the self-named, high-end shoe brand.-Biography:Born to a Czech father and a Spanish mother and born and raised in the Canary Islands , Blahnik graduated from the University of Geneva in 1965 and studied art in Paris...
shoes, Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
cars and Porcelanosa
Porcelanosa
Porcelanosa is a Spanish ceramics and tiling company that specializes in bathroom furniture and accessories and tiling. It has many branches in the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, the United States and across the world. It was founded in 1973 in Villarreal, staffed by 98 employees...
tiles, for which American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hollywood actor George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
recently worked with her in 2006 to represent the brand in an advertising campaign.
Readers at Hola magazine have voted Preysler as the most elegant and best-dressed woman in Spain for 1991, 2002 and 2006. In 2006, Preysler was also honored along with Hillary Clinton, Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
and Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
among others with the Women Together Award, which honors women for their philanthropical contributions to the United Nations in New York, making her the first Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
woman in history to win the award.
In 2007, she and her daughters were invited by Prince Charles of England to be guests of honor at the Clarence house at their estate in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and was voted out of a total of more than 40,000 Hola magazine readers as the most elegant woman in Spain.
Personal life
In 1970, Preysler was introduced to a footballFootball (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player named Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
, who just signed a recording contract to become a singer. Iglesias invited her to watch a Juan Pardo concert. The couple was married seven months later on January 29, 1971. They were married for seven years and had three children, Chabeli Iglesias
Chabeli Iglesias
Chábeli Iglesias is a Spanish journalist. She was born in Cascais in Portugal, the daughter of Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and Filipina socialite and Hola! magazine journalist Isabel Preysler. She is the older sister of Julio Iglesias Jr...
, Julio Iglesias Jr. and Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
. Their marriage was annulled in 1979.
Preysler married the Marques de Griñón, Carlos Falcó, on March 23, 1980. The short-lived marriage resulted in the birth of a second daughter, Tamara Falcó. She later married former Spanish finance minister Miguel Boyer, with whom she had another daughter, Ana Boyer. In 1987, her two sisters immigrated to Spain with their families to be closer to Isabel. She holds dual citizenship in both the Philippines and Spain.
Her father, Carlos Preysler, is deceased and her mother, Beatriz Preysler, lives in Miami with son Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias
Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish pop music singer, a son of singer Julio Iglesias.Enrique started his musical career on Mexican label Fonovisa...
.