The wedding of Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, Lord of Tejada, took place on Saturday, 18 March 1995 at Seville Cathedral in Seville, Andalusia.
Infanta Elena is the eldest child of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, at the time of her marriage, she was second in line to the Spanish throne. Marichalar, a Spanish nobleman, is the third son of Amalio de Marichalar y Bruguera, 8th Count of Ripalda (1912–1979), and María de la Concepción Sáenz de Tejada y Fernández de Boadilla, Countess of Ripalda, Lady of Tejada (1929–2014).
This wedding was the first royal wedding celebrated in Spain in 89 years.[1]
Infanta Elena, the elder daughter of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, met Spanish nobleman Jaime de Marichalar, in Paris in 1987.[2] Elena was studying French literature and Marichalar was working for Credit Suisse. Their relationship remained private until 1993 when the press first photographed them and rumours of an engagement began. Their engagement was announced on 23 November 1994.[3] Their engagement was celebrated at the Palace of Zarzuela on 26 November with members of the Spanish royal family in attendance.[4]
Marichalar presented the Infanta with a diamond engagement ring created with diamonds from a tiara belonging to his mother. In turn, Infanta Elena presented her fiancé with a watch[4]
On 17 March, the couple with their families attended a performance by the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art at the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla.[5]
That evening, a dinner for family members and foreign royal guests was held at the home of the bride's great-aunt and great-uncle, Princess María de la Esperanza and Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza, in Villamanrique de la Condesa.[5]
On 3 March 1995, King Juan Carlos created his daughter Duchess of Lugo, a substantive title. The Royal Decree stated:
Upon marriage, Marichalar became duke consort and remained so until the couple divorced in 2010.
The doors of Seville Cathedral opened early in the morning for guests to arrive. Political representatives, Spanish high society and friends of the couple were the first to arrive. Felipe González, Prime Minister of Spain, was the last to arrive before the groom and members of foreign royal families. Don Jaime and his mother arrived together, departing from the Hotel Alfonso XIII.
At 12:15 local time, a procession consisting of the members of the Spanish royal family departed the Royal Alcázar of Seville for the cathedral. The bride on the arm of her father followed at 12:30 local time. As the bride and her father arrived at the cathedral, the Marcha Real, Spain's national anthem, was played on the organ.[6]
The readings were an extract from the First Epistle to the Corinthians, Psalm 119, and Gospel of John: 9-12. The Archbishop gave the homily before the marriage rite took place.
Televisión Española (TVE) produced the live institutional television signal, directed by Pilar Miró, that was distributed to all major networks in Spain. TVE itself broke its all-time record for morning audience, with more than 8.6 million viewers, and 71.4% share in average. Counting the national networks –without counting the regional ones–, the wedding attracted more than 10.5 million viewers.[7]