Irene Urdangarin, 18, is in love. Her mother, Infanta Cristina, tried not only to hush it but also to halt it. The reason? Irene’s relationship with Juan Urquijo, her new boyfriend, who happens to be a relative.
It turns out, other royals haven’t minded such connections either, evident by more members of royal families marrying cousins or relatives.
Love Stories Among Royals
Yes, these are relatively close cases. Though one needs to look back, there are several royals for whom this was no big deal.
Take the late Queen Elizabeth II, who married Prince Philip, her third cousin. They tied the knot in 1947 and were together until his passing seven decades later.
Both were direct descendants of Queen Victoria, a bond that wasn’t an obstacle for them.
They were great-great-grandchildren of the same person: she from her father’s side and he from his mother’s side.
Irene Urdangarin and Juan Urquijo
They shared a degree of consanguinity, much like Irene Urdangarin and Juan Urquijo.
It’s worth noting that Irene and Juan’s grandparents are cousins and, in their case, direct descendants of Alfonso XII.
This means they are distant cousins, so they share a very low genetic percentage, which means it wouldn’t pose a risk if they become parents.
It didn’t for Queen Elizabeth and her husband, and according to various studies, it wouldn’t for Irene Urdangarin and her new partner.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were first cousins
Years ago, Queen Victoria married Prince Albert, her first cousin. They had a total of 9 children during their marriage, which took place in 1840.
They were together for 21 years until he passed away, after which she wore black for the rest of her life.
She never stopped mourning and continued to reign until 1901, making her the second-longest-reigning British monarch.
The arranged marriage of Queen Isabel II and Francisco de Asis
The same happened in the Spanish royalty. The Bourbon Queen Isabel II and Francisco de Asis were cousins.
Grandchildren of Carlos IV and Maria Luisa de Parma, they formalized their relationship on October 10 at the Throne Room of the Royal Palace of Madrid.
In their case, it was an arranged marriage; in fact, it was a state obligation that forced them to say ‘I do’.
Her cousin, Francisco of Asis, was homosexual, indicating neither of them wanted to marry.
They were cousins through double ancestry. On one hand, the parents of the queen and the consort king were siblings, as were their mothers.
It was an unhappy marriage from the start, nothing like Irene Urdangarin’s situation, who is very excited about Juan, with whom she has been in a relationship for over eight months.
Both have overcome the distance. The miles between Cambodia, where Irene volunteers, and Madrid, where Juan lives, only separate them physically.
A situation they have managed to handle perfectly with effort and interest.
Soon, once her experience in Asia ends, Infanta Cristina’s daughter can return to Spain and resume the daily contact they both miss.
Now Juan becomes a new member of the Urdangarin family, where Johanna Zott joined some time ago.