Prince Ataúlfo of Orléans

Prince Ataúlfo of Orléans (20 October 1913 – 8 October 1974), was a Spanish prince, the youngest son of Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera and Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh. He was President of Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro from 1962 to 1966.[1]

Prince Ataúlfo
Prince Ataúlfo in uniform of the Spanish Air Force, 1942
Born(1913-10-20)20 October 1913
Madrid
Died8 October 1974(1974-10-08) (aged 60)
Málaga
Names
Ataúlfo Carlos Isabelo Alejandro de Orleans y Sajonia-Coburgo-Gotha
HouseOrléans-Galliera
FatherInfante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera
MotherPrincess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
ReligionRoman Catholicism

Life and family

He was born in Madrid, as the third and last son of Infante Alfonso, Duke of Galliera (elder son of Infante Antonio, Duke of Galliera, and of Infanta Eulalia of Spain) and Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (youngest daughter of Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and of Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia).[2] He was named after king Athaulf, who ruled the Visigothic Kingdom from 410 to 415.

Although he was not made an Infante like his eldest brother, Alfonso XIII gave him and his other brother Alonso the same privileges and honours. His godparents were Infante Carlos of the Two-Sicilies, and Isabella de Borbón. Prince Ataúlfo was a student at Sandroyd School in Wiltshire.

He was idolised by Priscilla Scott-Ellis who was not deterred by his mother who hinted that he was not interested. He would later reveal his homosexuality.[3]

When the Spanish Civil War broke out, Prince Ataúlfo volunteered in the Condor Legion, the German volunteer unit that was sent by Hitler to repel Communism in Spain.[4] Only he and two of his cousins, Luis Alfonso and José Eugenio of Bavaria (Prince Fernando of Bavaria's sons) represented the Spanish royal family in Francoist official acts, due to the pro-democratic views held by most of the royal family. He was followed to Spain by Priscilla Scott-Ellis who volunteered as a nurse mainly to be near him. In time she married another Spanish aristocrat.[3]

He died in Málaga the 8th of October 1974 as a result of a pancreatitis.[5]

Honours
Arms of Ataúlfo de Orleans-Borbón
A young Ataúlfo (left) with his two brothers, Prince Alonso and Infante Álvaro

Ancestry

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ataúlfo de Orleans.
  1. Gómez Laínez, Mariola: El Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro. Ediciones El Viso (2010)
  2. Ataúlfo de Orleans
  3. Pottle, Mark (2004-09-23). Ellis, (Esyllt) Priscilla [Pip] Scott- (1916–1983), diarist. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/76869.
  4. Real Academia de la Historia
  5. ABC: Hemeroteca
  6. Real decreto concediendo la Gran Cruz de la Real y Distinguida Orden de Carlos III al Serenísimo Señor Príncipe Don Ataulfo de Orleans y Sajonia-Coburgo-Gotha
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