Ten Years Without the Duchess of Alba: Sibling Wars, Illegal Wells, and Alfonso Díaz's Discretion

The upcoming November 20 marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, Duchess of Alba. This date holds special symbolism for her children, who, however, do not plan to do anything different from previous years. "They remember her every day, trying to keep her legacy alive," sources close to the family told '¡Hola!' magazine. The same sources specified that they will hold a mass at the Sevillian church of Los Gitanos, a temple that was very special to the duchess during her life and where her ashes rest. It is expected that, as usual, some of her closest friends, such as Carmen Tello or Curro Romero, and her widower, Alfonso Díaz, will attend the service in her memory.

In recent years, we have seen Cayetano Martínez de Irujo taking charge of gathering his siblings for the mass in memory of their mother. However, years of tensions and disagreements have been reflected in this event, where the Duke of Arjona has ended up attending alone, with his current partner, Bárbara Mirjan, or with his ex-wife, Genoveva Casanova. Professional commitments and scheduling difficulties have been cited as reasons for the absence, something that could be repeated this year, as the anniversary of the duchess's death falls on a Wednesday.

In these ten years, family disputes have been notorious, especially those involving Eugenia and Cayetano, once close and now estranged, with their differences aired in the media. So much so that the Count of Salvatierra was the most notable absence at the grand Venetian party held for the 25th birthday of his niece Tana, Eugenia's daughter.

Moreover, during this time, the House of Alba has faced legal issues due to the use of illegal wells on family properties, another matter that has also strained the family. The Prosecutor's Office filed a complaint in September 2023 for a possible environmental crime for which Eugenia Martínez de Irujo was summoned to testify. This same week, the Court of First Instance of Instruction 1 of Sanlúcar la Mayor, in charge of investigating the alleged illegal wells, agreed to extend the investigation by six more months, extending the deadline to April 2025.

While tensions rose among the siblings, with Cayetano Martínez de Irujo as the main protagonist, Alfonso Díez, who occupied countless headlines during the last years of the duchess's life, has led a very discreet life. In this decade, he has avoided public events and maintained a low profile, attending only a few gatherings to support a friend or family member. He usually attends these meetings alone, and his statements, if any, are very scarce. Nevertheless, his personal life remains of interest to the press, which has highlighted some of his friendships with well-known women, such as Isabel Preysler or even Queen Sofía. However, since Cayetana's passing, he has not been publicly known to have a girlfriend.

The tenth anniversary of the Duchess of Alba's death will be an opportunity for the family to put conflicts aside for at least one day or to clearly stage their definitive break.