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Thursday, January 29, 2009

American honeymoon for the Torlonias

Embed from Getty Images 
 January 29, 1935 


 Don Alessandro Torlonia, Prince di Civitella-Cesi, and his new wife, Infanta Beatriz of Spain, the daughter of King Alfonso XIII, arrived today on the Cunard White Star liner Aquitania. They will be spending their honeymoon in the United States. The Princess, "who comes of royal blood on both sides of her family, has the dark hair and complexion of her father and the Guelph nose resembling that of Queen Victoria." 

The newlyweds will stay at 400 East 57th Street and will visit the Prince's American-born mother, Princess Torlonia, who arrives tomorrow on the Italian liner Rex, at her home, 375 Park Avenue/ On the voyage the couple had all their meals in their suite and "did not mingle with the other passengers." Don Alessandro had a "slight attack of tonsillitis," and his bride suffered from seasickness. Infanta Beatriz "was very nervous" at meeting the press on the arrival at Quarantine, "especially the photographers, as she said, they had been so hounded before sailing from the other side." This is Beatriz's first visit to the States. 

She said she enjoyed the view of the Statue of Liberty and the New York City skyline, "about which she had read and heard so much about it." She is "tall and slim and has a kindly charm of manner which made her very popular in England. Beatriz's mother, Queen Victoria Eugenia, is currently staying a London hotel. Beatriz is about five inches shorter than her husband, "who is 6 feet 2 inches tall, with dark curly hair, broad shoulders, and a pleasant democratic bearing."

 Don Alessandro said they would stay in New York City before traveling to Florida. "We must be back in Europe in March for the wedding of my brother-in-law, Don Jaime," he told reporters, "and will probably sail on the Olympic from New York on March 6. "I want my wife to see America because I have a lot of American in me. If I can get away from New York in time, we will probably visit Niagara Falls, where all honeymooners go; Washington, D.C., and Palm Beach. It all depends on what plans my mother has made." 

Infanta Beatriz "wore a brown ensemble and a mink coat that reached to her ankles. Before leaving the ship, the couple posed for photographers. They were met at Pier 54 by a large Spanish delegation, who presented the Infanta with a large bouquet of yellow roses, bound with a red ribbon, "symbolizing the colors of Spain." The Countess of Colloredo-Mansfield, the Marquis de Belmonte, Doña Mena Belmonte, and the Princess of Bourbon were among those who welcomed the Infanta and her husband to New York City. 

Infanta Beatriz is a granddaughter of Princess Beatrice of Great Britain, Queen Victoria's youngest child.

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