Carmen Franco y Polo

Infobox Person
name = María del Carmen Franco y Polo

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caption=Coat of Arms for the Duchy of Franco
birth_date = birth date and age|1926|2|14
birth_place = Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
spouse =(1950-1998) Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, 10th Marquis de Villaverde
children = María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco
Francisco Franco Martinez-Bordiu, Señor de Meirás and 11th Marquis de Villaverde
María de la O (Mariola) Martinez-Bordiu
María del Mar (Merry) Martinez-Bordiu
José Cristóbal Martinez-Bordiu
María de Aránzazu (Arantxa) Martinez-Bordiu
Jaime Martinez-Bordiu
parents = General Francisco Franco (1892-1975)
Carmen Polo y Martínez Valdés (1900-1988)

María del Carmen Franco y Polo, 1st Duchess of Franco (b. February 14 1926, in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain) is the only child of Spain's "Caudillo", leader, General Francisco Franco and his wife Carmen Polo y Martínez Valdés. In Asturian fashion, she is known by many cryptic nicknames, namely "Nenuca", "Carmencita", and "Morita".

Family life

On April 10 1950, in El Pardo, she married Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, 10th Marquis de Villaverde (August 1 1922, Mancha Real-February 4 1998, Madrid). Villaverde was a prominent surgeon. In 1968 he was responsible for the first heart transplant ever made in Spain (the patient was another son of José María Martínez y Ortega and his wife Esperanza Bordiú y Bascarán, 7th Countess de Argillo ?!). Carmen had several children by this marriage;

* María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco, married (firstly) Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, son of Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia, legitimist pretender to the French throne and head of the House of Bourbon.
* Francisco Franco Martinez-Bordiu, Señor de Meirás and 11th Marquis de Villaverde.
* María de la O (Mariola) Martinez-Bordiu
* María del Mar (Merry) Martinez-Bordiu
* José Cristóbal Martinez-Bordiu
* María de Aránzazu (Arantxa) Martinez-Bordiu
* Jaime Martinez-Bordiu

After her father died in 1975, King Juan Carlos of Spain created her Duchess of Franco and a Grandeza de España in her own right, with the title of Doña.

External links

* [http://www.archive.org/details/1957-04-08_Spanish_Revolution_Anniversary Universal Studios Newsreel for 8th April, 1957] : "18th anniversary of end of Spanish revolution in Spain, Franco and daughter watch soldiers, the "caudillo" looks on with pride, 18 years of peace and rebuilding".