Yesterday was the official launch day for the Duquesa de Alba's much-anticipated autobiography, Yo, Cayetana.
Sadly, the event had to be cancelled when the Duchess had an unfortunate accident. She fell at her home, Palacio de las Dueñas in Seville, and suffered a hairline fracture to her pelvis.
At 85 years, the most titled - and richest - woman in Spain is very active. After her recent wedding, to her third husband, 25 years her junior, Cayetana danced flamenco in the street outside her palace. Her energy and vitality never cease to amaze the Spanish people, and the twinkle in her eye never ceases to charm them. And her determination to marry, in the face of fierce opposition from her family, melted their hearts. The Sevillanos have an esepcially soft spot fo her.
She has been told to take it easy, rest as much as possible, and above all not to leave her house. The Duquesa was said to be very sorry to that her book launch, which she had been so looking forward to, had to be cancelled. Cayetana reportedly also assured her public and press that she was fine, albeit in pain.
The book covers her life, including her experiences living in England during much of the Civil War and Second World War - her father was Spanish Ambassador in London during this turbulent period. In the book, she says, “Soy Cayetana de Alba. ¡Se han dicho tantas cosas sobre mí! Unas pocas, verdaderas; otras muchas, falsas; y bastantes, simplemente bobadas”. (I am Cayetana de Alba. There have been so many things said about me! A few, true; many others, false; and plenty of nonsense.)
We can't wait for her to set us straight. Not to mention to see all those photos of her with Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, Lola Flores et al. This is the ultimate Hola coffee table book.
