Saturday, March 28, 2020

Spanish princess becomes first royal to die from coronavirus

Princess Maria Teresa of Spain has died after testing positive for coronavirus.
Princess Maria Teresa of Spain was the cousin of King of Spain Felipe VI (Picture: Rex)

Princess Maria Teresa of Spain has died after testing positive for coronavirus.

The princess, who was King of Spain Felipe VI’s cousin, became the first royal to pass away from the virus when she died aged 86 in Paris on Friday.

Her younger brother Prince Sixtus Henry of Bourbon-Parma announced the sad news, as another 832 people died of Covid-19 in Spain, bringing the death toll to 5,690.

Princess Maria Teresa, of the Bourbon-Parma Royal Family, was born in Paris, France on July 28, 1933 to parents, Prince Xavier and Madeleine de Bourbon.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Action Press/REX (6141550d) Prince Carlos von Bourbon-Parma and Maria Teresa von Bourbon-Parma (aunt of Prince Carlos) Service for the ancient Honours of the former duchies of northern Italy, Piacenza - 23 Sep 2016
Prince Carlos von Bourbon-Parma and Maria Teresa von Bourbon-Parma (aunt of Prince Carlos) at a service for the ancient Honours of the former duchies of northern Italy, Piacenza (Picture: Action Press/REX)
SPAIN - JANUARY 01: Maria Teresa Of Bourbon Parma Wearing A Jacques Heim Evening Dress (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
Maria Teresa Of Bourbon Parma Wearing A Jacques Heim Evening Dress (Picture: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
Mandatory Credit: Photo by PPE/Nieboer/SIPA/REX (9907781b) 29-09-2018 Parma Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma and Princess Annemarie and Prince Jaime and Princess Viktoria, aunt princess Maria Teresa and Giacomo visiting the Steccata church in Parma, Italy. Family de Bourbon de Parme visiting the Steccata church, Parma, Italy - 29 Sep 2018
Parma Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Parma, Princess Annemarie, Prince Jaim, Princess Viktoria, Princess Maria Teresa and Giacomo visiting the Steccata church (Picture: PPE/Nieboer/SIPA/REX)

For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here. Read the latest updates: Coronavirus news live.

She was a professor at Paris’ Sorbonne, as well as a professor of Sociology at Madrid’s Complutense University.

The royal was a longtime advocate of women’s rights and socialist ideas which led to her being nicknamed the ‘Red Princess’.

Her family are members of the House of Bourbon-Parma which is a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family, descended from the French Capetian dynasty. 

A cadet branch – a noble House that descends from another noble House – is usually created when a younger member of a noble House, who is not the current heir of the family seat, is granted lands and titles of their own.

It comes as Britain’s Prince Charles tests positive for coronavirus, which has now taken 1,019 lives in the UK.

The Prince of Wales has ‘mild symptoms’ of Covid-19, but otherwise remains in good health, a spokesperson said on Wednesday.

DORCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 08: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales meets residents of The Guinness Partnership's 250th affordable home in Poundbury on May 8, 2015 in Dorchester, Dorset. (Photo by Ben A. Pruchnie - WPA Pool Getty Images)
Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus this week (Picture: Getty Images)
BRAEMAR, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales attend the 2017 Braemar Highland Gathering at The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park on September 2, 2017 in Braemar, Scotland. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Queen Elizabeth II has left London amid the pandemic (Picture: WireImage)

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh both left London to travel to Windsor Castle in Berkshire to isolate earlier this month. 

Her Majesty moved a week earlier than she normally would at this time of year, and is expected to remain there beyond the Easter period.

Earlier this month, the UK Monarch issued a message of support, telling the nation ‘we must all play our part’ to get through the coronavirus pandemic.

She said: ‘As Philip and I arrive at Windsor today, we know that many individuals and families across the United Kingdom, and around the world, are entering a period of great concern and uncertainty. 

‘We are all being advised to change our normal routines and regular patterns of life for the greater good of the communities we live in and, in particular, to protect the most vulnerable within them.

‘At times such as these, I am reminded that our nation’s history has been forged by people and communities coming together to work as one, concentrating our combined efforts with a focus on the common goal. 

‘We are enormously thankful for the expertise and commitment of our scientists, medical practitioners and emergency and public services; but now more than any time in our recent past, we all have a vitally important part to play as individuals – today and in the coming days, weeks and months. 

‘Many of us will need to find new ways of staying in touch with each other and making sure that loved ones are safe. I am certain we are up to that challenge. You can be assured that my family and I stand ready to play our part.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Coronavirus latest news and updates



from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8291209 https://ift.tt/3aCQHPu

No comments:

Post a Comment