Don Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince of Civitella-Cesi (7 December 1911 – 1 May/12 May 1986) was an Italian banking heir and a member of the House of Torlonia.

About

Born in Rome on 7 December 1911, Torlonia was the son of Marino Torlonia, 4th Prince di Civitella-Cesi and his American wife, Mary Elsie Moore. Don Alessandro's youngest sister was ''Donna''

Marina Torlonia di Civitella-Cesi Donna Marina Torlonia dei Principi di Civitella-Cesi (22 October 1916 – 15 September 1960) was an Italian-American aristocrat, best known as the paternal grandmother of the actress and model Brooke Shields. Family Torlonia was born in Rome, ...

, grandmother of the American actress

Brooke Shields Brooke Christa Shields (born May 31, 1965) is an American actress and model. She was initially a child model and gained critical acclaim at age 12 for her leading role in Louis Malle's film ''Pretty Baby'' (1978). She continued to model into ...

. Thus he was Shields's grand-uncle. On the death of his father in 1933, he inherited large estates as well as his father's princely and other titles. In 1941, when his mother was dying in New York City, Torlonia took a high speed boat from Portugal and was arrested in error by FBI, thinking he was an enemy of the state and taken to Ellis Island. In the 1980s, Torlonia held the title as the "richest man in Rome", as he was the heir to a banking fortune. He died in the Palazzo Torlonia, Rome, in 1986.

Marriage and children

On 14 January 1935, ''Don'' Alessandro morganatically married in Rome the Infanta Beatriz of Spain (1909–2002), a daughter of King

Alfonso XIII of Spain Alfonso XIII (17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or the African, was King of Spain from 17 May 1886 to 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He was a monarch from birth as his father, Alf ...

and of Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg. ''Don'' Alessandro and Infanta Beatriz had four children: * ''Donna'' Alessandra ("Sandra") Vittoria Torlonia (1936–2014),Muere Sandra Torlonia
/ref> married to Count Clemente Lecquio di Assaba (1925–1971); their son is Alessandro Lecquio di Assaba and their daughter Desideria Lecquio di Assaba. * Marco Torlonia, 6th Prince di Civitella-Cesi, (1937–2014) who married firstly ''Donna'' Orsetta

Caracciolo Caracciolo () is an Italian surname most associated with the noble House of Carácciolo from the Kingdom of Naples. Other people with the name include: * Alberto Caracciolo, Argentinian musician * Andrea Caracciolo, Italian footballer * Battiste ...

dei principi di

Castagneto Castagneto is a ''frazione'' (outlying area) of the Italian city of Teramo. It is located approximately four miles from Teramo at the base of a mountain sub-range known as Monti della Laga. Nearby is a state highway, SP 50, which leads to the nea ...

, secondly Philippa Catherine McDonald and thirdly Blažena Anna Helena Svitáková. * ''Don'' Marino Riccardo Francesco Giuseppe Torlonia (1939–1995) * ''Donna'' Olimpia Emmanuela Enrichetta Maria Torlonia (born 1943), who married the French millionaire Paul-Annik Weiller, son of

Paul-Louis Weiller Paul-Louis Weiller (September 29, 1893, Paris - December 6, 1993, Geneva) was a French industrialist and philanthropist. Biography From a Jewish Alsatian family, Weiller was the son of the industrialist and politician Lazare Weiller (1858–1928 ...

. They have issue: ** Sibilla Weiller (born 1968), wife of

Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (''Guillaume Marie Louis Christian''; born 1 May 1963) is the third son and youngest child of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg. Life Prince Guillaume was born in Betzdorf Ca ...

Ancestry

Notes and references

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince Di Civitella-Cesi Morganatic spouses Civitella-Cesi, Prince Civitella-Cesi, Prince Alessandro 5th Prince Di Civitella-Cesi Civitella-Cesi Princes of Civitella-Cesi