Spain’s Duchess Of Alba Dies Of Pneumonia At 88: How Much Is The Matriarch’s Net Worth?

By Staff Reporter | Nov 20, 2014 10:49 AM EST

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The Duchess of Alba, Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva, has an estimated net worth of almost $4.9 billion. She was considered as one of the richest women in Spain. On Nov. 20, 2014, one of Europe's wealthiest aristocrats died at 88 after developing pneumonia.

Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva is the eighteenth Duchess of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain. The 88-year-old matriarch was the head of the House of Alba and the third woman to carry the title in her own right. According to The Richest, the Duchess of Alba has an estimated net worth of $4.9 billion.

Maria del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva's senior title was Duchess of Alba, however, she had more than 40 other titles. Based on the Guinness World Records, Spain's matriarch had more titles recognized by an existing government than any other noble in the world.

The Duchess of Alba has a $4.9 billion net worth, as said by Spanish Vanity Fair and when her properties are combined it will be 170 times the size of Monaco. However, being such a well-off and titled woman comes with pressures. The duchess was a famous socialite in Spain and was featured prominently on several television shows and media reports.

For decades, the Duchess of Alba has been a tabloid fixture in Spain but not because of her massive net worth. And in recent years, the matriarch made headlines for her third marriage to 63-year-old civil servant Alfonso Diez in 2011. Diez was 25 years her junior.

Known for her flamboyant lifestyle and hefty net worth, Spain's Duchess of Alba was highly recognized for owning fabulous palaces and priceless works of art. According to Golden Girl Finance, she owned Christopher Columbus' first map of America.

Meanwhile, Spain is saddened by the sudden death of the Duchess of Alba. The Daily Mail reported that a spokesperson for the duchess' Duenas Palace residence in Seville revealed she died from pneumonia.

"She had suffered a stomach virus a few days earlier but had recovered from it. Now she has pneumonia," the duchess' charitable foundation spokesman said, as reported by The Olive Press. "At her age, one thing leads to another. She is weak. We are worried because we love her very much."

The Duchess of Alba was admitted at the emergency ward of Sagrado Corazon hospital in Seville on Sunday evening. According to one of her sons, she was in a serious condition but not critical. A doctor treating her confirmed that she had shown indications of recovery overnight. However, by Thursday, the duchess died of pneumonia at age 88.

The Duchess of Alba, whose net worth is $4.9 billion, is Spain's richest woman and one of Europe's wealthiest and eccentric aristocrats.

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