Princess Eugenia (Ena) of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice (Bee) of Saxe Coburg, granddaughters of Queen Victoria of England, married into the Spanish royal family.

In 1906, Ena became the consort of King Alfonso XIII, who had been sovereign since his birth in 1886. Three years later, Bee married his cousin, Infante Don Alfonso. Ena’s marriage proved unhappy with the ill-health of her hemophiliac sons and her husband’s infidelities.

The King abdicated in 1931 and they led separate lives in exile until he died in 1941. Bee and her husband Ali were more popular, although personal differences between them and the King resulted in their temporary exile for the first years of their marriage.

They later returned to Spain, staying there for the rest of their lives. Bee died in 1966 and Ena three years later. This dual biography, written by Anna de Sagrera with additional material from Doña Beatriz, Bee’s granddaughter, looks in depth at the friendship of the mutually supportive cousins against the often-turbulent background of 20th century Spanish politics.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgements
Prologue
1 Childhood
2 Coburg
3 Twilight of an Era
4 In Search of a Kindred Spirit
5 Sima
6 A May Wedding
7 History of an Engagement
8 A Controversial Marriage
9 Spanish Infanta
10 False Rumours
11 Hidden Exile
12 The Uncertain Return
13 Representing Spain
14 Glorious Days
15 Bitter Awakening
16 Forced Exile
17 Living the War
18 And Peace Came
19 Confined to Sanlúcar
20 La Señorita Infanta
Epilogue
Genealogical tables
Bibliography
Index