Carlos Gereda y de Borbón


Don Carlos Gereda y de Borbón, Marqués de Almazán was a Spanish aristocrat, engineering entrepreneur and philanthropist.
The youngest son of Don Nicolás Gereda y Bustamante, his mother Doña María Luisa de Borbón y Pintó was the only daughter of :es:Alberto María de Borbón y d'Ast|Alberto María de Borbón y d'Ast, 2nd :es:Ducado de Santa Elena|Duke of Santa Elena, making Carlos a descendant of King Charles IV of Spain.
He served as 49th Grand Master of the Order of Saint Lazarus from 2008 until his death, as such succeeding the 5th Duke of Seville and the 13th Duke of Brissac.

Early life and background

Carlos was born in Uruguay, where his parents moved after the Spanish Civil War to run the country estate they had inherited.
Through his maternal grandfather, the 2nd Duke of Santa Elena, he is related to the royal Borbón family, being a sixth cousin once removed of King Felipe VI of Spain.
Carlos spent his early childhood in Ladycross Preparatory School in [Sussex">Ladycross School">Ladycross Preparatory School in [Sussex, England. He then attended Downside School, a Benedictine foundation in Somerset, before reading Industrial Engineering at the Complutense University of Madrid.
On 15 February 1975, he married Doña María las Nieves Castellano y Barón, 15th :es:Marquesado de Almazán|Marquesa de Almazán. Her family's hereditary title was created in 1575 by Philip II of Spain.

Career

In 1975, Carlos embarked on a career in business as a commercial development entrepreneur, which provided him opportunities to travel the world from the Far East to South America and Central Europe. He and his wife lived in Buenos Aires from 1979 to 1986, from where she still operates an oil services company.
Carlos was involved in establishing a Museum of Science and Leisure at Málaga, Spain, with the aim of its developing into one of the most important such museums in southern Europe.

Death

Carlos Gereda y de Borbón died at his residence in Madrid, Spain, on 29 August 2017, following a short illness. He was buried two days later in a private family ceremony.

Distinctions

Titles and styles