She married three times. Her first husband, whom she had married in 1836, António Teixeira Dória,...th Lord of the Majorat of..., son of Francisco Teixeira Dória and wife Joana Margarida da Câmara, was a First Mate in a Navy corvette whose Commander was João Maria Ferreira do Amaral. According to their descendant Augusto Martins Ferreira do Amaral, 3rd Baron of Oliveira Lima, Maria Helena cheated her first husband with her later second husband, and believes that a first son of her, during her first marriage, João Eduardo Teixeira Dória, an Artillery Officer, born in Lisbon, São Paulo, on 13 October 1841, who died unmarried and without issue, was already João Maria Ferreira do Amaral's son, for he had similar features. She separated from the First Mate, went on to live in a NunneryConvent, and got again pregnant of the ship's Commander, although this baby was already baptized as son of João Maria Ferreira do Amaral and an unknown mother, in order not to be registered under the name of her first husband. In Lisbon, Santa Catarina, on 20 October 1849, almost two months after the incident in which he was killed and without knowing those news, in order to legitimize their son Francisco Joaquim Ferreira do Amaral and their daughter Joana Teresa de Albuquerque, Maria Helena de Albuquerque, then a widow, married the deceased by proxy, taking advantage of the fact that, early in that year, her first husband had also died. The financial difficulties forced her to marry a third time, to a great friend of the late João Maria Ferreira do Amaral, the Deputy in the Legislature of 1848-1851, who did not have any activity in the Chamber, Councilor and Director-General of the Ministry of the Navy and Overseas Manuel Jorge de Oliveira Lima, of whom she also widowed, a few years later, without issue. Her son distinguished himself as a military and became Vice-Admiral and Admiral of the Portuguese Navy, being able to conquer important territories in Cabinda, Angola. For his successes, the realm wanted to grant him the title of Count, which he refused, suggesting that it would be better to grant his mother instead, who would be happier with it. She was then created 1st Baroness of Oliveira Lima, also in remuneration of the services of her late third husband.
She lived until age 92, making trips throughout Europe and leaving her home every day, but always refusing to pass on a street of Lisbon where a Miguelist lived because she despised them.
