José Manuel de Zuleta y Alejandro
The Duke of Abrantes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Private Secretary to the Queen | |
| Assumed office 25 June 2014 | |
| Monarch | Queen Letizia |
| Preceded by | Arturo Luis Coello Villanueva |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 December 1960 Melilla, Spain |
| Spouse |
Ana Pérez de Guzmán y Lizasoain
(m. 1986) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | General Military Academy |
| Profession | Military officer, courtier |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Spain |
| Branch/service |  Spanish Army |
| Years of service | 1979– |
| Rank | Divisional general |
José Manuel de Zuleta y Alejandro, 14th duke of Abrantes, GE, is a Spanish aristocrat and senior Spanish Army officer who currently serves as Private Secretary to Queen Letizia since 2014.
Biography
He was born on 8 December 1960, in Melilla, Spain. The son of José Manuel de Zuleta de Reales y Carvajal, 13th duke of Abrantes and Virginia Alejandro y García, he joined the General Military Academy in 1979 and graduated with the rank of lieutenant in 1984.
In the mid-1990s, he started to work in the Royal Household,[1] serving in relevant positions in the Royal Guard, in the King's Military Household and in the Protocol Department.[2]
In 2007, he joined the Household of the Prince of Asturias (Prince' Secretariat), where he assisted the Princess of Asturias, Letizia.[1] In 2014, after the accession to the throne of King Felipe VI, he was appointed head of Queen Letizia's Secretariat.[3]
In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of divisional general (OF-7).[1]
Personal life
In 1986, he married Ana Pérez de Guzmán y Lizasoain,[3] daughter of Joaquín Pérez de Guzmán y Escrivá de Romani, 6th count of La Marquina. They have four daughters: Ana Luisa, María, Blanca and Loreto.[4] In 2009, the duke granted his eldest daughter, Ana Luisa, the title of marchioness of Sardoal.[5]
His brother, Felipe de Zuleta y Alejandro, was the riding instructor of the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo.[3]
Titles
In June 1978, shortly after coming of age, his father gave him the title of 14th marquess of Sardoal,[6] a title he held until 2009, when he did the same with his eldest daughter, Ana Luisa.[5]
In addition to this first title, he currently holds the following:
- 14th duke of Abrantes, grandee of Spain.
- 6th marquess of the Duero, grandee of Spain.
- 15th marquess of Valdefuentes.
- 23rd count of Balalcázar.
- 18th count of Casares.
- 15th count of Lences.
- 5th count of Cancelada.
Other honors
- Grand Cross of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Hermenegild (2016).
- Grand Cross of Military Merit, with White Decoration (2017).
References
- ^ a b c "Un general, a las órdenes de doña Letizia". El País (in Spanish). 2019-03-14. ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ "HomeÁrea de Prensa - D. José Manuel". casareal.es. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ a b c Higuera, Raoul (2014-06-27). "José Manuel Zuleta, la nueva mano derecha de la Reina doña Letizia". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ Tiburcio, Núria (2019-03-13). "José Manuel Zuleta, la 'mano' de la Reina, consigue un ascenso". vanitatis.elconfidencial.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ a b Ministry of Justice (30 May 2009). "Orden JUS/1383/2009, de 8 de mayo, por la que se manda expedir, sin perjuicio de tercero de mejor derecho, Real Carta de Sucesión en el título de Marqués de Sardoal, a favor de doña Ana Luisa Zuleta Pérez de Guzmán". www.boe.es. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ^ Ministry of Justice (31 July 1978). "Orden de 8 de junio de 1978 por la que se manda expedir, sin perjuicio de tercero de mejor derecho, Real Carta de Sucesión en el título de Marqués de Sardoal a favor de don José Manuel de Zuleta y Alejandro". www.boe.es. Retrieved 2023-08-22.