María del Rosario Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart y de Silva, 18th Duchess of Alba de Tormes and a Grandee of Spain (28 March 1926 – 20 November 2014), was head of the House of Alba and the third lady to hold the title in her own right.
Born at Liria Palace on 28 March 1926, she was the only child of the 17th Duke of Alba (a prominent Spanish politician and diplomat during the 1930s and 1940s) by his wife, María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, 9th Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco. Her godmother was the Queen Consort of Spain, Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, wife of Alfonso XIII de Borbón, King of Spain.
As head of the dynasty, she was styled by her most senior title of Duchess of Alba, whilst holding over 40 other hereditary titles.[1] According to Guinness World Records, she was the most titled aristocrat in the world.[2]
Via her descent from James FitzJames, she was King James II of England's senior illegitimate descendant.