It’s not every day that a sitting mayor gets married, and even less leaves the church as a relative of the royal family. Yesterday, José Luis Martínez-Almeida (48) went from bat to first groom in Madrid after marrying Teresa Urquijo Moreno (27), who, like Princess Elionor, is a direct descendant of Alfonso XII. At the wedding, in addition, there was King Juan Carlos, first cousin of the bride’s grandmother, to whom Almeida and his now wife toasted a golden occasion that allowed him to receive an ovation and come down (back ) in the arena.
Yesterday, since early morning, the surroundings of the church of Sant Francesc de Borja, in Calle Serrano, were filled with citizens behind the fences placed for the purpose to enjoy the parade of the newlyweds and guests. In the popular applause meter, apart from the newlyweds, King Juan Carlos took the podium together with the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who went to the church alone, and the president of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who, accompanied by his partner, Eva Cárdenas, was greeted with shouts of “president, president”.
In addition to the King’s father, who entered through the main door despite the seven steps that separate the sidewalk from the church entrance, the Infanta Elena went to the ceremony, along with her children Felip and Victòria de Marichalar , and Infanta Cristina with her eldest son, Juan Urdangarin. Father, daughters and grandchildren posed together at the exit, forming a harmonious family picture. Queen Sofia, also invited, chose to go directly to the banquet.
Among the guests at the wedding were the former mayors of Madrid, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, José María Álvarez del Manzano and Ana Botella, who went with her husband and former president of the government, José María Aznar. Nor were the presidents of the autonomous communities of Murcia, Fernando López Miras; Castile and Leon, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco; Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, and Aragon, Jorge Azcón, as well as the general secretary of the PP, Cuca Gamarra, and the former president of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre.
Prince Kubrat of Bulgaria and Carla Royo-Villanova, Enrique Cerezo, president of Atlético de Madrid, and the Dukes of Huéscar, among others, also went to the church.
The mayor of Madrid, wearing a cream jacket and vest, arrived alone and, before posing for the photographers, addressed the citizens who were waiting to thank them for being there. Then he posed with all his brothers and received the guests, until shortly before 12 o’clock he made his way to the altar together with his older sister, Casilda.
The best-kept secret of all brides was revealed 63 years ago, when Teresa de Borbó-Dues Sicilies, grandmother of the bride, married Iñigo Moreno de Arteaga in a fabric dress embroidered with silver threads designed by the couturier Pedro Rodríguez Her daughter Beatriz Moreno wore the same dress when, in 1995, she married Lucas Urquijo and yesterday the granddaughter, Teresa Urquijo, followed the family tradition and, duly adapted by the Navascués couture house, wore the same dress
After the ceremony, which included a full mass, the newlyweds were the first to leave the church, offering a chaste newlywed kiss. The couple and guests then proceeded to the El Canto de la Cruz estate in Colmenar Viejo, owned by the bride’s grandparents, where the reception took place for nearly 500 guests, who enjoyed a menu prepared by Lhardy, the legendary Madrid restaurant that Isabel II already frequented to taste its famous consommé.
The mayor of Madrid has requested the corresponding days of leave for the wedding – as has the bride, who works as a real estate investment analyst -, and for the next two weeks he will be replaced by the deputy mayor, Inmaculada Sanz. When they return from their honeymoon, which will take place in the Maldives, Almeida and his wife will live in the mayor’s bachelor apartment, located on Carrer Poeta Joan Maragall in Madrid.
