Don Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince di Civitella-Cessi
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Don Alessandro Torlonia (7 December 1911 - 1 May 1986) was the 5th Prince of Civitella-Cessi. He was the son of Prince Don Marino Torlonia, 4th prínce of Civitella-Cessi and of the American aristocrat Mary Elsie Moore, daughter of the American bussinesman Charles Arthur Moore, a rich shipping broker and hardware manufacturer in Connecticut, and of Kate Moore Campbell, who was the subject of many stories in European society. (When she died, one said, "she left the world as she might have left the Ritz, with little tips for everyone".). He was born in Rome and died in the Palazzo Torlonia, Rome.
His great-great-grand father was the prince Giovanni Torlonia, who in return for the administration of the Vatican finances with the blessing of the Pope was created in 1794 duke of Bracciano and count of Pisciarelli; in 1803 marquis of Romavecchia e Turrita; and 1st Prince of Civitella Cesi (Princeps Romanus); he was created Patrizio Romano in 1809 (with confirmation of the Pope the 19-1-1813) and duke of Poli e Guadagnolo in 1820, among other titles. He was the builder of the Villa Torlonia at Rome among other Torlonia villas.
He married the 14 January 1935 to the Spanish Infanta Beatriz de Borbón-Battenberg (San Ildefonso 22 Jun 1909-Rome 22 Nov 2002), the daughter of the King Alfonso XIII of Spain and of the Queen Victoria-Eugenia, born a princess of Battenberg.
They had four children: 1-Donna Sandra Torlonia, countess Clemente Lequio di Assaba 2- Don Marco Torlonia, 6th prince of Civitella-Cessi, who married princess Orsetta Caracciolo 3- Don Marino Torlonia 4- Donna Olimpia Torlonia, who married the millionaire Paul-Annik Weiller (the mother of Sibilla Weiller, H.R.H. princess Guillaume of Luxemburg).
Don Alessandro´s youngest sister was the princess Donna Marina Torlonia di Civitella-Cessi, grand-mother of the American actress Brooke Shields. And also he was first cousin of Dr. William T. Close Moore, the father of the actress Glenn Close.