María Teresa Mestre Batista

She was born in Marianao, Havana, Cuba, on March 22, 1956, daughter of José Antonio Mestre Álvarez and María Teresa Batista Falla. She comes from a family belonging to Cuban high society before the revolution.

In 1959, at the age of 3 years, and as a consequence of the Revolution, she left Cuba with her family, which settled in New York. From 1961 on, she studied in a French private school, where she met, both as children, Grand Duke Henri.

In 1965, together with her family, she settled in a family property in Santander, Spain. In 1975 she obtained Swiss nationality. At the University of Geneva she met again with Prince Henri; there she obtained (1980) a degree in Political Science.

On February 14, 1981 she married the Grand Duke Heritier. On October 7, 2000, Their Majesties the Dukes of Luxembourg presented her with the yellow sash that granted her the title of Grand Duchess through her marriage to Grand Duke Henri I of Luxembourg.

María Teresa has a degree in Political Science from the University of Geneva, as does her husband, and it was precisely at this university center where they met and began their courtship.

She married on February 14, 1981 in the Cathedral of Santa María of Luxembourg with Grand Duke Henri, who at that time was the Heir Grand Duke.

Family
The couple has four sons and one daughter:

* Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg (November 11, 1981), is the heir.
* Prince Félix of Luxembourg (1984).
* Prince Louis of Luxembourg (1986). Married in 2006 to Tessy Antony (1985). With two children, Gabriel Miguel (2006) and Noah Guillaume (2007).
* Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg (1991).
* Prince Sebastián of Luxembourg (1992).

Titles

* Miss Lady María Teresa Mestre Batista (1956 - 1981).
* Her Royal Highness the Heir Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1981 - 2001).
* Her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (2001 - present).

Other Titles

* Duchess Consort of Nassau.
* Countess Palatine Consort of the Rhine.
* Countess Consort of Sayn.
* Countess Consort of Königstein.
* Countess Consort of Katzenelnbogen.
* Countess Consort of Diez.
* Viscountess Consort of Hammerstein.
* Lady Consort of Mahlberg.
* Lady Consort of Wiesbaden.
* Lady Consort of Idstein.
* Lady Consort of Merenberg.
* Lady Consort of Limburg.
* Lady Consort of Eppstein.

Grand Duchess María Teresa was in Havana, staying at the Hotel Santa Isabel in the last days of March and the first days of April of 2002. She came to Cuba accompanied by her sister; the Grand Duke did not accompany her to avoid protocol. In reality, her visit responded to a personal and private desire to know the land that saw her born.

The Grand Duchess is Catholic, and brought to Cuba religious cult objects that she donated to several churches in the capital.

The great-grandfather of Grand Duchess María Teresa was named Batista-Falla, and was one of the principal contributors to Pro Arte Musical. It is important to clarify that Pro Arte Musical had two categories that allowed maintaining Cuban cultural life: contributors and subscribers.

María Teresa Mestre is particularly interested in the social problems of Humanity. She works in Geneva with people who have problems in their homes and disadvantaged children.

The Grand Duchess speaks Spanish correctly, her native language. She also speaks French, and is fluent in English, and also, perfectly in Luxembourgish, German and Italian.

After June 10, 1997 she began to serve as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. Currently she presides over the Foundation "Prince Henri-Princesse Maria Teresa", created in 1981, which works to promote the integration into society of disabled and disadvantaged people. She is also honorary president of the "Recherche SIDA Foundation".

The Grand Duchess has distinguished herself by particularly sponsoring a Theater and Music Festival of Wiltz, in association with the Aveugles of Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Alzheimer Association.

She also sponsors an orphanage that bears her name in Divin, Belarus. In October of 1999 Seton Hall University (school for international diplomatic relations in the USA) granted her the title of Honorary Doctor, as did the Universidad de León in Nicaragua.