The truth behind the connection between Juan Urdangarin and Alejandro Agag, Aznar's 'super son-in-law'

On September 29, 1999, the emeritus monarchs became grandparents for the second time. Infanta Cristina and Iñaki Urdangarin welcomed their firstborn. A boy who was born at the Teknon Clinic in Barcelona and was named Juan Valentín Urdangarin y Borbón. The second male nephew of Felipe VI  became a very charming little boy, blond and blue-eyed, although with a shy personality. He showed this at the various official events he attended with the royal family and, in fact, he continues to show it.

The eldest son of Iñaki Urdangarin has not chosen to build a media career, unlike his cousin Victoria Federica. He avoids the media even though he has spent two years in which both he and his siblings have been the focus of the cameras. This was due to the divorce of his parents, the former Dukes of Palma. That's why the firstborn of Infanta Cristina has decided to put distance between himself and Spain.

It is in London where he began a new life and where he started a business career alongside Alejandro Agag, son-in-law of former People's Party leader José María Aznar. He has done so at the company "Extreme E," focused on promoting the use of electric cars.

It was during the summer of 2023 when the magazine ¡Hola! "revealed" this business relationship. At that time, it published some photographs of the grandson of Juan Carlos I on the island of Sardinia, where the X Prix was held in Capo Teulada. The young man holds the position of production assistant and, as shown in the images, he was at a stand of the race organization. He wore a black cap and a polo jersey with company logos.

After two years living in the City of the Thames, the second male grandson of Doña Sofía lives far from media noise. However, sources close to the Royal House state in comments to elcierredigital.com that "this could change." These sources assure that Juan Urdangarin "will return to Spain when summer ends and will settle in the Palacio de la Zarzuela with his grandmother Doña Sofía, since he is going to take a sabbatical year, like his sister Irene Urdangarin."

At this time, Juan has a professional career that he has started alongside Ana Aznar's husband. But what is the professional relationship between the former President's son-in-law and Infanta Cristina's firstborn?

The "business" connection between Juan Urdangarin and Alejandro Agag

It was in 2020 when Juan Urdangarin headed to the City of the Thames. He did so after earning a degree in International Relations and Economics at the University of Essex. In the British capital, he has not only found peace far from the media harassment that both he and his siblings suffered after their parents' separation. He has also begun to build his professional life.

He has done so alongside businessman Alejandro Agag—son-in-law of former President José María Aznar—at the off-road racing company Extreme E. This was founded in 2018 by Ana Aznar's husband—who also serves as a board member—and former driver Gil de Ferran. Agag also founded the electric single-seater category called Formula E—with an investment of €18 million—in which he serves as CEO.

This company—registered in 2021 and which will be renamed Extreme H in 2025—has its headquarters in the city of London. The firstborn of Iñaki Urdangarin holds the position of production assistant in the junior category. This company is focused on promoting the use of electric cars and one of its goals is to offer an ecological vision of Formula 1.

Until last July 2023—the moment when Juan Urdangarin's new professional position became public—only the fact that he had spent a year in India was known. There, he volunteered for the Entreculturas Foundation in one of the poorest regions of the Asian country. His sister Irene did the same later.

It also became known that in 2021 he aimed to work at the Expo in the United Arab Emirates. It was then when Juan Carlos I "offered to give him a hand. Juan refused and, despite undergoing all the required job tests, he ultimately did not get the job," sources close to the young man point out.

Juan Urdangarin, the discreet nephew of Felipe VI

Juan Valentín is one of the most discreet grandchildren of the emeritus monarchs. For years, his public appearances have been few. One of them was at the wedding of Madrid's mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida. Another was at the funeral of his great-uncle Constantine of Greece. The young man has a very shy personality. If his brother Pablo did not hesitate to show his opinion about the news of their parents' divorce, Juan remained silent in front of the media.

The separation of the former Dukes of Palma was a tough episode for him. So was the outbreak of the Noós Case and his father's subsequent imprisonment in Brieva prison. At that time, Infanta Cristina's firstborn was 19 years old and, after the media harassment suffered by both him and his family, he decided to stay away from the spotlight. Such is the secrecy surrounding him that hardly any information is known about his personal life.

Nevertheless, it is said that Juan is a very hardworking, affectionate, very family-oriented, and very athletic young man. Among his hobbies are sports such as surfing. In fact, Juan traveled with his mother at just one year old to the Sydney 2000 Olympics to support his father, who played for the Spanish National Handball Team.

As for his family relationships, although he keeps a good relationship with his uncle Felipe VI, with his aunt Doña Letizia he could have "a certain enmity." As has become known, together with his grandmother Doña Sofía he keeps a special relationship and gets along very well with his aunt, Infanta Elena. The latter is his godmother along with his uncle Miguel Urdangarin.

The story of Alejandro Agag, the "super son-in-law" of José María Aznar

Meanwhile, while the life and professional career of Juan Urdangarin has been public knowledge, the professional career and personal life of the son-in-law of former People's Party leader José María Aznar—who has settled in the city of Rome with his wife and children—is well known. The businessman earned a degree in Economics and Business Administration at the University College of Financial Studies (CUNEF).

During his university years, he started his temporary joint ventures (popularly known as UTIs) and founded the CUNEF Student Association to stay in contact with the major figures of the Spanish political and financial establishment of that time. Around that time, Alejandro had already joined the New Generations of the PP. There, he became the national coordinator of José María Aznar's election campaign, which took him to La Moncloa in March 1996.

In those same elections, he also tried to win a seat in Congress for Madrid, but he did not succeed. What he did achieve was to become one of the closest members of José María Aznar's inner circle. In 1999, he was appointed member of the PP Executive Committee. He would also be elected secretary general of the EPP in Brussels. In the June 1999 elections, he won a seat as a Member of the European Parliament and officially became the number two of the European People's Party.

But in 2001, Alejandro definitely changed the direction of his life. Agag had been invited by his friend José María Aznar Jr. to spend a few days with the presidential family in Menorca. It was when Alejandro and Ana Aznar fell in love. A courtship of barely three months that ended in an engagement announcement at Christmas of that same year. Later, he decided, together with his future father-in-law, to leave politics, where he had become a great promise. In February 2002, he publicly announced his decision to dedicate himself and enter the world of banking and business.

Alejandro Agag has held positions in entities such as the Portuguese firm Sociedade Lusa de Negócios. But what this skilled businessman is best known for is motorsport, specifically in the world of Formula 1, for his friendship with Flavio Briatore and with tycoon Bernie Ecclestone. In fact—and after founding the racing companies Extreme and Formula E—Agag is known as one of the "kings of international motorsport."

Such is the bond between the three businessmen that they embarked together on a business venture, buying the English soccer club Queens Park Rangers at the end of 2007. Since 2022, the Agag-Aznar family have enjoyed a true "dolce vita" in Rome with their children. As has become known, one of their future projects is "to bring Formula E to boat racing." A project in which Juan Urdangarin, the discreet grandson of the emeritus monarchs who has decided to stay away from media noise, could take part.