Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg is left heartbroken by the 'great loss' of her uncle Victor Batista Falla, 87, who died from coronavirus after returning to his native Cuba for the first time in 60 years
- Victor Batista Falla, 87, from Madrid, passed away after contracting coronavirus
- The Grande Ducale Palace of Luxembourg shared the sad news on Monday
- He was the last living uncle of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, 64, on mother's side
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg is in mourning for her uncle after he died from coronavirus.
Victor Batista Falla, 87, passed away in his native Cuba after contracting the virus, the Grand Ducale palace announced on Easter Monday on Instagram.
The publisher, who lived in Madrid, was the last living brother of the Grand Duchess' mother, and died during his first visit to the country in 60 years.
The statement was shared on social media, alongside pictures of Victor Batista Falla.
The Grand Ducale family of Luxembourg announced the painful loss of the uncle of Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (pictured) on Easter Monday
'It is with great sadness that their Royal Highnesses, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, report the passing of Mr Victor Batista, Falla, the Duchess' uncle and last living brother of her mother,' it read.
'Mr Victor Batista Falla, who lived in Madrid, had gone to visit his native country, Cuba, where he had not returned for 60 years.
'He died there on Easter Sunday at the age of 87 from COVID-19. Victor Batista Falla was a recognised publisher and one of the greatest patrons of Cuban literature in exile. His death is a great loss for the whole family of HRH the Grand Duchess,' it added.
Victor Batista Falla had been admitted to the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute, in Havana, over a week before his death after contracting the virus.
Victor Batista Falla, (pictured) 87, lived in Madrid and died during a visit to Cuba. He was a known patron of Cuban literature
Born in 1933, he cultivated a taste for publishing and literature and financed and edited the mazagine Exilo from 1965 to 1973, which published essays and stories by exiled Cuban writers.
From the late 70s to the mid-1980s, he financed the Scandalous magazine, which was edited by the poet Octavio Armand.
In Madrid, he established the Colibri publishing house, which he managed until its closure in 2013.
Victor left Cuba aged 27 and moved to New York, before settling in Madrid.
His sister, the Grand Duchess Maria Teresa was born in Cuba before the family moved to New York.
The Grand Ducale Court of Luxembourg paid homage to the Grand Duchess' uncle (pictured) in an Instagram statement
On her wedding day to Grand Duke Henri on 14 February 1981, she received a bouquet of red roses from Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
Luxembourg has so far recorded 3,292 cases of coronavirus, which led to 69 deaths.
The country is currently on strict lockdown in order to limit the spread of the disease, which reached Luxembourg in late February after locals returned from winter holidays.
On March 17, Luxembourg's head of state, Xavier Bettel declared the pandemic a state emergency for at least three months.
The Grand Duchess shared on the Grand Ducale Instagram account that she was working from home from tje Berg palace.
Victor (pictured) was the last living brother of the Grand Duchess's mother, who passed in 1988
She has been keeping in touch with charities of which she is president and patron, such as Luxembourg's Red Cross and Luxembourg's National Association of Nurses.
She also is supporting organisations helping the homeless, the elderly and victims of abusive relationship through conference calls.
A statement from the palace, said the Grand Duchess was continuing to work from home amid the coronavirus crisis.
'In these difficult times where each move, each thought counts, the Grand Duchess maintains her close support to all who fight [the disease[ each day on the field with great dedication.
