With the memoirs of Isabel Preysler aimed at becoming one of the year’s biggest editorial coups and a coveted gift for mothers and grandmothers this Christmas, the revelations of the socialite in the sixteen chapters that comprise My True Story continue to spark a great deal of talk. From the passionate love letters Mario Vargas Llosa wrote to her to the criticisms of Julio Iglesias for his misbehavior as a father toward his son Enrique, its pages seek to fulfill the promise she made before publication: to debunk the false myths that have been circulating about her for years.
But among her more or less confessable secrets, the ones who know a lot, besides her children – to whom she has dedicated the book “because they accompany me in every decision and every step I have taken” – are the members of her loyal household staff. They are the ones responsible for ensuring that everything runs perfectly in her Puerta de Hierro mansion, the one Alfonso Ussía once dubbed Villa Meona for its high number of bathrooms.
Among them stands out Ramona, the cook who daily bakes the cakes and the homemade chocolate ice cream that Isabel Preysler loves the most. But she is also the witness and silent confidante of her great loves and of her latest breakup with the Peruvian writer. “What really makes living together impossible is bad manners, and you are very badly educated. Please, send someone to pick up all your things,” she told the Nobel, then from Manila, by correspondence, to indicate that they had reached that point.
Ramona, Isabel Preysler’s Loyal Cook
The Paraguayan-born chef was the first to appear in the special titled Isabel Preysler: My Christmas. She is the one in charge of making sure nothing goes wrong when serving meals. “She is the house cook, who knows absolutely everything about everyone. If you fall ill, she makes you a soup to cure you and make you feel better. She is the heart of the house,” her boss defined her with notable appreciation and affection.
During the docuseries we saw her enjoy a moment of complicity with the Marchioness of Griñón, while they prepared a dessert together. We also see Ramona speaking to the camera to describe Isabel Preysler: “She is a very good person and always looks after us. When I went to Paraguay in 2015, my mother passed away. The lady called me and gave me vacation for the following year, something that does not happen in a house. I am very grateful.”
Her Trusted Household Circle
It was Tamara Falcó herself who, while celebrating her 35th birthday, shared on her Instagram account a photo of her informal meal with the household staff of her mother’s house. But it was in Isabel Preysler’s Christmas docuseries where we could get to know them one by one. In addition to Ramona, we learned, for example, of the existence of her secretary, Alicia, who manages her schedule and answers emails.
The Marquesa of Griñón’s birthday party with her mother’s staff.
Another employee who has been with her the longest is Rafael, her driver. “He does all my errands perfectly, he is absolutely trustworthy,” she says on camera about him, the queen of hearts. Among those who have joined more recently is Elías, the butler, who “integrated perfectly and we in the house love him very much,” assures his boss.
Then we have Cris, her stylist and in charge of her impeccable usual elegance; Blas, her personal trainer; and Chus, her yoga teacher, a discipline that has always been very important to Isabel. All of them form a well-oiled team and of absolute trust for her: “They are part of the family and they make this whole house have a good atmosphere. There is very good chemistry.”
