Re-Affirming our Extensive Differences between our Organisation and other Lazarite Pseudo-Orders

Statement 12/26 from the Office of the Grand Chancery

Don Francisco de Borbón von Hardenberg, the self-proclaimed 50th Grand Master of the Malta-Paris obedience of the Order of Saint Lazarus, was arrested in Spain during this month of February 2026 for allegedly laundering millions of euros for an international drug-trafficking network. Francisco de Borbón von Hardenberg (age 47), is a Spanish-German aristocrat and very distant cousin of King Felipe VI of Spain. He assumed the title of Grand Master of one of the several pseudo Orders who use the name 'Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem' following the 2025 death of his father, Francisco de Borbón y Escasany, 5th Duke of Seville. None of these pseudo-Orders are recognised as chivalric orders; most are registered as non governmental organisations and limited liability companies.

He was arrested in Marbella on February 2, 2026, by Spanish law enforcement within a major National Court (Audiencia Nacional) investigation targeting a drug-smuggling and money-laundering organization. Investigators found that funds tied to the criminal network—including a transfer for order-related certificates and medals—passed through entities connected to him, such as the Dublin-registered cryptocurrency firm ET Fintech Europe. He was released by Judge Francisco de Jorge after posting a €50,000 bail while denying all charges of wrongdoing. His passport was also confiscated, and a travel ban was ordered, with a requirement to check in weekly at court. Naturally, this is not the end of the story; pleasures yet to come once the trial is underway and other revelations are reported.

For a long time, the son of the Duke of Seville, who is also in a dispute over this title with his older sister, Olivia de Borbón (“My father stipulated in his will that it was his wish for me to hold the title of Duke of Seville, for which he had been preparing me since childhood,” he said in an interview with La Razón less than two months ago) has strived to keep his reputation in check in the press. But to no avail.

The 'Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus' is fragmented into multiple competing obediences (such as the Paris-Malta, Orléans, and many other  factions), none of which are recognized by the Holy See. Following the arrest, rival factions—including the branch led by François d'Orléans—promptly issued statements insisting that De Borbón does not represent a legitimate historic lineage and belongs to a splinter group. In the wake of the public scandal, De Borbón stepped down from his directorship roles tied to the European fintech structures investigated by authorities, instead of stepping down from his 'Grand Mastership'.

Although this case might be construed as one of the most shocking incidents related to the 'Military and Hospitaller' pseudo Lazarite Orders, unfortunately the latter's history since the early 1900s show us that this is the norm, not the exception. Previous leaders of these pseudo Orders were arrested and also  incarcerated for many a misdeed, including forgery, fraud, misrepresentation, impersonation, involvement in prostitution and other criminal offences. Many of these so called leaders were outed for using bogus titles and names and also for peddling such bogus titles illegally. a considerable amount of them were also outed because of their Fascist and Nazi beliefs; indeed, at the close of World War II, one such 'leader' was arrested by the allies in 1944 - he died in captivity. 

With all the above in mind, the Supreme Grand Priory of the Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem wishes to again reiterate its total independence of any of these pseudo Orders and their related splinter groups. The shenanigans of the so called 'Miltary and Hospitaller' pseudo Order in 1995 were indeed the main reasons why the Lazarite Grand Priories of Scotland and England decided together to found the United Grand Priories of the Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem. They founded a chivalric organisation, without the need to bend and distort history to prove the impossible and without creating any position of Grand Master within our structures who would have such an exalted and unlimited position within the Order. Instead, the United Grand Priories democratically elect a Supreme Grand Prior from amongst them, who serves our chivalric organisation as the presiding officer over all the Grand Priors of the Order worldwide, who are all treated as equals.

Written, by command of the Supreme Grand Priory, today the 20th of February 2026.

Signed by His Excellency

the Grand Chancellor of the United Grand Priories of the

Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem,

the Chevalier Massimo J Ellul GCLJ GCMLJ