Baroness Carmen Thyssen Hospitalized for Pneumonia, Speeds Up Succession Plans

Carmen Thyssen, the 83-year-old baroness known for her art collection, was hospitalised at Barcelona's Teknon Clinic on 23 April due to pneumonia. She had been transferred from her residence in Sant Feliu de Guíxols and received medical discharge on 1 May, according to reports from El Mundo.

The episode has drawn renewed attention to her health and the Thyssen family patrimony, estimated by Forbes at €1.3 billion last November. Andorra sources note significant concern among her advisors in the Principat, where she holds extensive economic interests and legal ties. Those close to the baroness have imposed strict confidentiality on her condition, but have instructed multiple assistants to expedite various legal and succession-related procedures.

Cervera has frequently revised her testamentary arrangements amid a historically tense relationship with her eldest son, Borja Thyssen. Recent efforts focus on her twin daughters from a surrogacy birth in Los Angeles, Carmen and Sabina, who spent much of their childhood and adolescence in Andorra. Both attended Agora Andorra International School, and Sabina continues to reside there.

Carmen Thyssen, the daughter, has gained prominence in institutional and business roles, including boards linked to the family assets and the planned Carmen Thyssen Museum in Barcelona. She appears positioned to take priority in succession matters. In a related development, Andorra's Superior Court civil chamber recently ruled in her favour on a nationality application, equating surrogacy to adoption and granting her eligibility. Her case had been rejected administratively by the government and pursued judicially, while Sabina's remains pending at the Batllia.

Among the accelerated tasks is reapplying for Carmen's Andorran passport, now backed by the court ruling. The administration may comply, though it could potentially appeal to the Constitutional Court if it views the surrogacy-adoption equivalence as unconstitutional.

The daughters have become more involved in managing the legacy, raising questions about whether they will sustain their mother's strong connections to Andorra.