Spanish socialite Ana Obregon, who made global headlines at the age of 68 by welcoming a baby via surrogate using her deceased son's sperm, has now spoken candidly about her role as a 'mum-grandmother' as Spain celebrated Mother's Day. Now 71, the actress and television personality became a mother to her granddaughter, Anita Sandra, in 2023, a decision that ignited national debate in Spain where surrogacy remains illegal.
A Controversial Journey to Motherhood
Ana Obregon found herself at the centre of a storm after photographs emerged of her leaving a US hospital with a newborn. She later revealed that the child was not her daughter but her granddaughter, conceived using an egg donor and the frozen sperm of her late son, Aless Lequio, who died from cancer in 2020 at the age of 27. Aless had frozen his sperm two years prior to his diagnosis, and Ana stated that fulfilling his final wish to have a child was her driving force.
In an interview with ¡Hola! magazine at the time, she explained: 'The girl isn't my daughter, she's my granddaughter. It was Aless' last wish to bring a child into the world.'
Mother's Day Reflections
Marking Mother's Day in Spain, Ana took to Instagram, where she boasts 1.3 million followers, to share two touching photographs: one of herself with her son as a baby, and another with her granddaughter shortly after birth. In a heartfelt caption translated from Spanish, she wrote: 'Mother's Day hurts. My heart goes out to all the mothers who have their angels in heaven... I need to tell you that love is the greatest force that exists... Now I am a grandmother-mother to an angel who illuminates every second of my darkness.'
Life as a Grandmother-Mother
In a recent television appearance in April 2025, Ana described her home as now 'full of stuffed animals and toys', complete with a ball pool where her granddaughter plays. However, she admitted that picking up Anita is becoming increasingly difficult as the child grows, causing strain on her back. Reflecting on her son's battle with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, she noted: 'We live our whole lives saying that we are eternal... Suddenly, one day they tell you at 25 years old that you have an aggressive cancer.'
Aless passed away at 27, two years after his diagnosis. Ana confessed that she now experiences more fears with Anita than she did with Aless, saying: 'You think, that's not what they told you when you were little. So I have many more fears [with Anita], more than when I had Aless.'
Resurrection Through Anita
In an earlier interview with ¡Hola! to mark Anita's second birthday, Ana revealed that she had felt 'dead for three years' after her son's death, but that her granddaughter's arrival 'resurrected' her. 'I know I'll never feel the happiness I had when Aless was with me again... That pain will never go away. Fortunately, Anita now fills my days.'
Anita's birth sparked controversy in Spain, where surrogacy is illegal, though adopting a child born abroad is permitted. After her birth via a surrogate in the US, Ana adopted Anita, making her legally her daughter. The decision drew criticism from Spanish politicians, including then-Equality Minister Irene Montero, who called surrogacy 'a form of violence against women.'
Ana has dismissed such criticism, stating: 'I believe that when fathers and mothers put themselves in my shoes and in my soul, in my pain... I was the owner of my pain. Now, I am the owner of my revival.'
A Life in the Spotlight
Ana Obregon is one of Spain's most recognisable celebrities, with a career spanning over four decades. She has appeared in numerous TV shows, including an episode of The A-Team, and was famous for her annual bikini photoshoots. However, she has also courted controversy, notably for her baseless claims about sharing a bed with David Beckham during his time at Real Madrid—allegations the footballer has always denied. She also claimed that Victoria Beckham 'almost pulled her hair out' over the incident, which sources close to the couple dismissed as 'ludicrous.'
