From May 28 to 30, 2025, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Davit and Prince Giorgi of Georgia visited Cantabria, Spain, to attend Rally Festival Hoznayo. This year’s festival was dedicated to the memory of the late His Royal Highness Prince Jorge Bagration Mukhran-Batoni, a celebrated racing champion and former Head of the Royal House of Georgia. He was the father of Crown Prince Davit and the grandfather of Prince Giorgi, the heir.
Prince Jorge was born in Rome in 1944 as a member of the Royal House of Georgia and the Bagrationi dynasty, which ruled Georgia for centuries. He served as Head of the Royal House of Georgia from 1977 until his death in 2008, succeeding his father, His Royal Highness Prince Irakli.
Widely regarded as the greatest racing driver in Georgian history, Prince Jorge enjoyed a distinguished career in motorsport. He won 13 Spanish championship titles across several disciplines, including rallying, GT racing, and hill climbs. His accomplishments extended well beyond those national titles. He competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 1000 Kilometres of Nürburgring, and the 1000 Kilometres of Buenos Aires, as well as in Formula 2 and Formula 3. He also participated in the 1971 Copa Brasil at the Interlagos circuit, where he finished ahead of two-time Formula One World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
Among Prince Jorge’s most celebrated victories was the 1981 Firestone Rally in Cantabria, where he finished ahead of Ari Vatanen, who would become the 1981 World Rally Champion. The 2025 Rally Festival, organized by Spanish driver Marcos de Diego, featured nearly 200 participating teams and included Vatanen himself, lending the tribute additional historical significance.
During the event, Crown Prince Davit expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the organizers and the people of Cantabria for honoring his father’s memory. He described Prince Jorge not only as a gifted and courageous sportsman but also as a man of unwavering dignity and loyalty to the Georgian Crown.
The Royal House of Georgia continues to uphold the memory of His Royal Highness Prince Jorge Bagration Mukhran-Batoni, whose life and legacy remain a lasting source of inspiration for Georgia and the international motorsport community.