Rafael Merry del Val was a Spanish Catholic prelate and diplomat who served as the Cardinal Secretary of State. Born in London in 1865 to a family of Spanish and Irish descent, he rose through the ecclesiastical ranks to become a titular archbishop and eventually a cardinal. His diplomatic career included serving as the Apostolic Delegate to Canada and playing a significant role in the papal conclave of 1903. He was a key figure in the Roman Curia, working closely with Pope Pius X.