Juana Maria was born in New Spain, when the colony was still under the control of King of Spain and ruled by the Viceroy of New Spain. Her birth year coincided with the Mexican War of Independence, which would catapult her father to fame and secure his place on the Mexican imperial throne.
She died at a young age at the Georgetown Visitation Monastery in Washington, District of Columbia The Iturbides originated from minor Spanish nobility of Basque descent, who came to Mexico in the mid-18th century. Juana María had two elder siblings, Agustin Jeromino and Sabina, and several younger siblings: Josefa, Ángel, Jesus, María-Jesus, María, Salvador, Felipe and Agustín Cosme.
She was baptised as a Roman Catholic. She was designated Princesca de México upon her father"s accession in 1822.
She was referred to as Her Highness rather than Imperial Highness, which was reserved for the Prince Imperial.
Her father abdicated his throne after less than 10 months reign and the royal family was exiled from Mexico. On May 11, 1823, the royal family and some servants boarded the English ship "Rawlins", bound for Livorno, Italy. There her father rented a small country house and began to write his memoirs.
Under pressure from Spain, Italy expelled the Iturbide family, and they moved to England.
Iturbide returned to Mexico and was executed July 9, 1824, in Padilla, Tamaulipas. The Dowager-Empress Anna Maria moved her family, including Juana Maria, to the United States.
They lived in Washington, District of Columbia and in Philadelphia on Spruce Saint near 13th, and later at 226 Broad Saint
Juana Maria became a novice in the Visitation Monastery at Georgetown in Washington, District of Columbia On her deathbed, she professed herself a nun and took the name "Sister Margarita of Jesus". She died around the age of 17 at the monastery, where she is also buried.
