She was the sister of King John III of Navarre and the wife of the widely notorious Cesare Borgia, whom she married in 1499.

She was the mother of his only legitimate child, Louise Borgia, to whom she acted as regent of the Duchy of Valentinois from 1507 to 1514, following the death of Cesare.

Her paternal great-great-grandfather was Charles d'Albret, Constable of France, who was killed while commanding the French troops at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

Louis XII demanded that Pope Alexander VI issue an annulment of his marriage to Joan.

[2] The political move would get the monarchs Catherine and John peace of mind to the north of the Pyrenees, while at the same time establishing friendly diplomatic relations with Rome that could pave the way to solve their conflict over ecclesiastic appointments in Navarre, especially concerning the bishop of Pamplona Pallaviccini, a designation contested by the Navarrese monarchs.

As of the 21st century, there are many living descendants of Cesare Borgia and Charlotte of Albret, including Prince Sixtus Henry of Bourbon-Parma.