Concern grows over Doña Sofía's 'loneliness' after losing another of her closest confidants

Queen Sofía has always been the "balm" of the Spanish royal family. Admired and loved by Spaniards, the Emeritus adopted the role of unifying link for the Bourbons. This Saturday —she reappeared on the Balearic island of Mallorca after attending the funeral of her uncle Michael of Greece, which was held in Athens. It was in the Greek capital where the Emeritus reunited with much of the Hellenic royal family and where she was accompanied by her sister, Princess Irene of Greece, who uses a wheelchair to bid farewell to the Greek prince.

Michael of Greece was one of the Emeritus's confidants, as was the one known as "Aunt Pecu," who has become her great concern due to the degenerative problems she has suffered since this past year. The death of the grandson of King George I has been a heavy blow for the mother of Infanta Elena, who in just two years has lost two of her essential pillars: Michael and Constantine of Greece, her brother and the last king of the Hellenes, to whom Doña Sofía was very close.

Since the Greek monarch passed away last January 2023, the Emeritus has been very devoted to the Greek royal family. In fact, whenever she has the chance, she travels to her homeland. Moreover, one of the most relevant events that Doña Sofía has scheduled is the wedding of her niece, Princess Theodora of Greece, who will walk down the aisle this coming September 28 alongside lawyer Matthew Kumar. Another date the Emeritus Queen will not miss is the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games —which will be held this coming August 11 at the French stadium of Saint-Denis— where she will attend with the kings of Spain and their daughters.

Sofía of Greece —who will turn 86 years old (86 años) this coming November— has been forced to live with loneliness and, also, with absences. Especially from her inner circle, which has included various figures with whom the Emeritus did not hesitate to share her concerns or to vent about the scandals that, for years, have affected the Spanish royal family.

The "Inner Circle" of Queen Sofía

Queen Sofía of Greece has always been forced to live with scandal and loneliness. Since she arrived in Spain after marrying Juan Carlos I, the Emeritus managed to win the affection of the Spanish people to such an extent that she is one of the most beloved and highly regarded members of the Spanish royal family. But the truth is that for years, Felipe's mother has adopted the role of "balm" for the Bourbons and has not hesitated to keep herself in a discreet second place.

The various scandals involving the Emeritus King, the family disagreements within the Spanish Monarchy, and the tension that —currently and as elcierredigital.com has been able to confirm— she keeps with Queen Letizia have taken a toll on the Emeritus. She usually relies on a small inner circle with whom she showed her concerns, which —mostly— revolved around her family.

One of Queen Sofía's confidants was her second uncle, Michael of Greece. The son of Prince Christopher of Greece was very close to the mother of Infanta Cristina. Not only because of blood ties but also because of the passion they both shared for archaeology. Alongside Prince Michael, the Emeritus Queen traveled to Athens as well as to places like Syria; moreover, he was also a regular on the trips that Kings Paul and Frederica of Greece took with their children around the Mediterranean.

Together with his wife, Greek artist Marina Karella, he would visit the Mallorca archipelago. In fact, in August 2004, he was one of the "tour guides" for then Princess Letizia during her first summer on the island and did not hesitate to accompany her to the iconic Hotel Formentor —which will open its doors this August— along with Princesses Irene of Greece and Tatiana Ratziwill.

Princess Tatiana has, for decades, been one of the Emeritus's closest friends and with whom she reappeared last Sunday on the island, specifically at the restaurant Mía —located in the Portixol harbor— where she went to dinner with her husband, Dr. Jean Henri Fruchaud, the kings of Spain, Princess Leonor, Infanta Sofía, and Princess Irene of Greece.

Together with the Polish princess —who suffers from mobility problems that force her to use a wheelchair— she forged a friendship during the years of exile that the Hellenic royal family spent in South Africa and Egypt. Moreover, in 1962, the Polish princess was one of the bridesmaids for the Emeritus Queen at her wedding to Juan Carlos I. Princess Tatiana is a distant cousin of Doña Sofía, and between them there is not only a blood relationship but also a close affection that the Emeritus also shares with her husband, the cardiology specialist Dr. Jean Henri Fruchaud.

The couple has, for years, been regulars in the Balearic archipelago and are considered part of the Marivent Palace household. It was customary to see the couple with Doña Sofía at sea or strolling through the historic center of Palma de Mallorca. But the archipelago is not the only destination the Fruchaud Ritzawills used to visit; they also frequented Athens, where they regularly met with the Hellenic royal family. In fact, the cardiologist was considered the "personal doctor of King Constantine of Greece."

In fact, Marivent Palace not only hosts the Fruchaud Ritzawills but, for years, also hosted Kings Constantine and Anne-Marie as well as their children, Princes Pavlos, Nikolaos, Philippos, Theodora, and Alexia. The Hellenic kings were also confidants of the Emeritus, and the death of the monarch —who suffered from various health problems— in January 2023 was a heavy blow for Doña Sofía, who devoted herself both to her nephews and to her sister-in-law, who has also become an essential pillar for her.

Together with the Greek royal family, the queen has reunited at the funeral of Michael of Greece, but she will also do so this coming September 28 when she attends the wedding of Princess Theodora of Greece.

Beyond blood ties, Queen Sofía has also forged great friendships. One of them is with Queen Noor of Jordan. A bond that was strengthened due to the close relationship that King Hussein had with Juan Carlos I. Alongside Noor, the Emeritus has shared vacations and events of such importance as the 80th birthday that Felipe VI's mother celebrated at the Teatro Real in Madrid.

Another of the essential pillars in Doña Sofía's life was Laura Hurtado de Mendoza, who was the queen's "right hand" since she arrived in Spain and a woman of strong monarchist convictions. It was in 1970 when she became advisor and secretary to the then Princess of Spain. A relationship that went beyond the professional sphere, and both established a close bond.

Princess Irene of Greece, Queen Sofía's Great Concern

The queen's ultimate confidant has been her sister, Princess Irene of Greece, who has also become her great concern. She accompanied her to the funeral of their uncle Michael of Greece and also reappeared this past Sunday. The one known as "Aunt Pecu" accompanied the Spanish royal family on their traditional night out.

Doña Sofía's sister appeared before the media sitting in a wheelchair at the doors of the Mallorcan restaurant Mía since she suffers from mobility problems as well as degenerative issues that have taken a toll on Princess Irene's health.

At the end of 2023, the magazine Lecturas reported that the Emeritus's greatest confidant "is losing her memories." According to the aforementioned media, Irene of Greece would not only be forgetting moments from her past, but she would also have difficulty recognizing the names or faces of her loved ones.

It was Sofía of Greece herself who realized that something was wrong with her sister's memory, with whom she lives at the Zarzuela Palace. Irene of Greece, her great confidant, has become her great concern, as has the loneliness with which the Emeritus Queen currently lives.