Queen Sofía of Spain
Encyclopedia
Queen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain
.
, Athens
, Greece
on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece
(1901–1964) and his wife, Queen Frederika (1917–1981), a former princess of Hanover. Queen Sofia is a member of the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
dynasty. Her brother is the deposed King Constantine II of Greece
and her sister Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark. However, since the abolition of the monarchy, the royal titles are recognized by the Dutch Monarchy and the Danish Royal Family
.
Princess Sophia spent some of her childhood in Egypt
where she took her early education in El Nasr Girls' College
(EGC) in Alexandria
, then went to South Africa
during her family's exile from Greece during World War II. They returned to Greece in 1946. She finished her education at the prestigious Schloss Salem boarding school
in Southern Germany, and then studied childcare, music and archeology in Athens
. Sofia also studied at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
a constituent college of the University of Cambridge
.
at the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Dennis. In doing so, she relinquished her rights to the throne of Greece and converted to Roman Catholicism from Greek Orthodoxy, an act of convenience in order to become more palatable to Catholic Spain. Further, the Latin transliteration of her Greek name (Σοφία), was changed from Sophia to the Spanish variant Sofía, which nonetheless is pronounced identically to the original Greek version.
In 1969, Prince Juan Carlos, who was never Prince of Asturias, the traditional title of the heir to the throne, was given the official title of Prince of Spain by the Spanish state; this was a title suggested by Sofia herself. Juan Carlos acceded to the throne as Juan Carlos I in 1975.
The couple have three children: HRH Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo born 20 December 1963, HRH Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca born 13 June 1965, and HRH Felipe, Prince of Asturias
born 30 January 1968. The King and Queen have eight grandchildren, four boys and four girls: Felipe
and Victoria
from the Infanta Elena; Juan
, Pablo
, Miguel
and Irene
from the Infanta Cristina; and Infanta Leonor
, and Infanta Sofía
, named in her honor, of Prince Felipe; all of whom are in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne
.
, she is a second cousin to Charles, Prince of Wales
. Through Christian IX of Denmark
and Queen Victoria, she is also related to Elizabeth II and thereby related to all the royal families of Europe. She is also a first cousin once removed of Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
. Queen Sofia is of Hohenzollern descent through her mother, Frederica of Hanover, and through her paternal grandmother, Sophia of Prussia
, and of Romanov
descent through her father's paternal grandmother, Olga Constantinovna of Russia.
, and is the honorary president of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Handicapped Persons and the Foundation for Aid for Drug Addicts.
She takes special interest in programs against drug addiction, travelling to conferences in both Spain and abroad. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is named after her, as is Reina Sofía Airport in Tenerife. Queen Sofia is often seen representing the Spanish Royal Family at weddings of other European royal families, most recently at the wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling
in 2010 and the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
in 2011, since her husband the King has expressed his wish not to attend weddings and other such royal functions. As a keen supporter of sports of all kind, the Queen also attended the final match of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles where she watched Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal
win for a second time, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup
where the team from Spain was crowned as world champion.
She has been working closely with Dr. Muhammed Yunus on his Grameen Bank
(or "Village Bank"), which offers microcredits to women across the world. Sofía has travelled to Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico to support the activities of the organization led by Yunus.
Queen Sofia of Spain has also been a strong supporter of Somaly Mam
's efforts and that of the NGO she founded, AFESIP (Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Précaire), in combating child prostitution and slavery in Cambodia. In 1998, Somaly Mam was awarded the prestigious Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation in the presence of Queen Sofia.
The Queen is an Honorary Member of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts and of the Royal Academy of History. She has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Rosario (Bogotá), Valladolid, Cambridge, Oxford, Georgetown, Evora, St. Mary's University, Texas, and New York.
and Spanish
, she also speaks French
, English
, Italian
, and German
. Her Majesty is also considered as one of the most fashionable royals in Europe and there's always great interest in her clothing at royal gatherings.
journalist Pilar Urbano revealed some details of the Queen's conservative ideals on politically debated issues and the lifestyle of the Queen. Strong controversy arose from comments against the same-sex marriage law recently approved by the Spanish Parliament, and also against Gay Pride
demonstrations. "I can understand, accept and respect that there are people of other sexual tendencies, but why should they be proud to be gay?” she asked. "Should they ride on a parade float and come out in protests? If all of us who are not gay were to parade in the streets, we’d halt the traffic in every city.” On the subject of gay marriage, legal since 2005 in Spain, she offered these thoughts: "If those people want to live together, dress up like bride and groom and marry, they could have a right to do so, or not, depending on the law of their country, but they should not call this matrimony, because it isn't”. These opinions forced the Spanish Monarchy to be the center of the claim for a new Spanish Republic during 2009 Gay Pride Parade
in Madrid, in which participation of left party Izquierda Unida
included showing more than 100 republican flags.
She also critizised the military intervention in Afghanistan
, where Spanish troops were taking part at the moment, her defence of religious education in schools, and her conviction that gender violence publicity will encourage new cases to happen. Her opinions were the object of lively criticism from LGTB associations and from Spanish intellectuals. Also responding were Spanish republican political parties like IU
and ERC
. Government party decided to keep silence, while conservative party PP
decided to do so, after a first criticism of the Queen's political intervention from its representative.
Also controversial were her publicly exposing private conversations between King Juan Carlos of Spain and King Hassan II of Morocco
, and her revealing King Juan Carlos's autocratic references to Spanish regions as "my lands" (mis tierras).
She mentioned her relationship with her daughter-in-law Letizia Ortiz, a former divorcée, saying that Letizia has brought her closer to the people, and that she and Letizia spend time together and visit restaurants and shops. On the election of Barack Obama
, she said how surprised she was that for the first time in the USA a black candidate might be elected as president, and said she does not tolerate racism. She also mentioned that the King would never abdicate, and that she is against abortion and euthanasia. After the uproar, a press release was issued mentioning that the Queen considered her words were expressed in private conversations and were 'inaccurate'. Pilar Urbano defended herself saying that the book had been sent to the Palace for approval and that everything in the book is documented.
Some members of the Spanish royal family, including the King's sister, the Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz
(who declared her total agreement with Sofia), supported the Queen's opinions.
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri
Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Knight of the Order of the Elephant
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav Member of the Order of the Seraphim
Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
Grand Cross of the National Order of the Légion d'honneur
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olga and St. Sophia Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
Collar Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem Order of the White Double Cross Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Queen of Sheba Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Ojaswi Rajanya Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
First Class of the Order of the Precious Crown
Dame Grand Cross decorated with Grand Cordon of the Order of St. James of the Sword Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (Portugal)
Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry Special Class of the Order of the Mohammediya Lady of the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of the White Eagle (Poland, 2001) Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania
(2009)
of the Queen impales the Spanish Royal Arms
(her husband's shield) to the dexter (viewer's left) with her father’s shield
, the arms of King Paul of Greece
– Azure a cross argent; inescutcheon, the coat of arms of Denmark
as used when George I
became king of Greece and showing the dynastic link to the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
dynasty; a shield containing a cross argent fimbriated gules from the Danish flag
and subcoats representing Denmark
, Schleswig
, the former Kalmar Union
, Iceland
, the Faroe Islands
, Greenland
, Holstein
, Stormarn
, Dithmarschen
, Lauenburg, Oldenburg
, Delmenhorst
, and the former Danish royal titles of King of the Wends
and Goths
.
All surmounted by the Spanish Royal Crown
(Crown's arches
differenced as consort) and surrounded by the Collar of the Order of Charles III.
The Queen's coat of arms has no official status. In Spain only the coats of arms of the King
and the Prince of Asturias
are official.
|-
Juan Carlos I of Spain
Juan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
.
Early life and family
Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in PsychikoPsychiko
Psychiko is a suburb of Athens, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Filothei-Psychiko, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit.Psychiko is located to the south of the Olympic stadium...
, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece
Paul of Greece
Paul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....
(1901–1964) and his wife, Queen Frederika (1917–1981), a former princess of Hanover. Queen Sofia is a member of the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg , known as the House of Glücksburg for short, is a German ducal house, junior branches of which include the royal houses of Denmark and Norway, the deposed royal house of Greece, and the heir to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms The House...
dynasty. Her brother is the deposed King Constantine II of Greece
Constantine II of Greece
|align=right|Constantine II was King of Greece from 1964 until the abolition of the monarchy in 1973, the sixth and last monarch of the Greek Royal Family....
and her sister Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark. However, since the abolition of the monarchy, the royal titles are recognized by the Dutch Monarchy and the Danish Royal Family
Danish Royal Family
The Danish Royal Family includes the Queen of Denmark and her family. All members except the Queen hold the title of Prince/Princess of Denmark with the style of His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty. The Queen and her siblings belong to the House of...
.
Princess Sophia spent some of her childhood in Egypt
Kingdom of Egypt
The Kingdom of Egypt was the first modern Egyptian state, lasting from 1922 to 1953. The Kingdom was created in 1922 when the British government unilaterally ended its protectorate over Egypt, in place since 1914. Sultan Fuad I became the first king of the new state...
where she took her early education in El Nasr Girls' College
El Nasr Girls' College
El Nasr Girls' College is a school in El Shatby, Alexandria, Egypt. It was established in 1935, and was originally known as English Girls College.- History :...
(EGC) in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, then went to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during her family's exile from Greece during World War II. They returned to Greece in 1946. She finished her education at the prestigious Schloss Salem boarding school
Schule Schloss Salem
Schule Schloss Salem is a boarding school with campuses in Hohenfels, Salem and Überlingen in Baden-Württemberg, Southern Germany. It is considered one of the most elite schools in Europe.It offers the German Abitur, as well as the International Baccalaureate...
in Southern Germany, and then studied childcare, music and archeology in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Sofia also studied at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...
a constituent college of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Marriage and family
On 14 May 1962 Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark married Infante Juan Carlos of Spain, whom she met on a cruise of the Greek Islands in 1954, in AthensAthens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
at the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Dennis. In doing so, she relinquished her rights to the throne of Greece and converted to Roman Catholicism from Greek Orthodoxy, an act of convenience in order to become more palatable to Catholic Spain. Further, the Latin transliteration of her Greek name (Σοφία), was changed from Sophia to the Spanish variant Sofía, which nonetheless is pronounced identically to the original Greek version.
In 1969, Prince Juan Carlos, who was never Prince of Asturias, the traditional title of the heir to the throne, was given the official title of Prince of Spain by the Spanish state; this was a title suggested by Sofia herself. Juan Carlos acceded to the throne as Juan Carlos I in 1975.
The couple have three children: HRH Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo born 20 December 1963, HRH Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca born 13 June 1965, and HRH Felipe, Prince of Asturias
Felipe, Prince of Asturias
Felipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain....
born 30 January 1968. The King and Queen have eight grandchildren, four boys and four girls: Felipe
Felipe
Felipe is the Spanish variant of the name Philip, which derives from the Greek adjective Philippos "friend of horses". Felipe is also used in Portuguese.Noteworthy people with this name include:-Politics:* Felipe Agoncillo, Filipino diplomat...
and Victoria
Victoria Federica de Marichalar y de Borbón
Doña Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón is the daughter of the Duchess of Lugo, The Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
from the Infanta Elena; Juan
Juan Valentín Urdangarín y de Borbón
Don Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón , in Basque: Joan Balentín Urdangarin de Borbon, is the eldest son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín. Juan is eighth in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne, after his...
, Pablo
Pablo Nicolás Urdangarín y de Borbón
Don Pablo Nicolás Sebastián de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón is the second son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín...
, Miguel
Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón
Don Miguel de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón is a member of the Spanish Royal Family, the third son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín. Miguel is tenth in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne, after his mother and two older...
and Irene
Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón
Doña Irene de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón , is the daughter of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín, the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca...
from the Infanta Cristina; and Infanta Leonor
Infanta Leonor of Spain
The Infanta Leonor of Spain is the first child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, and his wife Letizia. Her father has no sons and she is thus second in the line of succession to the Spanish throne after her father...
, and Infanta Sofía
Infanta Sofía of Spain
The Infanta Sofía of Spain is the second child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias and his wife Princess Letizia. As the daughter of the heir-apparent to the throne, she is styled and titled Her Royal Highness, Infanta of Spain...
, named in her honor, of Prince Felipe; all of whom are in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne
Line of succession to the Spanish Throne
Spain uses the system of primogeniture. Male children succeed before female, and otherwise in order of age. If descent from male children does not exist , a female and her heirs succeed. Dynasts who marry against the express prohibition of the king or the Cortes are excluded from the succession...
.
Ancestry
Queen Sofía is both a great-great-granddaughter (paternally) and a great-great-great-granddaughter (maternally) of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and is, through several lines, her husband's third cousin. She is a first cousin of Ernst August of Hanover, and through her great-grandfather George I of GreeceGeorge I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
, she is a second cousin to Charles, Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
. Through Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX was King of Denmark from 16 November 1863 to 29 January 1906.Growing up as a prince of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a junior branch of the House of Oldenburg which had ruled Denmark since 1448, Christian was originally not in the immediate line of succession to the Danish...
and Queen Victoria, she is also related to Elizabeth II and thereby related to all the royal families of Europe. She is also a first cousin once removed of Elizabeth II's husband, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh is the husband of Elizabeth II. He is the United Kingdom's longest-serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a reigning British monarch....
. Queen Sofia is of Hohenzollern descent through her mother, Frederica of Hanover, and through her paternal grandmother, Sophia of Prussia
Sophia of Prussia
Princess Sophie of Prussia was Queen of the Hellenes as the wife of King Constantine I.-Princess of Prussia:...
, and of Romanov
Romanov
The House of Romanov was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule over Russia, reigning from 1613 until the February Revolution abolished the crown in 1917...
descent through her father's paternal grandmother, Olga Constantinovna of Russia.
Royal duties
Besides travelling with her husband within Spain and abroad, the Queen has her own agenda. She is the executive president of the Queen Sofía Foundation, which in 1993 sent funds for relief in Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, and is the honorary president of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Handicapped Persons and the Foundation for Aid for Drug Addicts.
She takes special interest in programs against drug addiction, travelling to conferences in both Spain and abroad. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía is named after her, as is Reina Sofía Airport in Tenerife. Queen Sofia is often seen representing the Spanish Royal Family at weddings of other European royal families, most recently at the wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling
Wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling
The royal wedding between Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling took place on 2010 in Stockholm Cathedral. It has been described as "Europe's biggest royal wedding since the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981." Westling's style and title after the marriage is now...
in 2010 and the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton
The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince William, the eldest son of Charles, Prince of Wales, first met Catherine Middleton in 2001, when both were studying at the University of St Andrews. Their...
in 2011, since her husband the King has expressed his wish not to attend weddings and other such royal functions. As a keen supporter of sports of all kind, the Queen also attended the final match of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships - Men's Singles where she watched Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
win for a second time, as well as the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
where the team from Spain was crowned as world champion.
She has been working closely with Dr. Muhammed Yunus on his Grameen Bank
Grameen Bank
The Grameen Bank is a microfinance organization and community development bank started in Bangladesh that makes small loans to the impoverished without requiring collateral...
(or "Village Bank"), which offers microcredits to women across the world. Sofía has travelled to Bangladesh, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Mexico to support the activities of the organization led by Yunus.
Queen Sofia of Spain has also been a strong supporter of Somaly Mam
Somaly Mam
Somaly Mam is a Cambodian author and human rights advocate, focusing primarily on needs of victims of human sex trafficking, and has garnered official and media acclaim for her efforts.-Early life:...
's efforts and that of the NGO she founded, AFESIP (Agir pour les Femmes en Situation Précaire), in combating child prostitution and slavery in Cambodia. In 1998, Somaly Mam was awarded the prestigious Prince of Asturias Awards for International Cooperation in the presence of Queen Sofia.
The Queen is an Honorary Member of the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts and of the Royal Academy of History. She has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Rosario (Bogotá), Valladolid, Cambridge, Oxford, Georgetown, Evora, St. Mary's University, Texas, and New York.
Life and lifestyle
In addition to GreekGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, she also speaks French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, and German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Her Majesty is also considered as one of the most fashionable royals in Europe and there's always great interest in her clothing at royal gatherings.
Opinions
An interview for the occasion of the Queen's 70th birthday with Opus DeiOpus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
journalist Pilar Urbano revealed some details of the Queen's conservative ideals on politically debated issues and the lifestyle of the Queen. Strong controversy arose from comments against the same-sex marriage law recently approved by the Spanish Parliament, and also against Gay Pride
Gay pride
LGBT pride or gay pride is the concept that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should be proud of their sexual orientation and gender identity...
demonstrations. "I can understand, accept and respect that there are people of other sexual tendencies, but why should they be proud to be gay?” she asked. "Should they ride on a parade float and come out in protests? If all of us who are not gay were to parade in the streets, we’d halt the traffic in every city.” On the subject of gay marriage, legal since 2005 in Spain, she offered these thoughts: "If those people want to live together, dress up like bride and groom and marry, they could have a right to do so, or not, depending on the law of their country, but they should not call this matrimony, because it isn't”. These opinions forced the Spanish Monarchy to be the center of the claim for a new Spanish Republic during 2009 Gay Pride Parade
Gay pride parade
Pride parades for the LGBT community are events celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture. The events also at times serve as demonstrations for legal rights such as same-sex marriage...
in Madrid, in which participation of left party Izquierda Unida
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
included showing more than 100 republican flags.
She also critizised the military intervention in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, where Spanish troops were taking part at the moment, her defence of religious education in schools, and her conviction that gender violence publicity will encourage new cases to happen. Her opinions were the object of lively criticism from LGTB associations and from Spanish intellectuals. Also responding were Spanish republican political parties like IU
United Left (Spain)
The United Left is a political coalition that was organized in 1986 bringing together several political organisations opposed to Spain joining NATO. It was formed by a number of groups of leftists, greens, left-wing socialists and republicans, but was dominated by the Communist Party of Spain...
and ERC
Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya
The Republican Left of Catalonia is a left wing Catalan independentist political party in Spain. It is also the main sponsor of the independence movement from France and Spain in the territories known among Catalan nationalists as Països Catalans...
. Government party decided to keep silence, while conservative party PP
People's Party (Spain)
The People's Party is a conservative political party in Spain.The People's Party was a re-foundation in 1989 of the People's Alliance , a party led and founded by Manuel Fraga Iribarne, a former Minister of Tourism during Francisco Franco's dictatorship...
decided to do so, after a first criticism of the Queen's political intervention from its representative.
Also controversial were her publicly exposing private conversations between King Juan Carlos of Spain and King Hassan II of Morocco
Hassan II of Morocco
King Hassan II l-ḥasan aṯ-ṯānī, dial. el-ḥasan ettâni); July 9, 1929 – July 23, 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until his death in 1999...
, and her revealing King Juan Carlos's autocratic references to Spanish regions as "my lands" (mis tierras).
She mentioned her relationship with her daughter-in-law Letizia Ortiz, a former divorcée, saying that Letizia has brought her closer to the people, and that she and Letizia spend time together and visit restaurants and shops. On the election of Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, she said how surprised she was that for the first time in the USA a black candidate might be elected as president, and said she does not tolerate racism. She also mentioned that the King would never abdicate, and that she is against abortion and euthanasia. After the uproar, a press release was issued mentioning that the Queen considered her words were expressed in private conversations and were 'inaccurate'. Pilar Urbano defended herself saying that the book had been sent to the Palace for approval and that everything in the book is documented.
Some members of the Spanish royal family, including the King's sister, the Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz
Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz
Infanta Pilar of Spain, Duchess of Badajoz, Grandee of Spain, Dowager Viscountess de la Torre is the elder daughter of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Princess Maria Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, and older sister of reigning King Juan Carlos of...
(who declared her total agreement with Sofia), supported the Queen's opinions.
Titles
Here is a list of titles Queen Sofía held from birth in chronological order :- Her Royal Highness Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark (1938–1962)
- Her Royal Highness Princess Sofía of Spain (1962–1969)
- Her Royal Highness The Princess of Spain (1969–1975)
- Her Majesty The Queen of Spain (1975–present)
Spanish honours
- Dame Grand Collar of The Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III.
- Dame of the Royal Order of Queen Maria LuisaOrder of Queen Maria LuisaThe Royal Order of Queen María Luisa is an Order created by Charles IV of Spain by royal decree in April 21 1792 at the request of his wife Queen Maria Luisa, to have a way to reward noble women who distinguished themselves for their services and talents, so it was established as a distinction...
(1,193rd lady on 14 May 1962).
Foreign honours
Collar of the Order of the Aztec EagleOrder of the Aztec Eagle
The Order of the Aztec Eagle is a Mexican order and is the highest decoration awarded to foreigners in the country.It was created by decree on December 29, 1933 by President Abelardo L. Rodríguez as a reward to services given to Mexico or humankind by foreigners...
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Royal House of Chakri
Order of the Royal House of Chakri
The Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri was established in 1882 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam to commemorate the Bangkok Centennial...
Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Knight of the Order of the Elephant
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav Member of the Order of the Seraphim
Order of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star...
Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross
Order of the Southern Cross
The National Order of the Southern Cross is a Brazilian order of chivalry founded by Emperor Pedro I on 1 December 1822. This order was intended to commemorate the independence of Brazil and the coronation of Pedro I...
Grand Cross of the National Order of the Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olga and St. Sophia Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
Order of the Falcon
The Order of the Falcon or Hin íslenska fálkaorða is a national Order of Iceland, established on July 3, 1921 by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland.-History and appointments:...
Collar Lady of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem Order of the White Double Cross Dame Grand Cordon of the Order of Chula Chom Klao
Order of Chula Chom Klao
The Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao was established in 16 November 1873 by King Rama V of The Kingdom of Siam to commemorate the 90th Jubilee of the Chakri Dynasty, and bears his Name...
Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Queen of Sheba Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Ojaswi Rajanya Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer
Order of the Redeemer
The Order of the Redeemer , also known as the Order of the Savior, is an order of Greece. The Order of the Redeemer is the oldest and highest decoration awarded by the modern Greek state.- History :...
First Class of the Order of the Precious Crown
Order of the Precious Crown
The Order of the Precious Crown is a Japanese order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. Originally the order had five classes, but on April 13, 1896 the sixth, seventh and eighth classes were added....
Dame Grand Cross decorated with Grand Cordon of the Order of St. James of the Sword Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (Portugal)
Order of Christ (Portugal)
The Military Order of Christ previously the Royal Order of the Knights of Our Lord Jesus Christ was the heritage of the Knights Templar in Portugal, after the suppression of the Templars in 1312...
Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry Special Class of the Order of the Mohammediya Lady of the Order of the Golden Lion of Nassau Dame Grand Cross of Justice of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George
The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George is a Roman Catholic order of chivalry. It was fictively established by Constantine the Great, though in reality it was founded between 1520 and 1545 by two brothers of the Angeli Comneni family. Members of the Angeli Comneni family remained...
Grand Cross with Grand Cordon of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic was founded as the senior order of knighthood by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi in 1951...
Order of the White Eagle (Poland, 2001) Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania
Order of the Star of Romania
The Order of the Star of Romania is Romania's highest civil order. It is awarded by the President of Romania...
(2009)
Arms
The personal coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of the Queen impales the Spanish Royal Arms
Coat of arms of the King of Spain
The blazoning of the coat of arms of the King of Spain is set out in Title II, Rule 1, of Spanish Royal Decree 1511 of 21 January 1977, by which the Rules for Flags, Standards, Guidons, Banners, and Badges were adopted.- Quartered shield :...
(her husband's shield) to the dexter (viewer's left) with her father’s shield
Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece
The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Greece was the official symbol of the Greek state during the period of the monarchy .-Description of the coat of arms of the Wittelsbach dynasty:...
, the arms of King Paul of Greece
Paul of Greece
Paul reigned as King of Greece from 1947 to 1964.-Family and early life:Paul was born in Athens, the third son of King Constantine I of Greece and his wife, Princess Sophia of Prussia. He was trained as a naval officer....
– Azure a cross argent; inescutcheon, the coat of arms of Denmark
Coat of arms of Denmark
The royal coat of arms is more complex. The shield is quartered by a silver cross fimbriated in red, derived from the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark by three crowned lions passant accompanied by nine hearts; the second quarter contains two lions passant...
as used when George I
George I of Greece
George I was King of Greece from 1863 to 1913. Originally a Danish prince, George was only 17 years old when he was elected king by the Greek National Assembly, which had deposed the former king Otto. His nomination was both suggested and supported by the Great Powers...
became king of Greece and showing the dynastic link to the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
The House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg , known as the House of Glücksburg for short, is a German ducal house, junior branches of which include the royal houses of Denmark and Norway, the deposed royal house of Greece, and the heir to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms The House...
dynasty; a shield containing a cross argent fimbriated gules from the Danish flag
Flag of Denmark
The national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side...
and subcoats representing Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
, the former Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
, Greenland
Greenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
, Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
, Stormarn
Stormarn
Stormarn is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Segeberg and Ostholstein, the city of Lübeck, the district of Lauenburg, and the city-state of Hamburg.-History:...
, Dithmarschen
Dithmarschen
Dithmarschen is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Nordfriesland, Schleswig-Flensburg, Rendsburg-Eckernförde, and Steinburg, by the state of Lower Saxony , and by the North Sea.-Geography:The district is located on the North Sea...
, Lauenburg, Oldenburg
Oldenburg
Oldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
, Delmenhorst
Delmenhorst
Delmenhorst is an urban district in Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of 74,500 and is located 10 km/6 miles west of downtown Bremen with which it forms a contiguous urban area, whereas the city of Oldenburg is 25 km/15 miles to the northwest. The city has a total area of 62.36 km²...
, and the former Danish royal titles of King of the Wends
King of the Wends
The title of King of the Wends denoted sovereignty or claims over once-Slavic lands of southern coasts of the Baltic Sea, those otherwise called Mecklenburg, Holstein and Pomerania, and was used from 12th century to 1972 by Kings of Denmark and from ca 1540 to 1973 by the Kings of Sweden.The...
and Goths
King of the Goths
The title of King of the Goths was for many centuries borne by both the Kings of Sweden and the Kings of Denmark, denoting sovereignty or claimed sovereignty over the antique people of the Goths....
.
All surmounted by the Spanish Royal Crown
Spanish Royal Crown
The Spanish royal crown, known as crown of Alfonso of Spain, is the symbol of the Spanish monarchy and has been used in proclamation ceremonies since the 18th century....
(Crown's arches
Half-arch (crown)
A half-arch is the piece of gold, silver or platinum, usually decorated with jewels, that links the circlet of a hoop crown to the globe at the top of the crown.-British tradition of 4 half-arches:...
differenced as consort) and surrounded by the Collar of the Order of Charles III.
The Queen's coat of arms has no official status. In Spain only the coats of arms of the King
Coat of arms of the King of Spain
The blazoning of the coat of arms of the King of Spain is set out in Title II, Rule 1, of Spanish Royal Decree 1511 of 21 January 1977, by which the Rules for Flags, Standards, Guidons, Banners, and Badges were adopted.- Quartered shield :...
and the Prince of Asturias
Coat of arms of the Prince of Asturias
The blazon of the coat of arms of the Prince of Asturias appears in Royal Decree 284 of 16 March 2001, whereby His Guidon and His Standard are created.QUARTERED SHIELD:...
are official.
External links
- Official website of the Spanish Royal Family
- Official website of the Queen Sofia Foundation
- Royal House of Greece
- Royal House of Spain
- Queen Sofia Family Tree
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