{"id":239809,"date":"2023-10-30T13:04:28","date_gmt":"2023-10-30T13:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=239809"},"modified":"2023-10-30T13:04:28","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T13:04:28","slug":"queen-sofia-of-spain-breaks-down-in-tears-at-madrid-engagement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/lifestyle\/queen-sofia-of-spain-breaks-down-in-tears-at-madrid-engagement\/","title":{"rendered":"Queen Sofia of Spain breaks down in tears at Madrid engagement"},"content":{"rendered":"
Queen Sofia of Spain\u00a0broke down in tears at her latest appearance – amid reports she is not invited to her granddaughter\u00a0Princess Leonor’s swearing-in ceremony at Congress.<\/p>\n
The wife of former King\u00a0Juan Carlos I offered her ‘most sincere congratulations’ to physicist Emilio Lora-Tamayo on Friday as he was named\u00a0honorary rector for life by the Camilo Jos\u00e9 Cela University in Madrid.<\/p>\n
In a rare emotional moment, the 84-year-old became tearful while paying tribute to the university professor in her speech.\u00a0The pair are said to have been friends for years, according to local media reports.<\/p>\n
The royal and Emilio, 73, who must use an oxygen mask and a wheelchair due to his poor health, held hands with one another as they left the event.<\/p>\n
Sofia’s emotional outburst comes amid reports that King Felipe VI of Spain’s mother has not been invited to\u00a0Princess Leonor’s swearing-in ceremony at Congress on October 31, the day when the heir to the Spanish throne turns 18.<\/p>\n
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Queen Sofia of Spain broke down in tears at her latest appearance (pictured) – amid reports she is not invited to her granddaughter Princess Leonor ‘s swearing-in ceremony at Congress<\/p>\n
Sources in Zarzuela Palace told Spanish newspaper\u00a0El Pa\u00eds\u00a0that Sofia will not accompany King Felipe and Queen Letizia to the historic occasion – ‘so as not to make distinctions with Juan Carlos I’.<\/p>\n
The palace is reportedly trying to avoid the controversial former King, who abdicated in favour of his son Felipe in 2014, stealing the spotlight when he arrives in the Spanish capital ‘for just seven hours’.<\/p>\n
While neither Juan Carlos, who lives in exile in the United Arab Emirates,\u00a0or Sofia will be at the public engagements tomorrow, both are set to attend the\u00a0private family celebrations after the event.<\/p>\n
Palace sources said the ‘solution was closed by mutual agreement from the first moment’ between Juan Carlos and Felipe, according to El Debate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Juan Carlos was once one of Spain’s most respected public figures for his role in the country’s return to democracy following the death of dictator Francisco Franco in 1975.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But scandals involving Spain’s royal family began to mount in the later years of his reign, leading him to step down in favour of his son, King Felipe.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, he\u00a0won a bid to end a \u00a3126million High Court battle with his Danish ex-lover who accused him of spying on and harassing her.<\/p>\n
Danish businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, who is in her late 50s, claimed the former royal had\u00a0caused her ‘great mental pain’.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sofia’s emotional outburst comes amid reports that King Felipe VI of Spain’s mother has not been invited to Princess Leonor’s swearing-in ceremony at Congress on October 31, the day when the heir to the Spanish throne turns 18. Pictured,\u00a0Leonor,\u00a0Letizia, Sofia and\u00a0Princess Sof\u00eda<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sources in Zarzuela Palace told Spanish newspaper El Pa\u00eds that Sofia will not accompany King Felipe and Queen Letizia (pictured together with Juan Carlos in 2003) to the historic occasion – ‘so as not to make distinctions with Juan Carlos I’<\/p>\n Juan Carlos, 85, has denied wrongdoing and disputed the claims made against him, arguing they are not ‘viable’.<\/p>\n In a judgment at the High Court in London, Justice Rowena Collins Rice said the court ‘lacks jurisdiction to try this claim’ because it was brought against the defendant outside of his country of domicile.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She added that Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn ‘has not sufficiently established that the “harmful event” of which she complains \u2013 harassment by the defendant \u2013 happened in England’.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a statement, Juan\u00a0Carlos said he welcomed the judge’s decision. Meanwhile,\u00a0Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn said she was ‘deeply disappointed’.\u00a0<\/p>\n When Juan Carlos stepped down, he told his subjects:\u00a0‘I have decided to end my reign and abdicate the crown of Spain.\u00a0 A new generation is quite rightly demanding to take the lead role.’<\/span><\/p>\n On the way out, he also took a swipe at the then Prince Charles, saying: ‘We\u00a0do not want my son to wither waiting like Prince Charles.’<\/span><\/p>\n In August 2020, after six years out of the spotlight, Juan Carlos opted to leave Spain, saying he did not want his personal affairs to undermine his son King Felipe VI’s reign.<\/span><\/p>\n Earlier that year, his son had stripped him of an annual allowance of nearly 200,000 euros as details of his financial dealings emerged.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And Spain’s Supreme Court had launched an investigation just two months before his departure into his alleged involvement in a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The late Saudi king Abdullah allegedly deposited \u00a377million (85million euros) into a Swiss bank account that Juan Carlos was said to have access to. However, the case was ultimately dropped.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Last September Juan Carlos attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, reportedly in defiance of the wishes of the Spanish government and his own son.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Juan Carlos’ granddaughter Leonor, who is\u00a0formally titled Princess of Astorias, will swear allegiance to the Spanish constitution on Tuesday as she marks her 18th birthday.<\/p>\n Despite sharp political divisions, reports from Spain suggest the country is largely united behind the young princess, who is currently undergoing military training as Cadet Borbon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The wife of former King Juan Carlos I offered her ‘most sincere congratulations’ to physicist Emilio Lora-Tamayo (pictured left) on Friday as he was named honorary rector for life by the Camilo Jos\u00e9 Cela University in Madrid<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The royal and Emilio, 73, who must use an oxygen mask and a wheelchair due to his poor health, held hands with one another as they left the event<\/p>\n Speaking last week, the princess described the oath swearing as an honour: ‘I very well understand and am aware of what my duty is and what my responsibilities entail,’ she told the Spanish public.\u00a0<\/p>\n If Leonor ascends to the throne, she will make history as Spain’s first queen regnant since her fourth great-grandmother Isabella II, who reigned from 1833 to 1868. She will be only the second Queen in the history of unified Spain.\u00a0<\/p>\n Following Leonor in the line of succession is her sister, Princess Sof\u00eda, two years her junior.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Leonor has recently been at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza\u00a0as she embarks upon three years of training.\u00a0<\/p>\n In preparation for her role as Spain’s head of state and\u00a0commander-in-chief of the armed forces, Leonor\u00a0must complete the three years in line with tradition as she follows the path of her father, King Felipe.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Princess Leonor pledging allegiance to the flag as she officially begins three years of military training to prepare for her future as the country’s head of state<\/p>\n <\/p>\n King Felipe and his daughter Princess Leonor salute the flag during the Spanish National Day military parade in Madrid, October 2023<\/p>\n After training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, which is Spain’s equivalent to Sandhurst, she will go to naval school and will complete her three years at the General Air Academy.<\/p>\n The princess revealed her enthusiasm for soon being a cadet at the Princesa de Girona Foundation award ceremony in Girona, Catalonia, on July 5.<\/p>\n She said: ‘I have just finished high school and I am about to start a new stage with a period of military training.<\/p>\n ‘I am happy because I know how much the Spanish value our armed forces… it is an important moment in my life and I feel very excited and determined to continue learning and giving my best effort.’<\/p>\n It was also revealed that the young Princess would go on to study law at university once her training with the military is complete, although her choice of university has not yet been revealed.<\/p>\nREAD MORE:\u00a0Inside the scandalous life of exiled former King of Spain Juan Carlos I: From bedding ‘2,000 women’, trying to ‘woo’ Princess Diana and THAT dig at King Charles\u00a0<\/h3>\n