A romance followed closely by all of Spain has reached its natural conclusion. The relationship between Irene Urdangarin, the youngest daughter of Infanta Cristina, and Juan Urquijo, brother of the mayor of Madrid’s wife, has ended. The couple, whose union was as public as it was discreet, decided to part ways after about a year together. So far, neither has made any official statements regarding the reasons that led them down separate paths. Recently, Juan found himself back in the media spotlight, but, as before, remained silent when asked about his former partner.
In social circles, two main factors are said to have influenced their decision. First is the geographical distance: Irene is studying at Oxford, while Juan is building his career in Madrid. Second is the difference in life stages, with a six-year age gap—he is 26, and she is only 20—that may also have played a role. It appears that the thousands of kilometers between the United Kingdom and Spain proved an insurmountable obstacle for the young couple.
Rumors of a possible cooling in their relationship began spreading back in the summer, when the couple was seen together less and less frequently. Their last public appearance was on July 10 at the birthday of Juan’s grandmother, Piru Urquijo. However, observers were alarmed when Queen Letizia’s niece did not attend the christening of her then-boyfriend’s godson. The young couple spent August apart: she was with friends, and later with her family in Greece and Biarritz, while he chose to vacation in southern Spain with his relatives.
While the granddaughter of the honorary monarchs avoids drawing attention to herself, the Madrid mayor’s brother-in-law was spotted in the capital, where reporters immediately surrounded him. When asked about his return from vacation, Juan Urquijo responded with restraint. He kept his headphones in and stared straight ahead, avoiding eye contact. A faint smile and clear discomfort accompanied him throughout the brief interaction with the press.
When directly asked whether the relationship had ended or if they were still on friendly terms, the young man gave no explanation. He just kept smiling, neither confirming nor denying any information about his current status with Irene. His entire response was summed up in a brief ‘thank you,’ after which he quickly left.
Despite their steadfast silence, all signs suggest that the former couple has managed to maintain a friendly relationship. They are connected not only by mutual acquaintances, such as Victoria Federica, a close friend of Juan, but also by distant family ties — both are descendants of King Alfonso XII. Additionally, their families remain in close contact. Evidence of their amicable split was their recent appearance at a social event. In late July, following an unsuccessful attempt to save their relationship, they were seen at a party hosted by Allegra and Cecilia Hohenlohe. According to witnesses, each spent time with their own group of friends. This was likely the last chance to see them together for the foreseeable future.
Now their paths diverge for good. Irene Urdangarin will focus on her second year studying hotel management, tourism, and event planning in Oxford, while Juan Urquijo will continue to develop his professional career as an agronomist in Madrid.
