This year, the Christmas holidays for the Urdangarin-Borbón family promise to be especially eventful and filled with travel. After a difficult few years marked by changes in their parents’ personal lives and shifts in the family, the children of Cristina and Iñaki are preparing for a real marathon of reunions and journeys. Their itinerary will cover not only various cities across Spain but also destinations abroad, as they spend time with both sides of their family.
The holiday schedule is planned out almost day by day. Each sibling lives in a different city: Pablo is settled in Barcelona, Miguel works in Madrid, while Irene and Juan Valentín study and live in the United Kingdom. The family gathering starts in Geneva, where Infanta Cristina currently resides. But their travels don’t end there—several more stops are ahead, so they don’t miss a single important family tradition.
Family gatherings
The first stop in their festive itinerary is a reunion in Ciudad Real, where Pablo wraps up his sports season with a match for his club. Mother, brothers, and sister all gather in the stands to support him and celebrate the start of the holidays. This event becomes a symbolic kickoff for the series of trips awaiting them in the coming weeks.
The family then heads to Madrid, where they traditionally gather at the Zarzuela residence. The main Christmas celebrations are held here with their mother and grandmother, Queen Sofía. This year is especially difficult for the Queen—she recently lost a close relative, making the support of her family particularly important.
Journey to the North
After their gatherings in Madrid, the Urdangarin children travel to Vitoria to ring in the New Year with their father and his relatives. Around the holiday table sits their paternal grandmother, Claire Liebert, and Iñaki’s new partner, Ainhoa Armentia. Relations between the children and Ainhoa have long been calm and friendly, which has noticeably eased the atmosphere in the family after a challenging period of adjustment.
There’s a special atmosphere in Vitoria: here, the children can feel part of a big family despite the changes in their parents’ lives. For Iñaki, it’s a chance to spend time with his children, and for them—a way to support their father and get to know his new life.
Finale in Abu Dhabi
The Christmas holidays wrap up with a trip to Abu Dhabi. Here the family comes together not only to celebrate Three Kings’ Day but also the 88th birthday of King Juan Carlos I. Infanta Elena and her children, Froilán and Victoria Federica, also join the festivities. For the former monarch, this is especially meaningful—after facing waves of criticism and releasing his autobiography, family support takes on new significance.
The gathering in Abu Dhabi is a rare opportunity for the entire family to come together, despite distances and past disagreements. After the holidays, everyone returns to their routines—studies, work, and new projects. Only Irene continues her university studies in England, while her brothers are already building their careers and personal lives.
Personal changes
This year has also brought changes in the personal lives of the Urdangarin children. Juan Valentin appeared publicly for the first time with his new girlfriend, Sofia Khan, a colleague from his job at a company involved in eco-friendly racing. Pablo and Miguel remain with their partners, while the youngest brother recently started working at a tech investment fund focused on scientific and ecological projects.
Unlike her brothers, Irene has kept her personal life private after breaking up with her previous boyfriend. She is fully focused on her studies and the new opportunities university life in England has to offer.
In case you didn’t know, Iñaki Urdangarin—a former Duke of Palma and ex-athlete—was married to Infanta Cristina, daughter of King Juan Carlos I. After a high-profile court case and divorce, their children continue to maintain relationships with both sides of the family despite distance and change. Infanta Cristina lives in Geneva, while Iñaki resides in Vitoria. Their children are active in social life, involved in sports, and are building their own careers across different countries in Europe.
