This year, Queen Sofia is celebrating Christmas in a unique atmosphere. Breaking with her usual discretion, details about how she is spending her free time in Madrid have come to light. Together with her daughters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina, Sofia has decided to swap the usual routine of restaurants and shopping for cultural events. Even longtime observers of the Spanish royal family were surprised by this unusual choice of leisure.
During the holidays, Sofia and her daughters visited an exhibition dedicated to Queen Victoria Eugenia. They were joined by Olympia Beracasa, Miguel Urdangarin’s companion. But the program did not end there: Infanta Cristina decided to spend even more time with her mother and invited her to a screening at one of the capital’s oldest cinemas. Until now, this kind of leisure was mostly associated with Queen Letizia, known for her love of cultural events.
Family support
This year, Sofia needs her family’s support more than ever. With discussions surrounding the memoirs of the former king, her father, her sister Princess Irene’s worsening health, and the recent loss of her longtime friend Tatiana Radziwill, family gatherings have taken on special significance. Her daughters do their best to stay close and help Sofia through this difficult time.
The choice of film for their evening together was also symbolic. Sofía and Cristina went to see one of the most talked-about movies of the season — “Nuremberg,” based on true events and depicting the postwar trials. The cinema they visited is located on Fuencarral Street and is considered one of the oldest in Madrid. Despite their efforts to remain unnoticed, many audience members recognized them after the screening, and both bid farewell to the public with a smile.
Cultural traditions
This choice of leisure activity came as a surprise to many, since such movie outings were previously a hallmark of Queen Letizia. Now, Sofía and Cristina, following the example of their sister-in-law, are openly showing interest in the city’s cultural life. Cristina’s presence in Madrid also underscores her desire to be closer to her mother during this period.
This might also be because, after the New Year holidays, part of the family plans to travel to Abu Dhabi to visit the king father. However, for now, Cristina remains in the capital, where she traditionally spends New Year at the residence within the Zarzuela Palace grounds. In early January, she will likely join her relatives to celebrate the birthday of Juan Carlos, who will turn 88.
Plans for the future
Another reason for Cristina’s extended stay in Spain was her preparations for moving to Barcelona. Recently, she viewed an apartment in the same building where she once lived with Iñaki Urdangarin. After renovations, she plans to start a new chapter of her life there, leaving behind the years she spent in Geneva.
Family traditions and new habits intertwine in the royal family’s life. This time, Sofía and her daughters opted not only for their usual gatherings but also for new forms of leisure, which did not go unnoticed by Madrid residents. Their appearance at the cinema became a highlight for monarchy fans and curious city dwellers alike.
If you didn’t know, Queen Sofía is the wife of former King Juan Carlos I and the mother of the current monarch Felipe VI. Infanta Cristina, Sofía’s younger daughter, lived in Geneva for many years and is now preparing to move to Barcelona. The royal family traditionally spends holidays in a close circle, but in recent years they have increasingly appeared at public events, sparking interest among Spaniards and visitors alike.
