Sofía was born at the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid during the reign of her paternal grandfather, King Juan Carlos I. She has received the same education as her sister, being educated at the Santa María de los Rosales School and, in 2023, she started an International Baccalaureate at the UWC Atlantic CollegeinWales, United Kingdom.
Infanta Sofía was born on 29 April 2007 at 16:50 (CET) at the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid by means of a caesarean section, two days after due date.[2] Like her elder sister, her birth was announced by the royal family to the press via SMS.[3] It was announced that her umbilical cordstem cells would be sent to a European private bank in Belgium and to a Spanish public one.[4][5] The parents, then the Prince and Princess of Asturias, did the same with Leonor's cells: they were taken to a private center in Arizona, which caused controversy in Spain.[6]
Sofía was named after her paternal grandmother, Queen Sofía. She was christened on 15 July by the Archbishop of Madrid, Antonio María Rouco Varela, in the gardens of the Palacio de la Zarzuela.[7] Her godparents are Paloma Rocasolano (her maternal grandmother) and Konstantin, Prince of Vidin (Konstantin-Assen de Bulgaria). Like her sister, she was given one name, with the additional name of de Todos los Santos (of All the Saints), at her christening, a Bourbon tradition.[8]
She received her First Communion on 17 May 2017 at the parish Asunción de Nuestra Señora, and was accompanied by her parents, her older sister, her grandparents, her maternal great-grandmother Menchu Álvarez del Valle, her step-grandmother Ana Togores, and her godfather Konstantin-Assen of Bulgaria, Prince of Vidin.[9][10] On 23 May 2023, she received the sacrament of confirmation.[11]
Like her older sister, in 2009, Sofía started her education at the Escuela Infantil Guardia Real, the daycare for the children of the Spanish Royal Guard.[12] On 13 September 2010, she began her first year of primary school at the Santa María de los Rosales School in Madrid.[13] In August 2023, she began studying a 2-year International Baccalaureate program at the UWC Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.[14]
Activities
[edit]Infanta Sofía (left), along with her royal family and other authorities at the National Day celebrations on 12 October 2014.
As Infanta of Spain, it is very common to see her in official events with her parents and sister, such as the opening of Parliament, the National Day parade or the Princess of Asturias Award and Princess of Girona Award ceremonies. At the age of 3, she attended her first event, an official reception at the Royal Palace on the occasion of the victory of the Spanish national football team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[15] In fact, it was in 2021 when Infanta Sofía and Princess Leonor participated in their first joint act alone without their parents, representing the "A Tree for Europe" campaign of the European youth association Equipo Europa.[16]
While her sister was studying abroad, she took center stage by accompanying her parents to different events, such as the 2021[17] and 2022[18]National Day parades or the 2023 Copa del Rey final.[19]
In April 2024, announced by Patrimonio Nacional that she would be a patron of a photo contest.[27] The photography contest aims to showcase the beauty of Spain. She will hand out awards later in 2024. This marks her first solo act for the crown of Spain and many have had a great reaction.
Since her birth, Sofía has been an Infanta of Spain, with the style of Royal Highness. Although with the same dignity and status as a prince, Sofia does not hold the title of princess, because in Spain only the heir to the Crown is allowed to carry that title.[28]
Sofía's full title is: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Sofia.[29]
