Chinese and Western bilingual The married life of sophia, the old queen of Spain

Queen Sofia's delicate situation has been groundwater over the past two years, but it has emerged like a geyser during King Juan Carlos' controversial visit to Spain. Her accommodation as a wild card of the Royal House to cover appointments in the official agenda and her constant presence in important family appearances (the Princess of Asturias Awards, for example) repositioned her as a strategic ally of Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and permanent resident, along with her sister Irene of Greece, in the Zarzuela.

The delicate situation of the old queen Sophia was as hidden as an underground undercurrent for two years, but during the controversial trip to Spain by the old king Juan Carlos, this undercurrent emerged like a fountain. Judging from her role in the royal family, often attending various royal meetings and appearing with members of the royal family (such as the Princess of Asturias Award), the old Queen Sophia has become a strategic partner of Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and has also allowed her to become a regular visitor to the palace of Sazuela like her sister, Princess Elena of Greece.

Unfortunately, the reappearance on the scene of Juan Carlos I has compromised the unstable balance achieved in recent years, with a queen emerita who could have asked to reunite with her husband and even accompany him on his recent sailor adventure in Sanxenxo. It seems that Queen Sofia would have decided to ignore the wishes of divorce of the king emeritus, expressed to both Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba and Mariano Rajoy, in favor of the good image of the institution. And of her own survival as consort emeritus.

Unfortunately, the scandal of Juan Carlos I reappeared, which also confirmed the unequal relationship between the two of them over the years. The retired queen could have been reunited with her husband and even accompanied him on a sea adventure in Sanxenxo (part of Spain's Galicia region). Ms. Sofia seems to have ignored the old king's demands for a divorce – the king is said to have told both Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba (former Deputy Prime Minister of Spain) and Mariano Rajoy (former Prime Minister of Spain) about it for the sake of a good image of the royal family and, of course, for his own inheritance as the wife of the old queen.

The chronicles of the analysts of the monarchy tell that the commented trip to Miami of Queen Sofia, confirmed long before the announcement of the trip of King Juan Carlos to Sanxenxo, was providential. He saved the image of a queen dedicated to maintaining an untenable marital fiction, perhaps even with the opposition of the king emeritus himself. In fact, although social networks celebrate the distance forced by the coronavirus between the emeritus (Queen Sofia tested positive for covid on her return from Miami), Sofia from Greece has insisted at all times on being present at the family reunion, even if it was wearing a mask.

The chronology of events summarized by monarchical analysts tells us that Queen Sophia's trip to Miami began long before King Juan Carlos announced her trip to Sanxenxo, as if by providence. She left everyone with the image of "a queen who went to great lengths to preserve an unsustainable false marriage," even in the face of the old king's own opposition. In fact, while everyone on social media was celebrating the fact that the old kings and wives had to keep their distance because of the COVID-19 pandemic (Sophia's old queen tested positive for COVID-19 when she returned from Miami), the old queen insisted on attending family gatherings even if she was wearing a mask.

Would the actual divorce have been possible if the romance with Corinna Larsen had not gone ahead? Surely she would have had the frontal opposition of Queen Sofia, and not only because she was a practicing Catholic. But the main problem would not have been sentimental, but economic. If the king wanted to divorce right now, half of his fortune would have to pass into the hands of his wife.

If our then-retired king's affair with Corinna Larsen hadn't gone on, would it have been possible for the two to divorce? The issue must have been confronted head-on by The Old Queen Sophia, and not just because she was a devout Catholic. But the main problem is not emotional, but economic. If the king wanted a divorce now, half of his property would be given to his wife.

Unlike what happens in today's marriages, increasingly inclined to sign the separation of property, Sofia of Greece and Juan Carlos de Borbón married in 1962, a whopping 60 years ago, in community property regime. Of course, the real experts confirm that they did sign capitulations, agreements on specific issues often of an economic nature that have not been made public.

Unlike contemporary marriages, which are now increasingly inclined to sign property independence agreements, when Princess Sophia of Greece and Juan Carlos of Bourbon married in 1962, a marriage 60 years earlier. In fact, royal experts confirmed that they did sign agreements, but these agreements usually deal with economic issues that have not yet been made public.

Whatever the restrictions on property imposed by capitulations, the truth is that King Juan Carlos would no longer be willing to cede part of his fortune in a divorce that is clearly unnecessary. In addition, Queen Sofia already enjoys a comfortable position in Zarzuela thanks to the protection of her son, Felipe VI. In fact, while she continues to reside in Zarzuela, her home for the past six decades, her controversial husband can no longer spend a night there.

Regardless of the division of interests between the parties in their agreement, King Juan Carlos was no longer willing to give up a portion of his property after this dispensable divorce. In addition, with the protection of her son Felipe VI, the old Queen Sophia already had a comfortable residence in the Royal Palace of Sazuela. In fact, although she has lived in the palace for the past 60 years, her controversial husband cannot spend even one night here.

Jaime Peñafiel, the journalist who knows the most about the private life of King Juan Carlos and Doña Sofía, has spoken about the situation of this royal marriage about his book 'Loud and clear'. He says he doesn't understand why the queen emerita hasn't filed for divorce. "Doña Sofía should have divorced, because there have been many public infidelities," he said in a recent interview. "I could have done it because divorced is the Infanta Elena, divorced is the Infanta Cristina, divorced is Letizia. Why don't you get divorced? Maybe because it doesn't damage the institution. Doña Sofía is Greek, but she doesn't like Greek tragedies."

Jaime Peñafiel, one of the journalists who knows the most about the private lives of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, talks about the state of the royal marriage in his book Alto y claro. He said he didn't understand why the old queen hadn't filed for divorce. "Ms. Sophia should have been divorced because the old king had so many public infidelities," he said in a recent interview, "and she could have done so because Princess Elena was divorced, Princess Christina was about to be divorced, and Letizia might be divorced." So why didn't the old queen get divorced? Perhaps so as not to cause damage to the system. The old Queen Sophia was Greek, but she did not like Greek tragedies. ”

Peñafiel maintains that the marriage was never happy. "Doña Sofía had a great love with the crown prince of Norway, Harald, today king, and Juan Carlos with Maria Gabriela of Savoy. But Queen Frederica, the mother of Sophia, the great Celestine of Europe, arranged their marriage. But if they couldn't be understood! Juan Carlos didn't speak Greek, Sofia didn't speak Spanish. It's a marriage where love never existed."

Peñafiel believes the marriage was never happy. "Queen Sophia had a deep love affair with Crown Prince Harald (now King) of Norway; Juan Carlos and Princess Maria Gabriela de Saboya of Savoy (daughter of the last king of Italy) were also. But Queen Federica, Sophia's mother, the great European Celestina (from the ancient classics, referring to the person who kept the media) arranged a marriage for the two of them. But they can't even understand each other! Juan Carlos didn't speak Greek at the time, and Sophia didn't speak much Spanish. It was a marriage that had never been in love. ”