Jan 17, 2026
3 min read
Doña Sofía, the king and his two daughters attended the funeral that took place this Saturday in the capital's Orthodox cathedral and will attend the funeral in Athens on Monday.
The royal family, with the exception of Juan Carlos I, bid farewell to Irene of Greece in Madrid
Doña Sofia, the kings and their two daughters attended the funeral in the capital's Orthodox cathedral this Saturday and will attend the funeral in Athens on Monday.
After being shrouded in a zarzuela's private life, this rainy Saturday, last Thursday, the public farewell events of Greece's Princess Irene, who died on January 15 at the age of 83, began in Madrid.Her sister Queen Sofia, who was always with her, canceled plans to be by her side on her last day a few days ago.Hours after her death, a candle was lit over her remains in a private funeral chapel set up in the palace where Greek Irene moved in 1981 after the death of her mother.The first posthumous eulogy for the princess, who suffered from cognitive decline for years before the public wake began, was carefully executed.
Queen Sofia, King Felipe VI, King Letizia, Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia traveled to Madrid from Murcia and Lisbon, arriving at noon at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint Andrew and Saint Demetrius in the capital to attend a funeral mass. Cheered and applauded by the onlookers who arrived, Doña Sofía entered the temple on the shoulder of her granddaughter and heirthe throne and less than two hours later she left on her son's shoulder. The event was also attended by two nieces, Elena and Cristina, known as "Aunt Peca" because her unique life - she did not want a husband or children, gave her unusual freedoms for a woman of her status. Irene of Greece was a member of the royal family and was loved by all who remembered her in the will announcing her death as a person "obliged to help those who need it mostneed through charity projects".
Other members of the Bourbon family were also present, including Juan Carlos' sister Infanta Margarita de Bourbon and her husband Carlos Zurita, and Infanta Elena's ex-husband Jaime de Marichaler.Also present were Greek royalty, including Alexia of Greece, and Bulgarian royalty, including Constantine and Cyril of Bulgaria.There were two absences, Felipe Juan Froilan de Marichaler, Infanta Elena's eldest son, and his cousin Juan, the eldest of Infanta Cristina's four children.Valentin Urdangarin is absent.
The Spanish Kenilal surria have won condolences, among others, from the capital Barilion Spiridon Komenish, and Conda Story, and Portugal and History and Portugal and citizens of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-almeida, and the president of the church, Isabel díaziz ayuso;Estir and Alicia Campovich, or Trendor Antonich goes back a decade. the and his wife, antonio resumes with his wife, antonio resumes with his wife, antonio resumes with his wife, antonio resumes with his wife, antoniio resubyph with his wife, antonio resumes with his wife, antonio antoniosume, and his wife resigns, and his wife resigns.antonio resumes with his wife, antonio resumes with his wife, antovios-fee and his wife Directors of the royal house, with Laura hurtado, who was here ña secretary of Sofia.
In the small chapel, a quintet from the Royal Guard Music Department could be heard performing the Aria from Sebastian Bach's Suite in D and the Lacrimosa from Mozart's Requiem, works chosen by Queen Sofia.
Famen's Famend Chapel, whose coffin was covered by the bride's Greek, and received by Earlific foreigners, which finds itself in Nicaragua street number 12, this Saturday afternoon. ES Greece Irene's life will be a continuous 11-minute video with pictures and a condolence book.
Doña Sofia, the King and their two daughters will appear in Athens next Monday morning for the final farewell of Irene of Greece.It will be the first time that Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia visit the country where they have roots with their family.
The person who did not arrive in Madrid today will not attend the funeral in the Greek city of King Juan Carlos I. As EL PAÍS was able to confirm this Friday, his doctors told him not to travel: it is too much physical activity to come from Abu Dhabi, where the emeritus was transferred in the summer of 2020, first to Spain and then to Greece.
The remains of Irene, who lived in Spain for more than four decades, are traveling from Greece and Denmark to Athens, as one of her last wishes was to be buried next to her parents in the gardens of the Tatavi Palace.A funeral will be held at 12:00 local time (11:00 in mainland Spain) at the city's Metropolitan Cathedral on Monday, January 19, with representatives from several European royal families expected to attend.will
His body will lie in state at St Eleftherios Chapel from 8.30am to 10.30am prior to the funeral service.The procession will then proceed to Tato Cemetery where he will be buried.Here are buried the remains of the Greek Kings Paul I and Frederick, as well as the remains of his brother, King Constantine II, who died in 2023.In January, he attended the funeral of Juan Carlos in Athens and was commemorated in Tato on the same day that Irena of Greece died.
With her death, Princess Sofia loses a reliable and inseparable companion: For decades, Irene of Greece accompanies her older sister, although last summer she could no longer go to her palace on the Balearic island like every year.
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