Queen Sofía of Spain Facts for Kids

"Sophia of Greece" redirects here. For the granddaughter of George I of Greece, see Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark. For Queen Sofía's grandmother, see Queen Sophia of Greece.

Quick facts for kids

Sofía

Sofía in 2009

Queen consort of Spain

Tenure

22 November 1975 – 19 June 2014

Enthronement

27 November 1975

Born

Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark
2 November 1938 (age 86)
Tatoi Palace, Athens, Kingdom of Greece

Spouse

Juan Carlos I

(m. 1962)

Issue

Full name
Greek: Σοφία Μαργαρίτα Βικτώρια Φρειδερίκη Sofía Margaríta Bictória Freideríki

House

Glücksburg (by birth)
Bourbon (by marriage)

Father

Paul of Greece

Mother

Frederica of Hanover

Signature

Sofía (born November 2, 1938) was the Queen of Spain from 1975 to 2014. She is the wife of King Juan Carlos I. Sofía was born a princess of Greece and Denmark. Her parents were King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece.

Sofía married Juan Carlos in 1962. She became Queen of Spain when her husband became king in 1975. In 2014, King Juan Carlos stepped down from the throne. Their son, Felipe VI, became the new king. Since then, Sofía has been known as the "Queen Emerita." This means she is a former queen who still holds a special title.

Early Life and Education
Marriage and Family Life
Role as Queen Consort
Queen Emerita
Honours and Awards
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born on November 2, 1938. Her birthplace was Tatoi Palace in Acharnes, Athens, Greece. She is the first child of King Paul and Queen Frederica. Sofía belongs to the Greek part of the House of Glücksburg family. Her brother is King Constantine II. Her sister is Princess Irene.

Sophia spent some of her childhood in Egypt. She went to school there at El Nasr Girls' College in Alexandria. During World War II, her family lived in South Africa. They were in exile from Greece. They returned to Greece in 1946.

She finished her studies at Schule Schloss Salem, a boarding school in Germany. Later, she studied childcare, music, and archeology in Athens. She also studied at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. She was a reserve member of Greece's sailing team. This team won a gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Her brother Constantine was also on the team.

Marriage and Family Life

Sofía first met Juan Carlos in 1954 on a trip to the Greek Islands. They met again at a wedding in England in 1961. Sofía and Juan Carlos married on May 14, 1962, in Athens.

Sofía and Juan Carlos in The Hague, 1966

To be more accepted in Spain, Sofía changed her religion. She converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Catholicism. This meant she gave up her rights to the Greek throne.

In 1969, the Spanish leader Francisco Franco chose Juan Carlos as his successor. Juan Carlos became king in 1975 after Franco's death. The new royal family then moved to the Palace of Zarzuela.

Sofía and Juan Carlos have three children:

Elena (born 1963)
Cristina (born 1965)
Felipe (born 1968)

Role as Queen Consort

Sofía departing the United States in 1986

As Queen, Sofía often joined her husband on official trips. She also had her own important duties. In 1976, she visited a Jewish place of worship in Madrid. This was a historic moment for the Spanish royal family.

Sofía is the president of the Queen Sofía Foundation. This foundation helps people in need. She also supports groups that help people with disabilities. ..... The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a famous art museum, is named after her. So is the Reina Sofía Airport in Tenerife.

..... She has traveled to many conferences about this topic. She is also an honorary member of important Spanish academies for arts and history. Several universities around the world have given her honorary degrees.

Queen Sofía in 2003

Since 1971, Sofía has been the honorary president of the Spanish Unicef Committee. She has worked with Dr. Muhammad Yunus on his Grameen Bank. This bank gives small loans to women to help them start businesses. Queen Sofía has visited many countries to support this work. She also supported an organization that fights child slavery in Cambodia.

Juan Carlos and Sofía laying a wreath in 2009

As Queen, Sofía usually did not comment on political issues. However, in 2008, a book was published that shared some of her personal views. ..... The Royal Household stated that the book did not perfectly reflect her views.

In 2012, Sofía visited the Philippines for the fourth time. She looked at projects funded by Spain that help with development. She visited libraries and museums. She also met with Spanish people living there. She thanked the Philippine president for supporting the Spanish language in schools.

Queen Emerita

After her husband, King Juan Carlos, stepped down in 2014, Sofía continued her charitable work. She divides her time between the La Zarzuela palace and the Marivent Palace in Mallorca. She often attends events with her son, King Felipe VI, and his family.

Honours and Awards

Royal Monogram

Queen Sofía has received many important awards and honours from Spain and other countries. For example, she was given the Order of the Queen of Sheba by the Emperor of Ethiopia in 1973. She has also received high honours from Spain, like the Order of Charles III and the Order of Queen Maria Luisa. In 2024, she was awarded the insignia of a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which is a very prestigious honour.