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Spain

Happy birthday to Infanta Sofía – 2nd-in-line to the Spanish throne

Sofía de Borbón y Ortiz, the younger child of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, was born at 4:50 pm on 29 April 2007 in Madrid at the Ruber International Hospital. She was born via caesarian section. Her older sister is Leonor, Princess of Asturias.

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The announcement of her birth was sent out in a text message to the press. In that press release, it was announced that her umbilical cord stem cells were going to be sent to a local Spanish bank and a bank in Belgium – as was done with her older sister’s umbilical cord stem cells.

Her name is in honour of her paternal grandmother, Queen Sofía. She was christened on 15 July at Zarzuela Palace with her maternal grandmother, Paloma Rocasolano and His Royal Highness Prince Konstantin of Bulgaria serving as godparents. Water from the River Jordan was used according to tradition.

Sofía initially started school at the Escuela Infantil Guardia Real in 2009. The Infanta began school in September 2010 at Santa María de los Rosales School. Leonor also attends the school, and this is the same place where her father was educated until age 16. She speaks Spanish and English.

Sofía is second in line to the Spanish throne behind her sister. Her father, King Felipe, became King of Spain on 19 June 2014 after the abdication of her grandfather, King Juan Carlos. Due to Spain still abiding by male-preference cognatic primogeniture, she and her sister would be surpassed by any younger brother in the line of succession.

Sofía received her First Communion in the Roman Catholic Church on 17 May 2017 at the Asunción de Nuestra Señora parish. Her parents, sister, maternal and paternal grandparents and godparents were in attendance.

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Her Royal Highness does not yet perform official duties. She does attend the National Day celebrations in October, photo sessions and Easter Mass. For the first time in 2016, she and her sister participated in the opening of parliament.

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.