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Spain

King Felipe in mourning after sudden death of close friend

The King of Spain has paid his last respects to close friend, Jaime Carvajal, who died unexpectedly this week.

Felipe VI, accompanied by Queen Letizia, was greeted by Jaime Carvajal’s family on arrival at the funeral home in Madrid where the funeral chapel has been set up. The royal couple spent time with his nearest relations including his wife, Xandra Falco, and their three daughters.

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Jaime Carvajal was 56 when he passed away suddenly at his home in Madrid on September 2nd 2020. It is believed he had a heart attack. He had just returned from his summer break in Mallorca. Obituaries describe him as a kind, honest man and his devotion to Spain has been highlighted in many of them. He worked in banking.

Jaime Carvajal was a long time friend of King Felipe. In 1998, the then Prince of Asturias was one of the witnesses at his wedding while Felipe’s sister, Infanta Cristina and her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, were also among the guests.

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However, links between the Spanish royals and the Carvajal family go back much further. Jaime Carvajal’s father, also called Jaime, was one of the group of children chosen to be educated alongside Felipe’s father, King Juan Carlos, when he was brought back to Spain as a ten year old in 1948 with a view to the ultimate restoration of the monarchy. The two men spent their formative years together, laying the groundwork for the ongoing friendship between the two families.

That bond was underlined when King Felipe’s sister, Infanta Elena, also paid her last respects and offered her condolences to the family.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.