Queen Sofia of Spain has been awarded a special honour.
The queen, who remains one of the most popular members of her royal family, will be given the Gold Medal of the Balearic Islands, the highest award that autonomous community can present.
It is a recognition of the support she has given to the islands over decades. Queen Sofia spends a lot of time in Mallorca and the royal presence in the area has always been seen as a boost for tourism and the local economy.
The award also underlines the bond between the queen and the islands.
Queen Sofia isn’t the first royal to be given the medal. Her husband, King Juan Carlos, was presented with it in 1983 while their younger daughter, Infanta Cristina, was honoured in 1998. Cristina was, then, Duchess of Palma but she gave back that title after court cases involving her and her ex-husband, Inaki Urdangarin. In 2020, there was discussion about removing the honour from her but that never happened.
The medal will be presented to Queen Sofia on February 29th 2024.
