The image of Queen Sofía has always been that of the stoic pillar of the monarchy, especially considering the behavior of her still husband. However, behind the walls of Zarzuela, a much more intimate and painful battle is being fought.
At 86 years old, the emeritus is going through one of the most desolate moments of her life, a personal crisis that culminated just a few days ago with a scare that has shaken the foundations of the palace and has revealed the deep loneliness that surrounds her.
Far from the bustle of Marivent, this summer in Madrid has turned gray for Doña Sofía. The real struggle is internal, and the emotional strain of recent years has finally taken a very severe physical toll on her, revealing the cracks of an increasingly fractured family. All this without mentioning the precarious health of her sister Irene. "Aunt Pecu," as she is known in the family, has mobility problems and some sources indicate that she may also be suffering from Alzheimer's.
A scare in Zarzuela: the asymptomatic heart attack that changed everything
The accumulated tension reached its breaking point last Sunday afternoon. Without the usual symptoms that warn of a heart problem, such as sharp chest pain or shortness of breath, Queen Sofía suffered, according to En Blau, what is known as an asymptomatic heart attack. A treacherous and especially dangerous condition in elderly people, which is often mistaken for simple discomfort or temporary fatigue.
Although the absence of pain can lead people to underestimate its seriousness, the damage to the heart muscle can be permanent. This episode was an unmistakable sign that her body has had enough. The scare was enormous and forced her to reconsider all her plans. The decision not to travel to Palma this year, which was initially attributed to her desire to stay with her sister, then took on a new and worrying meaning. The real reason was that her health was hanging by a thread.
Felipe VI keeps his schedule while his sisters close ranks with their mother
The reaction to the emeritus's serious health problem has been the perfect reflection of the current family situation. The infantas Elena and Cristina quickly closed ranks around their mother. The eldest daughter of the emeritus visits her daily, becoming her main support. Meanwhile, Cristina didn't hesitate to cancel her vacation plans to stay in Madrid, showing that, in crucial moments, the bond with her mother is unbreakable.
However, Felipe VI's attitude has caused notable discomfort in Doña Sofía's closest circle. Despite the seriousness of the situation, the King has chosen to keep his official schedule unchanged, projecting an image of coldness and distance that especially hurts his mother. This has been surprising considering that the king of Spain has always had a very close relationship with his mother.
Increasingly distant from her grandchildren
This pain is compounded by the cooling of her relationship with her grandchildren. The contact with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía is practically institutional, limited to official events or the agreed vacations in Marivent.
The rest of her grandchildren also don't keep the close bond with her that they once had. This accumulation of absences has led the emeritus to make a drastic decision: her desire is to move to Greece to be with her sister in her final months and fulfill her wish to die in her homeland.
A longing that sounds like a farewell and a desperate search for peace, far from a family environment that, in many ways, has left her alone.