The funeral of Princess Irene of Greece, who passed away on January 15 at the age of 83, provided one of the most moving images of the day.
Dressed in full mourning, the Spanish royal family traveled to Greece to attend the religious service held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens on Monday.
The most striking image from Irene of Greece’s funeral was seeing Queen Sofia break down. Sitting between Letizia and Leonor, the emeritus queen repeatedly raised her handkerchief to her face, unable to hold back her tears over the loss of her sister.
But there was Leonor, just twenty years old, silently holding her grandmother’s hand. A gesture that speaks volumes about the bond between them.
The funeral brought together the Spanish and Greek royal families, marking Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia’s first official visit to Greece, the land of their maternal grandmother.
The ceremony was inevitably overshadowed by the tragedy of the train accident in Adamuz, Córdoba, Spain, which occurred on Sunday, January 18th, a catastrophe that has so far claimed at least 39 lives.
Felipe and Letizia remained in constant contact with the Spanish government throughout the event. In fact, before entering the cathedral, they spoke to the press from Athens to express their dismay.
Felipe also had a moment with his mother, reaching out to offer her a hand as Sofía was falling apart.
Letizia remained bent forward, her gaze lowered, accompanying her mother-in-law’s grief.