I must admit, I was surprised to see the new photos of Infanta Sofia in Lisbon. Not because we weren’t expecting pictures of her university debut, but because they arrived somewhat late, just as Queen Letizia was turning 53.
The moment was symbolic: a mother celebrating another year and her youngest daughter starting her academic life away from home.
Sofía is enrolled at Forward College, where she has started studying Political Science and International Relations. It’s a very unique program because over the next two years, it will also include stops in Paris and Berlin.
The photos show her strolling through Lisbon, attending classes, and mingling with her classmates. No forced poses or solemn frames; the tone is more that of an ordinary student than a princess.
However, not everyone has welcomed the way these images were shared. Some say that they “are late,” as if the Royal House had missed the opportunity to project Sofia’s international profile earlier, something that other European heirs have done with more foresight.
And to add another point to the debate, it is said that perhaps it wasn’t even the official Zarzuela team who took the photos, but a colleague of theirs.
If that were true, we would have an impromptu public presentation, more homespun than institutional. Is there anything wrong with that? Not necessarily. In fact, it could even be seen as a refreshing gesture, although it also reflects a certain lack of strategy in communication.
In any case, Sofia has already started her university journey, and these images—whether late or not—offer us a glimpse into a key stage in her life.