A 'USEFUL' & ACTIVE QUEEN: SOFIA OF SPAIN AT 80.

Queen Sofía, the former Queen Consort of Spain & mother of current King Felipe VI, had her 80th birthday on Friday, November 2. Her jubilee was celebrated on the actual day with a private lunch at Zarzuela Palace, attended by her family and some foreign royal relatives. She also posed with her husband, former King Juan Carlos, their children & grandchildren outside the royal residence for an official photo, released later that day. The same evening the former Queen along with her husband and other royals of the 'elder generation' - including her siblings former King Constantine II of Greece (with his wife, Queen Anne-Marie) & Princess Irene, sister-in-law Princess Pilar de Borbon, 'Queen' Margarita of Bulgaria (wife of former Tsar Simeon II), Dowager Empress Farah of Iran, Dowager Queen Noor of Jordan, Prince Michael of Greece & Denmark (with his wife), & Anne, Dowager Duchess of Calabria - attended a gala concert in ocassion of the jubilee at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía (a cultural foundation named after the Queen who dares it very much). Prior the actual birthday, the former Queen was also honored that Thursday at the Royal Theatre of Madrid, with an ovation dedicated to her royal service, with actress Ángela Molina expressing her gratitude on behalf of the Spanish people.

Sofía was born on 2 November 1938, in Athens, as a Princess of Greece and Denmark. She is the first of three children of King Paul & Queen Frederica of Greece. A part of her childhood was spent in exile in Egypt & South Africa, before her family returned home after the end of WWII. Following her primary education in Germany, Princess Sofia studied childcare, music and archaeology in Athens (and later attended Cambridge University). She was also involved in sports, and represented Greece in the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics as a reserve member of the sailing team (headed by her brother, then Crown Prince) that won a Gold Medal. Sofia married Don Juan Carlos de Bourbon Dos Sicilias (then a claimant to the abolished Spanish throne), on 14 May 1962 in a dynastic marriage (consisting of three ceremonies: a civil, an Orthodox & a Catholic) in Athens, giving up her Greek (& Danish) Royal titles and conversing to Catholicism. They have three children together: Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (b. 1963), Infanta Christina (form. Duchess of Palma de Malorca; b. 1965) & King Felipe VI (b. 1968). In 1969 Spanish dictator Francisco Franco declared Don Juan Carlos his successor; following his death in 1975 Juan Carlos ascended the throne as King, making Sofia Queen consort, and restoring monarchy in Spain (while also gradually paving the way for a Parliamentary system after 36 years of dictatorship). As a Queen, Sofia launched her own foundation in 1977 (bearing her name), supporting Alzheimer research, women's entrepreneurship and social welfare (among others), while also she has often worked for UNICEF, advocating children's rights and causes around the world. Following the abdication of her husband in favour of their son (the Prince of Asturias) in 2014, Sofia (now Reina Emerita) is still active in these causes, continuing to represent Spain inside & abroad, while also spending free time with her sister, eight grandchildren and those, close to her.

Her Majesty has been very popular in Spain over the course of her life & consortship. She seemes still tireless and energetic having recently said that her mind is still thinking like at 50, denying the retirement option for the task to "be useful to Spain". The former Queen remains "committed to a number of cultular awards schemes" in oranisations she founded, while her honorary patronage of high-profile international charities (like Unicef & The Red Cross), have recently passed to her daughter-in-law, Queen Letizia. With the latter she seems to keep good relations, however there were a lot of speculations about a possible tense between them, with the most recent case - a footage with her granddaughters after Easter Service, whith Letizia (their mother) trying to interrupt it - getting viral by Spanish and foreign media. Queen Sofia hardly tried to retain the 'picture' of a united family, despite any criticism towards herself. She showed support to her second daughter, Infanta Christina - whose husband, Iñaki Urdangarin was acussed for embezzlment of €6 million from public founds & sporting events (via their former title of Dukes of Palma de Malorca) and therefore imprisoned - continuing ties with her family even after monarchy's popularity fell significally due to her allegation (and she was stripped from her titles by her brother in 2015). Sofia's husband of 56 years, on the other hand, had also her support during his reign, inspite of notable infidelities from his side, receiving much attention by the press. King Juan Carlos has many times expressed his gratitude to his consort, however his extramarital affairs and gradually differing way of life & activities led their Golden Wedding anniversary not to be celebrated, and eventually them living separately (without divorsing) and meeting only in important family or public events (at his 80th birthday, this January, Sofia was by his side, as did he for her jubilee). Another case of controversy Queen Sofia experienced was book, bsed on her interviews (released in 2008), in where she expressed her conservative views, criticizing same-sex marriage, and opposing abortion and euthanasia. But on the other side, Sofia is also vocal about ecological causes and plastic pollution, raising awareness on those issues as well. A vegetarian since 1964, she have admitted to adore animals, being totally against bullfightings (her husband and other family members are funs of). A granddaughter, daughter, sister, wife & mother of sovereign Kings, Doña Sofía has always stressed the importance that "it is not enough just to be, one has also to do", the lifetime promotion of which will certainly be a major part of her legacy.

Video tributes & jubilee dedications:

& Additional links of information:
https://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/31086/sofia-of-spain-queen-turns-80
http://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/spain/queen-sofia-celebrates-80th-birthday-with-private-lunch-with-family-including-infanta-cristina-111282
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Sof%C3%ADa_of_Spain
https://www.thisisinsider.com/queen-sofa-of-spain-life-2018-11
https://www.thisisinsider.com/queen-sofia-scandals-2018-11#in-2012-queen-sofas-face-was-used-on-the-online-adultery-agency-ashley-madison-2