Although from the outside it may seem that the Spanish Royal Family keeps the new generation of Bourbons united, the reality is very different. In fact, Infanta Sofía has shown her less kind side to the Urdangarin family, especially to her cousin Irene Urdangarin.
For years, the children of Infantas Elena and Cristina maintained a cordial relationship with their cousins, the daughters of the monarchs. However, Infanta Sofía has taken a different path that has distanced her from the rest.
Infanta Sofía distances herself from Irene Urdangarin
Life in the Royal Family is always surrounded by an air of mystery and speculation, and the relationships among them are no exception. In recent years, there has been much speculation about the relationship, or rather the lack of it, between Infanta Sofía and her cousins, especially with the Urdangarin family and, more specifically, with Irene Urdangarin.
Infanta Sofía has shown her most unknown side and has broken all contact with Infanta Cristina's family. The distancing is a fact, and this has left her cousin Irene, who is only two years apart from her, very affected.
Her life in Wales and her more reserved profile have contributed to the bond with her cousins weakening significantly. Although many might think it's simply a matter of physical distance, the truth is that contact between them is almost nonexistent. No messages, no calls, no family gatherings where they spend time together as they used to.
Infanta Sofía doesn't communicate with Infanta Cristina's children, which has created a wall between both branches of the family, especially with Irene, with whom Sofía could share much more now that the young woman lives in Madrid. However, that's not the case, and the coldness that Infanta shows toward the Urdangarin family is more than evident, as some media outlets claim.
They say that Infanta is the least liked by her cousins and the one with whom they share the fewest things in common due to her special character. All of this, they explain, is the result of her mother's attempts to keep her daughters away from the bad influence of the Bourbons. Be that as it may, the truth is that Infanta Sofía doesn't speak to any of her cousins.
Irene Urdangarin, the main one affected by Infanta Sofía
At the time when Irene moved to Zarzuela for her gap year, the main concern of the queen was Infanta Sofía. She didn't want Iñaki Urdangarin's daughter to be a bad influence on her youngest daughter.
However, the distance had already been established between them a long time ago. In fact, at Irene's graduation, the whole family attended except for the monarchs and their daughters. This showed that the family ties of the past were completely broken.
During Infanta Sofía's childhood, she spent many summers with the Urdangarin family until the Nóos case burst into their lives, blowing up the relationships among them. If everything changed between the monarchs and Cristina and Iñaki, the same happened between their children.
Irene turned out to be the most affected by this situation, as she was just a child when the scandal came to light. She didn't really understand what happened or the reason that caused Infanta Sofía's change in attitude. Many speculate about the reasons for the distancing, but it's not necessary to look for a direct conflict.
Relationships evolve and, in this case, the relationship between Infanta Sofía and Irene Urdangarin has simply faded. Infanta seems focused on her own path, with new interests, international friendships, and an increasingly notable public presence. Meanwhile, Irene is still trying to find a future that matches her preferences.