Letizia of Spain visits her mother-in-law Queen Sofia, 85, in hospital

• The royal is under surveillance at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid
• READ MORE: Who is Queen Sofia of Spain?

Queen Letizia of Spain visited Queen Sofia in hospital on Thursday evening – as she now enters her third day of surveillance.

The European royal, 51, joined her husband King Felipe VI on an evening visit to the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid.

Queen Sofia, 85, was admitted to hospital on Wednesday with a urinary tract infection and is remaining under surveillance. It is unclear when she will be discharged.

After leaving the hospital, King Felipe told press his mother was ‘wanting to go out’ but said he didn’t ‘know exactly’ when that would be, according to Spanish paper La Vanguardia.

A few hours later Infanta Elena, Queen Sofia’s sister, also visited her in hospital, as the Spanish royals have rallied around their queen mother in a united show of support.

Queen Letizia of Spain visited Queen Sofia in hospital on Thursday evening alongside her husband King Felipe

Earlier in the day, Letizia and King Felipe had attended the National Innovation and Design Awards in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria – and she was still wearing the same chic pink trouser suit for the hospital visit.

While Letizia was as flawlessly turned out as ever, she did appear tired after a lengthy day of engagements and a difficult 24 hours following Sofia’s hospitalisation.

But she waved cheerily to cameras from the car and seemed in good spirits outside the hospital.

The visit shows the strength of her bond with her mother-in-law, who has taken her under her wing ever since she wed King Felipe in 2014 and the former journalist joined the Spanish royal family.

King Felipe, 56, has already visited his mother twice and was with her when she was first admitted on Wednesday.

He was later pictured waving from the passenger seat of his Lexus on a second trip on Wednesday afternoon.

He was quick to reassure concerned royal fans, telling media outside the hospital: ‘She is very well, cheerful and eager to be discharged and return as soon as possible.’

Sofia has been the ‘queen mother’ of Spain since her husband King Juan Carlos abdicated the throne in favour of their son Felipe in 2014.

Since then she has kept up a busy schedule of public engagements alongside her son Felipe and his glamorous wife, Queen Letizia.

Queen Sofia of Spain, 85, was rushed to hospital on Wednesday with a urinary tract infection

Letizia was wearing the same pink jumpsuit she wore to the National Innovation and Design Awards in Las Palmas , Gran Canaria, earlier in the day

The royal couple were spotted entering the Ruber International Centre in Madrid at around 7.30pm on Thursday evening

While Letizia was as flawlessly turned out as ever, she did appear tired after a lengthy day of engagements and a difficult 24 hours following Sofia’s hospitalisation

King Felipe has now visited his mother three times in hospital – and this is the first time he was joined by Letizia

After leaving the hospital, King Felipe told press his mother was ‘wanting to go out’ but said he didn’t ‘know exactly’ when that would be

She has focused on her sponsoring activities, spending her time between La Zarzuela and the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca in the summer months.

As recently as Monday, she attended Fernando Gomez-Acebo y Borbon’s tribute but just the next day was rushed to hospital.

She also attended the wedding reception of Teresa Urquijo and Mayor of Madrid Luis Martínez-Almeida on Saturday, alongside a host of famous guests.

Sofia was joined by her husband Juan Carlos as well as their two daughters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina. Elena’s children, Victoria and Felipe, and Cristina’s son Juan, were also present.

Queen Sofia had planned to travel to Huesca on Friday for an engagement at the city’s food banks, but it has since been cancelled.

She is usually renowned for her good health and stays active, including using a walking machine in her room in La Zarzuela daily. This is her first time in hospital since she gave birth to King Felipe in 1968.

Spanish media revealed Sofia has a urinary tract infections, which, if left untreated, can lead to sepsis.

However, the Spanish royal is being carefully attended to at the hospital, which is often used by the royals and is where Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia were born.

Her son King Felipe appeared in good spirits after visiting his mother, reassuring royal fans that she is ‘well’ and ‘eager’

Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Sofia and Princess Sofia of Spain leave the Beatnik restaurant on August 2022 in Mallorca

Born Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark on November 2, 1938, at Tatoi Palace in Athens, Greece, she is the eldest daughter of King Paul of Greece and Frederica of Hanover.

A member of the Greek branch of the Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg dynasty, her great-great-grandmother is also Queen Victoria.

This made her a relative of both her friend the late Queen Elizabeth an Prince Philip.

Because Sofia’s family were forced into exile during the Second World War, she spent part of her childhood in Egypt and South Africa.

She finished her education at the prestigious Schloss Salem boarding school in Southern Germany, and then studied childcare, music and archaeology in Athens.

Sofia also studied at Fitzwilliam College, a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.

A keen yachtswoman, the royal represented her home country of Greece as a reserve member of the Gold Medal-winning sailing team at the 1960 Summer Olympics alongside her brother Constantine (heir to the now deposed Greek monarchy).

Sofía met Infante Juan Carlos, her paternal third cousin, in 1954 on a cruise in the Greek Islands and again at the Duke of Kent’s wedding in 1961.

Sofia has been known for being in good health for her entire life, and hasn’t been to hospital since Felipe was born

Princess Cristina of Spain and Queen Sofia are pictured at the tribute service on Monday

They married less than a year later in Athens at the Catholic Cathedral of Saint Dionysius.

Upon their marriage, she converted from Greek Orthodoxy to Catholicism and changed her name from Sophia to Sofia.

Soon after, in 1973, the monarchy in Greece was abolished.

Together, she and Juan Carlos have three children: Infanta Elena, Infanta Cristina, and King Felipe.

Juan Carlos is judged to have been instrumental in Spain’s peaceful transition to democracy and, with his wife Queen Sofia, then enjoyed years of admiration.

The couple had a close relationship with Queen Elizabeth and the British Royal Family – Prince Charles, Princess Diana and their two sons Princes William and Harry would often spend holidays at the summer palace in Majorca.

Besides accompanying her husband on official visits and occasions, Sofía also undertook solo engagements.

She is executive president of the Queen Sofía Foundation, and is honorary president of the Royal Board on Education and Care of Handicapped Persons of Spain, as well as the Spanish Foundation for Aid for Drug Addicts.

Queen Letizia of Spain and Queen Sofia at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca in August 2023

The 1962 wedding of Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia of Greece and Denmark in Athens

Prince Juan Carlos of Spain with his fiancee Princess Sofia of Greece after the announcement of their engagement

As Queen, Sofia never publicly commented on political issues.

When her only son Felipe, then known as Prince of Asturias, announced his engagement to Letizia Ortiz in November 2003, Sofia took the former journalist and news presenter under her wing.

Letizia paid tribute to her future mother-in-law during her first speech since becoming engaged.

She said: ‘From now on, and more and more, I am going to integrate fully in this new life with the responsibilities that come with it… and with the support and affection of the King and Queen and the priceless example of the queen.’

During the Easter service in 2018, there appeared to be a tense moment between Letizia and Sofia.

The Spanish royals with their children Cristina, Felipe and Elena on holiday at the Miravent Palace in Palma de Mallorca in 1976

The former newsreader was seen standing in front of Sofia and after a brief exchange appearing to try and take the arm of her eldest daughter, who then shoves both her mother and grandmother’s hands aside.

Letizia’s husband King Felipe VI then stepped in as his 80-year-old father looked on nonplussed.

Marie Chantal of Greece, who is married to Crown Prince Pavlos – King Felipe’s cousin – has since weighed in, saying on Twitter: ‘No grandmother deserves that type of treatment! Wow she’s shown her true colours.’

But Letizia and Sofia’s bond is now clearly stronger than ever – as Letizia was quick to rush to her side in hospital.

In June 2014, Juan Carlos abdicated in favour of his son and Felipe and Letizia became King and Queen of Spain. For all his early popularity, Juan Carlos has been serially unfaithful and has been accused of multiple charges of corruption.

That said, three investigations against the former King were eventually dropped and he has denied any wrong doing.

Read more