first birthday as a single woman, the empty nest and the failure to greet the King

Cristina de Borbón turns 59 this Thursday, June 13. It is her first single birthday after signing her divorce from Iñaki Urdangarin. A very slow and lengthy breakup process that has been postponed for two years with the difficulty of waiting for the youngest of the house, Irene, to come of age. Until a few months ago, the infanta shared her life in Geneva, Switzerland, with her daughter, who began volunteering in Cambodia following in the footsteps of her brother Juan de ella. Already back in Madrid, Irene has settled in Zarzuela with her grandmother with the intention of taking her practical driving test in Madrid and also to be closer to her boyfriend, Juan Urquijo. Irene has flown the nest and the rest of her children, too.

Cristina has an empty nest in Geneva. Although at the moment she is not considering abandoning her destiny, we see her more and more frequently on home soil. Her visits are recurring. Sometimes for work, as director of the international area of ​​the “la Caixa” Foundation, and other times for family reasons. Just a few days ago she attended the presentation of “la Caixa” postgraduate scholarships in Madrid, where she coincided with her brother, Don Felipe VI, who presided over the event (photo below).

Despite the proximity between them (barely separated from some seats), there was no public greeting. There was no approach in front of the cameras. There was no family gesture between them. According to Pilar Eyre, this detail tells us that the King has not yet forgiven his sister for the Nóos corruption process. A case for which she was accused and she had to testify before the judge and for which she was finally acquitted. Not so her husband, Iñaki, who entered the Brieva prison (Ávila) in June 2018 to serve a sentence of five years and ten months in prison.

Cristina is also very close to her sister, Elena, and together they form a bond with her father, Don Juan Carlos, whom they have visited repeatedly at his home in Abu Dhabi. This Wednesday the 12th, the emeritus landed in Vigo to attend the regatta that will be held this weekend in Sanxenxo, Pontevedra. He traveled by private jet precisely from Geneva, where his daughter resides and where he has settled temporarily while the renovation work on his residence in Abu Dhabi is completed. Before arriving in Vigo he made a stopover in Vitoria to attend his medical check-ups. These days we will see Juan Carlos in the Galicia Tourism Trophy. His racing team will participate in one of the 2024 6 Meter League series, from Friday to Sunday.