Juan Urdangarin, the son of the Infanta Cristina and Iñaki, turns 23: shy, dedicated to volunteering and allergic to spotlights

The grandson of the emeritus kings has turned 23 on September 29. His first birthday since his parents separated and that also coincides with a very special family date and that this year takes on a different and cold meaning: next October 4 Cristina e Iñaki Urdangarin They would have celebrated their 25th marriage anniversary. A silver wedding that will not come.

Juan has always played his role as older brother and also as eldest son of the former Dukes of Palma. Mature, sensitive, reserved and “allergic” to the media spotlight, he is the most unknown grandson of the emeritus.

Two appearances mark that responsibility that he has assumed with total naturalness. Juan was the one who visited his father when he entered the Brieva prison, Ávila, in June 2018. He was 18 years old. He was of legal age and faced that hard moment. He also suffered all the media noise generated by the process of the Nóos case for which his father was sentenced to serve 5 years and 10 months in prison.

Another hard family moment was the death of the infanta Pilar, in January 2020. The burning chapel of the sister of Juan Carlos I he settled in Madrid and Juan acted as representative of the former dukes before the royal family. Cristina’s image was not yet rehabilitated in the palace and his photography with the kings was avoided. Again the young man assumed his role.

His maximum discretion and caution have accompanied him throughout these difficult months for his family, especially for his mother, who saw her marriage break up due to her husband’s infidelity with her friend and lover. Ainhoa ​​Armentia.

The first to speak about that crisis to the media was Pablo Urdangarin, and he did so with amazing poise and maturity. Far from showing the normality and closeness that we have seen in Pablo, Juan has thrown himself down the middle street and has opted for silence. Hermetic, prudent and sensitive, like his maternal grandmother, Queen Sofía, the young man has focused on completing his studies in International Relations and on his volunteer work at NGOs, such as Entreculturas and Sauce, with which he has traveled to Cambodia, among other destinations.

At the antipodes of that discretion is his cousin Froilan. Party boy and fun, well-known is the hobby of the son of the Infanta Elena y Jaime de Marichalar for enjoying the night and the clubs of Madrid, Marbella or Ibiza in the company of your friends.