Infanta Sofía de Borbón is celebrating her 19th birthday. The past year has brought with it a genuine taste of freedom and independence, privileges that are far from guaranteed for a member of the royal family.
© Getty ImagesOn September 8th, Sofía began her studies in Political Science and International Relations at Lisbon's Forward College. The experience has been a unique one, offering her a life more connected to everyday realities while still affording her privacy in a vibrant, multicultural city.
A Student Life Like Any Other
Sofía adapted to university life with ease, reports our sister publication ¡HOLA! España, taking up surfing on the coast of Caparica and practicing yoga. She's been spotted exploring Lisbon's historic center and enjoying its famed local cuisine.
She studies in the heart of the city and is known as one of its most punctual students. She lives in a college dormitory, in a single room, sharing kitchens and study spaces with fellow students from over 20 different nationalities; by all accounts, she has a full and active social life.
© 2024 Getty ImagesSofía reportedly starts her day at 7:30 a.m., with classes beginning at 9 a.m. She breaks for lunch from 1 to 2 p.m., continuing with more classes before wrapping up for the day. Forward College is an institution dedicated to shaping international leaders, blending British-style education with modern skills such as leadership, critical thinking, project development, emotional and social intelligence, geopolitics, and technology. It's a curriculum designed for students who want to understand the world, not just observe it.
A Degree With a Difference
Sofía will graduate with a degree from the London School of Economics, one of the most prestigious social sciences institutions in the world, with the distinction of having studied across three European capitals. After this first year in Lisbon, she'll move to the Paris campus before concluding her studies in Berlin. She has three years left to enjoy an extraordinary education.
Her language skills only add to the picture. Alongside Spanish, she's fluent in English and holds an advanced level in French and Arabic. She's also picked up some Portuguese during her months in Lisbon, even if her coursework is conducted primarily in English.
© Casa de S.M. el ReyThe Final Stretch in Lisbon
Following her spring break, which concluded on April 12th, Sofía is now in the final stretch of her year in Lisbon, with the academic calendar set to close on June 19th. Whether she'll return to Madrid to mark the end of the school year remains to be seen.
Sofía holds a rare advantage. She's a royal who gets to shape her own future without losing sight of who she is or where she stands. As second in line to the throne, she enjoys considerably more freedom than her sister, while still playing a meaningful role within the institution as one of Princess Leonor's closest family members and confidants. Where Leonor projects continuity and the weight of the crown, Sofía offers something different: modernity, warmth, and a quiet willingness to be herself. She's a royal, but she's also a young woman who expresses her identity through her style, her choices, and her well-documented indifference to jewelry and high heels.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey
