Princess Irene of Greece, the younger sister of Queen Sofia, has died at the age of 83, the Spanish palace has confirmed.
In a statement seen by HELLO!’s sister publication, HOLA!, the royal household said: “Their Majesties the King and Queen and Her Majesty Queen Sofia regret to announce the passing of Her Royal Highness Princess Irene of Greece at 11:40 a.m. today at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid.”
It comes after Queen Sofia cancelled engagements in Palma de Mallorca this week to be by her sister’s side after a decline in her health. HOLA! revealed three years ago that Princess Irene was “suffering from cognitive impairment that has progressively weakened her”.
© GettyQueen Sofia with Princess Irene and Infanta Cristina at the wedding of Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Chrysi Vardinogiánni
She was last pictured publicly, using a wheelchair, at the at the wedding of her nephew, Prince Nikolaos of Greece, and Chrysi Vardinogiánni, in Athens in February 2025.
Princess Irene, who never married or had children, had always shared a close relationship with her sister Sofia, and her nephews and nieces. In the latter years of her life, she resided in an apartment at the Zarzuela Palace.
© Gamma-Keystone via Getty ImagesPrincess Irene pictured in 1966
The princess was the youngest child of the late King Paul of Greece and Queen Frederica. Sofia and Irene’s brother, Constantine II, the last King of the Hellenes, passed away in January 2023.
It’s the latest heartbreak for Queen Sofia, whose close friend and second cousin, Tatiana Radziwill, died in December, with the Spanish and Greek royals attending her funeral in Paris, France on 10 January.