It has been revealed that King Felipe VI of Spain awarded the prestigious ‘Order of the Golden Fleece’ to his mother, Queen Sofia of Spain, for over five decades of service to the Spanish Crown and People.
The Order of the Golden Fleece was given to Queen Sofia in a Royal Decree signed two days ahead of her Birthday, which has only been published in the Official State Gazette now.
“Wishing to publicly testify my Royal Esteem for Her Majesty Queen Doña Sofía and to publicly recognize her dedication and commitment to the service of Spain and the Crown. Having heard the Council of Ministers, I hereby grant to my mother, Her Majesty Queen Doña Sofía, the Collar of the Order of the Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece.”
The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece was founded in 1430 by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy as a way to acknowledge his wedding to Infanta Isabella of Portugal. As a result of the Spanish War of Succession, there are currently two sections of the order: the Spanish branch and the Austrian branch. The current Grand Master of the Spanish branch is King Felipe VI. The badge is usually worn with a necklet, but it can also be worn with the order’s Collar. The only Spanish royals to receive the Golden Fleece are the monarch and the heir to the throne. Foreign monarchs usually receive the order during State Visits, but it is usually given after a few visits. Except previous Spanish Regnant Queens, the only females to have received the Order are Princess Beatrix of The Netherlands, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, and the Princess of Asturias.
Queen Sofia received the Order of Charles III and the Order of Queen Maria Luisa upon her marriage in 1962, and despite an upgrade to the Collar of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III in 1983, she has not received any other Spanish Orders.
