The historic rule of the royal family that harms Infanta Sofía: 'She can't...'

Infanta Sofía is on everyone's lips because of an issue that has gone unnoticed by many until now. Unlike her sister, Princess Leonor, Sofía doesn't wear the family's exclusive jewelry. The reason, according to protocol expert María José Gómez y Verdú, is a historical rule that leaves her out of this legacy: "She can't wear the 'joyas de pasar'."

This statement has sparked an interesting debate about the rules that still govern the lives of women within the Royal Family. To what extent does the title determine access to privileges such as dynastic jewelry? What other limitations does Sofía face for not being the heir?

The historical rule of the Royal Family that prevents Infanta Sofía from using the royal jewelry box

Infanta Sofía has started to gain public prominence in recent months. At just 18 years old, she has already presided over events on her own and has accompanied her sister at several engagements. However, despite these advances, the rules are clear: the royal jewelry box is off-limits to her.

Lecturas magazine consulted Gómez y Verdú, who confirmed what many suspected. "Her access won't be to the royal jewelry box, which is reserved for queens and future queens," the expert explained. This restriction isn't a simple detail, but a clear line that marks the hierarchy within the institution.

For years, the 'joyas de pasar' have been associated with the symbolic power of the Crown. They are a set of unique pieces that Queen Victoria Eugenia left as an exclusive heritage for the queen and the heir. This legacy, carefully guarded by the institution, is part of an unbreakable tradition.

Queen Letizia, for example, has worn these jewels on multiple official occasions. Like the diamond necklace she wore recently at a state event. However, even though her daughters have already begun to gain institutional visibility, not all of them have access to this symbolism.

"Infanta Sofía, as the younger daughter, isn't called to occupy the throne," Gómez y Verdú clarifies. "She can't, therefore, wear the 'joyas de pasar,' that set of exceptional pieces. Like the Fleur-de-Lis tiara or the diamond necklace, which Queen Victoria Eugenia left as a heritage for the exclusive use of the consort and the heir to the throne," she explains.

Although Infanta Sofía is expected to continue performing public duties, her role will always be secondary to Princess Leonor's. Access to dynastic jewels isn't just a matter of aesthetics or tradition, but a subtle way to underline who embodies the future of the Crown.

The tiara as an institutional symbol: will Infanta Sofía be able to wear it?

One of the most interesting points of protocol is the use of the tiara, a piece full of meaning. Although historically reserved for married women, its use has become more flexible in some European monarchies today.

"In Spanish tradition, as in other royal houses, tiaras have historically been reserved for married women," Gómez y Verdú states. However, times change, and the possibility of seeing Princess Leonor with a tiara before marriage is no longer unthinkable.

Meanwhile, in Spain, the expert has replied clearly: "Infanta Sofía, as the younger daughter of the king and queen, isn't called to occupy the throne, but she does represent. She will represent, more and more, the institution. This is where the tiara takes on meaning: not as a simple ornament, but as a gesture of institutional belonging, an act of symbolic affirmation of her role within the Royal Household."

Therefore, although she can't wear the 'joyas de pasar,' it isn't ruled out that we may see her, in the future, wearing a tiara as a representative of the institution. The question is when and in what context this will happen.

The historical rule of the royal jewelry box once again highlights the differences between Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía. Although the latter represents the Crown, her access to key symbols such as the 'joyas de pasar' is forbidden. In a context of social change and institutional image, traditional protocol may have to be reconsidered sooner rather than later.