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Queen Sofia of Spain's cousin has passed away© WireImage

Spanish and Greek royals mourn death of relative

Queen Sofia of Spain’s first cousin has passed away


UPDATED MAY 18, 2020 3:26 PM EDT

 Queen Sofia  of Spain is mourning the death of her cousin Paul Brandram, who passed away on May 9. He was 72. After his death, the Royal Family of Romania released a statement on behalf of Margareta of Romania that read: “Her Majesty the Crown Custodian learned with great sadness the passing to the eternal ones of the youngest of the cousins of King Michael I, Paul Bandram. The son of Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine of Greece and Denmark (the younger sister of Queen Mother Helen) and of Richard Brandram, an officer in the British Army, Paul Brandram was born on April 1, 1948 and spent his entire life in the City of London in the financial and banking field.”

Paul was Queen Sofia of Spain’s first cousin© Familia Regală a României
Paul was Queen Sofia of Spain’s first cousin

“Paul Brandram was a discreet, generous personality and deeply connected to his family. Her Majesty and Prince Radu sent a letter of condolence to the missing man‘s wife, Mrs. Katherine Brandram. God rest him in peace!” the statement added.

Born in 1948, Richard Paul George Andrew Brandram was the only child of Richard Campbell Andrew Brandram and Princess Katherine of Greece and Denmark, whose parents were King Constantine I of Greece and Sophia of Prussia. Paul married his first wife Jennifer Diane Steele in 1975. The former couple shared three children together, Sophie, Nicholas and Alexia. In 2009, Paul married his second wife Katherine Moreton.

Paul was the son of Princess Katherine and Major Richard Brandram© Getty Images
Paul was the son of Princess Katherine and Major Richard Brandram

According to our sister publication ¡Hola!,  King Felipe ’s mother and her siblings, former King Constantine II of Greece, who is  Princess Olympia ’s grandfather, and Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark had a close relationship with their late cousin. Paul’s mother Katherine, who is first cousins with Queen Elizabeth’s husband Prince Philip, and Sofia of Spain’s father Paul were siblings.