Queen Letizia and King Felipe mourn sad loss of friend as they attend funeral

Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain paid their respects to friend Placido Arango on Wednesday as they attended the Spanish businessman's funeral following his death on 17 February aged 88. The royal couple looked sombre as they dressed in black and gathered with other mourners outside San Jerónimo el Real church in Madrid, Spain. Letizia and her husband were photographed comforting each other as they held hands, with Felipe even wrapping a protective arm around his wife at one point.

Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain mourned the loss of their friend

It's been a sad few months for the royal couple, who also said goodbye to Felipe's aunt Doña Pilar de Borbon in January. The beloved older sister of former King Juan Carlos I passed away aged 83 on 8 January following a battle with colon cancer. Infanta Pilar was admitted to Madrid’s Ruber International Hospital on 5 January, on her brother King Juan Carlos’ 82nd birthday. King Felipe’s aunt began treatment for her cancer last year. Back in November, Pilar reportedly said: "There are days when I feel well and others worse, this is what happens with this disease."

MORE: The jobs Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Cornwall and others had before they became royal

The royal couple greeted other mourners 

MORE: President Trump invites King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain on state visit

Letizia and Felipe have been married since 2004 and share daughters Leonor, Princess of Asturias, 14, and Infanta Sofía of Spain, 12. Their wedding came as a surprise to many, as the royal couple, who had met at a dinner party held by a mutual friend, had been secretly dating for a year before their surprise engagement announcement. Letizia, who was well-known already thanks to her job as a news anchor for Spanish national TV, and the then-future King revealed their wedding plans to the world during a news conference in November 2003 at the Zarzuela Palace. Six months later, on 22 May, 2004, they wed in a beautiful ceremony held in Madrid's Almudena Cathedral.

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.