Julio Iglesias didn't know he had a granddaughter until she was six weeks old.

The 68-year-old singer admits he was ''angry'' when Chabeli, the eldest of his eight children, told him about baby Sofia a long time after her birth but says he understands and ''respects'' her decision to keep quiet about the baby, whose arrival was not made public for some time.

He said: ''I think it was a surprise for everyone. I knew she was pregnant, but I must confess that I didn't know of the birth until a month and a half later.

''You have to respect your children, even if you don't always understand them. I love my daughter very much and she loves me. I fully support her.

''She called me a few weeks ago and said, 'Dad, you've got a granddaughter. She's beautiful'. At first I was a little angry.... Well, fairly angry. But I eventually understood her reasons.''

Julio also admitted he has not yet met his granddaughter but is confident she will visit with Chabeli - whose 10-year-old son Alejandro was born prematurely in January 2002 and miscarried twin daughters two years ago - soon now he has relocated to Miami.

He added to HELLO! magazine: ''I haven't seen her yet. She's in North Carolina. But I imagine that within a few days she'll come to Miami and we'll all meet her.''