Point de Vue's July 2006 Article about Letizia and Felipe - Scans & Translations

[Larzen]

You will never see Letizia without Felipe.
If She could construct her career of star of the journalits with main hand, now with her husband she constructs her destiny as a Princess.
No to speak of eclipsing to Felipe or to rob him the star.
Letizia is the anti Diana.

IF, and its only speculation this is the reason Letizia is not allowed to do solo engagmeents or give speeches, as noone from Casareal has given an explenation AFAIK, it does not seem like the spanish household has much confidence in Prince Felipe. I mean, less attractive Princes has wifes with more star quality. Like Willem ALexander forinstance, surly a very nice man and a good father but compared to his outgoing colorful wife he seems a little dull, and his travels are not as good covered as Maximas. Philippe, Haakon and Frederik also gets alot less attention and media space than their wifes, its just the way the media works. But noone thinks that they will do a worse job just because there are fewer pictures of them in the media or not every event is covered, and all of them can not take their thrones for granted either. Harald and Carl Gustavs duties usually slide by unnoticed by the national-press, but noone thinks they do a bad job just because we dont see them on TV everyday or even every week, or we see their wifes more (sure some dont think the royals do a good job but then there are usually other reasons than media attention). The only heir who wont have this problem is Victoria unless she makes a 360 degree turn around and finds a Princess-consort with perfect hair and a broad asortment of shoes

 

[Paty]

Hello again ladys!

By chance today the Spanish newspaper ABC, publishes part of the article about the Principes of Point de Vue.

And here is:

MADRID. " we will not see Dona Letizia without Don Felipe ". This way it is assured by the weekly of reference of the European royalty Point de Vue, that in his last number the magazine dedicates the front page and twelve pages to the Spanish Royal Family and very specially to TRH the Princes of Asturias.

With the title " Letizia and Felipe , the secrets of the couple ", the French magazine assures that though in the past Dona Letizia constructed in solitarily her career of star of the journalism, now " her Princess's destiny of Asturias has marked it by her husband and it is a question neither of eclipsing the future King of Spain, nor to taking the protagonism from him ". In this context, the weekly affirms that " Dona Letizia is the anti Lady ".

Warns the publication about the risks that it bears that the Princesses colitigant end up by monopolizing the whole attention and turning into protagonists of the magazines of heart, since it happened with the Princess of Wales: " The women are the future of the European Monarchies. But to what price? Maxim (of Holland), Mette-Marit (of Norway), Mary (of Denmark), or Matilde (of Belgium), they have ended, to her sorrow, for Inheritors eclipsed in the mass media her husbands, the Princes ".

But, one asks the magazine, " what they can make (the Princesses) against this "plebeyización" of the spirits and the dictation of the image, the charisma and the feminine glamour. Nothing - it answers-, but to be afraid that ultimately his couple weakens, separates and ends in the pages of social life and in the section of divorces ". The " syndrome Lady Diana " it remains still , assures the publication, and " it produces terror in the Royal Houses ".

Conscious of the danger, adds Poin de Vue, the Spanish Royal House " it has never decided to play the letter of the Couple Don Felipe and Dona Letizia together - never without other one - opposite to the most ultramodern practice for that some of they were waiting , is to say, that the Princess of Asturias was having her own agenda ". According to the French magazine, " unlike what it happens in Holland, Norway, Denmark and Belgium, in Spain will be the couple - she and he -, or nobody ". " That remains clear to the magazines ", it adds.

The method " made in Borbón "

The article stands out like since there was born the first-born one of the Princes of Asturias, the Infanta Leonor, Don Felipe and Dona Letizia never separate. A fact that the specialist in human behavior Georges Chetochine consulted by Poin de Vue, summarizes of the following way: " Without the couple, there is no future ". This formula is valued very positively by the publication, since he assures that after two years of marriage , " in that there is in the habit of being unevenness ", the method " made in Borbón " seems " to work wonderfully " and their daily happiness prove it.

High popularity

Supports the publication, that throughout this time the popularity of Don Felipe and Dona Letizia has not lowered ever, something that also can be estimated in their displacements. In this point , the magazine emphasizes the reception that the Princes of Asturias received during his recent visit to Alcala de Henares , the city of Cervantes, " where both took the temperature to the public opinion. Don Felipe and Dona Letizia do not fight against the mills, but they work patiently. And they wait their great day ",it concludes the information.

http://www.abc.es/20060727/nacional-nacional/dona-letizia-anti-lady_200607270309.html

 

[Paty]

Hello again.

I have translated this page of Point de Vue's article. I am very interested in knowing What it is they say, and share it with those that are interested it also.First I it have translated of French to Spanish, this way to I understand it better and last it to translate to the English.
I hope you can understand it well.

Original Posted by La Chica Madrileña http://s2.supload.com/free/pdv4.JPG/view/

" What Reveal Letizia's Gestures "
For years, this specialist of the human behavior advises to multinationals, chiefs of State and stars of the mass media. We submitted to his analysis two years of photos of the Princess Letizia. A deciphering in the shape of test for the image which results are surprising.

" Naturally spontaneous, franc and direct the princess Letizia suffers easily the duty of " behaving ", I would say even more " to control herself ". This can put her in a condition of psychological intense and painful tension. Letizia doubts, one raises too many things.

With all evidence,she is afraid to doing it badly, of being below the espectatives/hopes put in her .When the situation oprime her (and this is seen in many photos), she closed herself at one stroke. She puts face of frightful sadness. Lowered head, exact lips, sad face, closed fists, entered shoulders, distant look. She is fragile as an elastic tape that it can break.We see her to manipulate nervously her alliance, as if she was trying to calm herself … She does not manage to pretend, to keep up appearances. Is it amazing this on the part of a former Tv Journalist for her auto control? Not, not really. Actually , when a person is in front of a camera we are not like a parrot that recites a text.Everything is millimeter in TV. You are supported by an editor chief, by every team. And then there is the director. In the TV, Leticia not did not have to be herself. It was an automaton. See Claire Chazal, with whom she was compared very much. It is a very good presentadora, but in the intimacy, I can assure you that Letizia is more variegated, more fragile. "

 

[LaChicaMadrilena]

Thank you so much Paty for your effort and translations!

 

[Paty]

Thank you so much Paty for your effort and translations!

Thanks to yuo for scan the pages. Im gion to translate all the pages, because i think it´s very interesting.

This Traslator correspon with this page. Original posted by LCM
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4861/pdv5in7.jpg

The woman in both sides

" From a photo, to the other one, we have the impression of which they are two diametrically opposite persons. With all evidence, there are a few moments that the princess totally seems to be lost, absent. She suffers, in a situation of " representation ", without face, without soul, without capture on the reality.She does not support of being a "vase", a simply officially act or a gala dinner of show alone where it´s just necessary " to appear". She detests the inaction, the passiveness. It can be a disadvantage, for which it is known that this forms a part of the work of future queen. "

Sentimental.

" A thing is sure: Letizia is not arrogant! She has estimate for the people, the anonymous people, "little people ". The Princess prefers these "various relationships" to the falsely sincere ones. Letizia does not scare the crowd.

Where others would feel attacked, she feels well, because, fundamentally, she is a girl of the people. In the baths of multitudes, she feels between her peers. She is regenerated, she is stirred into action. We are with the authentic Letizia, the naughty one, the smily girl with the whole of her expressive eyes.
The princess is never as happy as when she is accompanied by the people, narrowing hands, eating a chunk of salami with a peasant, taking a child in her arms. She reminds me president Jacques Chirac. "

 

[Paty]

Another traslation, correspon to this page.
http://s2.supload.com/image.php?get=pdv6.JPG

The dominant one dominated?

" She is not a person who seeks for attention, who tries to stand out on her relatives. I do not see her as an ambitious woman, dominating her destiny. She is rigorously the opposite thing. She needs to rest in moral traditional values. The holy and Spanish trilogy: children, husband, family. I see her rather as "the good friend ". She surrounds herself by a very, very, good friends' circle. Everything leads me to think that she is an intelligent, generous and spicy woman. "



Translate of this page. Original posted by LCM
http://s2.supload.com/image.php?get=pdv7.JPG

Felipe , the " Big Brother "

"The prince of Asturias has a very particular way of taking the hand of his wife, very protective, like a "big brother" might do it. Their fingers do not cross, their hands are a palm against palm. Letizia's phalanxes seem to literally disappear in the hand of Felipe. Like taking the hand of a child, not that of his wife! I have the impression that he says to her: "do not be afraid, I protect you" With his high stature, the prince monitors, from the "tower of control", the gestures of his wife. Sometimes, the gun-sight as if he was a baby, fragile. It is very curious. I guess in her big distresses linked to the infancy. And see Letizia's attitude in the photo where she has simultaneously the stairs on which it is her husband and his leg. She is very afraid for the situation.

A gallery (of portraits) without evolution?

"In two years of marriage, I do not necessarily see an evolution in her psychology. There is no before and after. Though the birth of her daughter should have lower the media pressure on her. I have the impression that she is more happy today, it is for that the Royal House placed it very judiciously in better conditions, multiplying the baths of multitudes and the "regional" trips.



The Translation corresponds to this page.
http://s2.supload.com/free/pdv8.JPG/view/

"She is Felipe-Dependent"

" She is like a Russian roulette, prepared to do 400 blows.She needs limits not to yield her impulses. And her husband knows it. Really there is no type of equality in this couple. Letizia seems to be very submissive to her husband. She needs his protection. Saying this, I know that this can shock the sensibility of the feminists. But the young woman conceives her couple like " binomial ", a bit to Spanish TV's image version, where often there is a man and a woman to present the news.

This need to touch the people

"I was surprised by this need that she has to touch the people. Letizia touches the whole world: her husband, the members of the royal family, the crowd. She is the sign of a person who needs protection, safety, real contact, of calming down saying "Tell me that we are very united!". Her hands speak also for her. She isn't a Latin woman for nothing. Look at this photo, when she was a TV journalist. It is a person very in wait, appearing questions. She plays with her feather, raises the papers. So many indications that betray feelings, worries. There is a great difference between her impassive face and her anxious hands: She seems to dominate the exercise of dominating her subject, and nevertheless her emotions really are not dominated.



I hope that can to understand it well. If there is any member who is French and sees that there is a bad translated you can correct it.

 

[infanteleonor]

Hello again.

I have translated this page of Point de Vue's article. I am very interested in knowing What it is they say, and share it with those that are interested it also.First I it have translated of French to Spanish, this way to I understand it better and last it to translate to the English.
I hope you can understand it well.

Original Posted by La Chica Madrileña http://s2.supload.com/free/pdv4.JPG/view/

thank youi very much for the translation

i find the article very interressant I think that with time the sprinces made conceal and will still make conceal the scandalmonger which beautiful couple

 

[mtbcm]

Thank you Paty for taking your time to translate the articles to us . It was very thoughtful of you.
I appreciate your efforts.

I have a question, does Point de Vue make this kind of studies often and regarding other Royal Couples?! I wouldlike to read other objects of study, it would be interesting to see if I agree with the other views ...

Regards,
mtbcm

 

[Paty]

Thank you Paty for taking your time to translate the articles to us . It was very thoughtful of you.
I appreciate your efforts.

I have a question, does Point de Vue make this kind of studies often and regarding other Royal Couples?! I woul dlike to read other objects of study, it would be interesting to see if I agree with the other views ...

Regards,
mtbcm

Dear Mtbcm. Thank you very much for your words, you are always so affectionate.

About the study of Mr. Georges, I think that he only has realized this study for the Principes, but I am not very sure.

Regards,
Paty

 

[grevinnan]

Interesting - Sofia touches people even more than Letizia does. Wonder what he has to say about her.

 

[Elsa M.]

http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/145397/0/Letizia/ladi/di/

French magazine "Point of vue", specialized in the European Gotha Royalty, has defined the Princess of Asturias as the antithesis of late Lady Diana Spencer. Far from falling in the same mistake of other European monarchies, where the consorts have overshadowed their husbands (as in the case of Mette Marit in Norway, Mary Donaldson in Denmark and Matilde in Belgium), according to "Point of vue", Princess Letizia has known to remain in a discreet background position, without reducing an apex of her husband's protagonism.

The princesses, says the weekly magazine, have to take a special care with the "plebeianization" and the tyranny of the image. They do not have to be obsessed with fashion and glamour. There is a danger that frightens the modern monarchies: "In the end, the royal couple is debilitated, they get separate and they end up on the magazine's pages of social life or the section of divorces".
It’s s risk that our austere and discreet princess does not have to fear. Her behaviour, according to "Point of vue", is exquisite; so much, that they have put her on their cover.

 

[Ariel]

I am convinced late princess Diana and princess Letizia are very different and we cant say Letizia in any way is having the life Diana did or we can compare their personalities. I just dont like when the magazines return again and again on Diana, even for taking her as an example not to follow, they should stop using her for their purposes.

 

[Rebeca]

I think that Letizia and Diana are two personalities completely different and I believe that the relationship between Letizia and Felipe differs a lot of the relationship that Diana had with Charles, maybe for that reason the behavior of Letizia is different, so much in relation to royal family as in relation to public opinion

 

[Roxsteve]

Lady Di cannot be compared to any of the current princesses, not even Letizia. No way!! The article is, IMO, absurd! I don't even think it makes sense.

 

[Ariel]

Teenagers and the media have the tendency to idealize people and that happened to lady Di, but media happens to take advantage of the minimun error those "idols" make...it is very sad but it is the way they are. Hopefully none of the princess will get idealized not even by their own fans, citizens or media, because they are the ones that suffers the consequences.

 

[tenngirl]

I don't understand why Diana is considered a bad influence. She brought GREAT interest to England. Before, no one really cared about the Royals! When Di came in, suddenly the world was interested. If the Royals had used her popularity properly, the throne could have been safe for 100 years.

Isn't that part of the duties of a Princess? To bring attention to her country? How many people on this board (or other boards) have said that they had no idea certain countries even had a monarchy until they found out about the new Princess?

If this is really true about Letizia, then I am amazed that the feminists are not throwing a fit. Letizia has basically left all her strengths at the door and now she is just a typical submissive woman. So much for the strong independent Princess!!

Hopefully, this is just one man's opinion.

 

[grevinnan]

Letizia is very much a partner with Felipe. There is nothing submissive in her relationship with her husband. She is involved in all the engagements he has as the heir to the throne. From all reports that have been posted she is very active and involved in the meetings they attend together, the planning and preparation of their events and most likely also in writing his speeches.

Spain has a hardworking crown prince couple preparing themselves and the country for them as reigning King and Queen. Sending Letizia out on her own cutting ribbons would make no sense. She and Felipe is a powercouple and they are using her talants and strengths to further his role as the next King and their role as the next reigning couple.

 

[Alexandria]

I don't understand why Diana is considered a bad influence. She brought GREAT interest to England. Before, no one really cared about the Royals! When Di came in, suddenly the world was interested. If the Royals had used her popularity properly, the throne could have been safe for 100 years.

It really depends what kind of attention one is bringing to one's country and one's monarchy. Not all attention is welcome. In the case of royalty I don't think "any press is good press" is a good mantra to live by.

Diana brought attention to some good causes in her life such as AIDS and landimines, but she also brought a lot of negative attention to the British monarchy through her affairs and how she drew attention to her unhappiness with Charles, their fledging marriage, divorce and his ongoing affair with Camilla, through how she handled certain ongoing situations in her life such as her eating disorders. To some extent she even involved her children in her ongoing battles. How many times have we heard the story of how William pushed tissues underneath the bathroom door one day because his mommy was crying over her marriage woes?

Isn't that part of the duties of a Princess? To bring attention to her country? How many people on this board (or other boards) have said that they had no idea certain countries even had a monarchy until they found out about the new Princess?

I don't think the monarchies of Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Norway, etc. would want their monarchies to be introduced to the world: Because of very public problems their princesses had. How many people first learned that Norway had a monarchy because the Crown Prince was going to marry a single mother who had dabbled in drugs? In an ideal world is that how Norwegians would've wanted their country's monarchy to be known as in a first impression?

If this is really true about Letizia, then I am amazed that the feminists are not throwing a fit. Letizia has basically left all her strengths at the door and now she is just a typical submissive woman. So much for the strong independent Princess!!

Being a feminist isn't about taking the lead or dominating situations, or dominating over men. Being a feminist is about women making the right choices for themselves. Equality between the sexes -- at the heart of the feminist movement -- is about allowing women the same opportunities as men, and part of that entails allowing women to make choices about their lives. Feminists fought hard for women to have the right to vote just as men had the right to vote. That doesn't mean a woman is submissive if she chooses not to vote. It means that she's exercising her right of choice to not vote, just as women who do vote exercise their right of choice to vote.

Perhaps it's a choice of Letizia's to accompany Felipe on engagements. Perhaps it's not a matter of thinking of them as his engagements, but as their engagements. (The flip side: How do we know that they are not engagements she sought out and they are actually her engagements that he is accompanying her on? )

One of my favourite quotes is by former American President Bill Clinton, (forgive me for paraphrasing) who says equality isn't about equal rights for all but the right for all to be equal.

How do we know that Felipe doesn't consider Letizia his equal or that Letizia doesn't consider herself his equal? In the eyes of the Spanish court, they might very well be equal partners and there is nothing submissive about their relationship or her relationship to him.

 

[DMR412]

Perfectly stated.

 

[Toledo]

If this is really true about Letizia, then I am amazed that the feminists are not throwing a fit. Letizia has basically left all her strengths at the door and now she is just a typical submissive woman. So much for the strong independent Princess!!
Hopefully, this is just one man's opinion.

I disagree, I have a different point of view. Letizia did not leave her strenghts at the door, she took the job of the fourth most powerful woman in the Kingdom right after the King, Queen and Crown Prince. And she is the second most powerful and influential woman in Spain right after the Queen. When Felipe becomes King, and God forbid something bad happens to him while Leonor is still an infant, the Kingdom will rest on the shoulders of none other that Letizia. I believe she was accepted by the family because they saw in her two great qualities: intelligence and independence. Anything can happen these days and Letizia, just like Queen Sofia, can easily take command as Regent. Her change in publics habits, from outspoken TV reporter to a more reserved royal family member, shows the great control she has on her emotions. And a great role model for their daugther Princess Leonor. She did not became submissive, she became a woman with an incredible power and the wisdom on how not to use it.

 

[Lamyah]

not suprisingly, the media has the tendacy to compare women as a form of competition even if one of them has been dead close to 10 years. Letizia comes from a different generation, grew up in a middle class background, educated and build a strong career before her marriage. Her experience and perception of what a modern crown princess aught to be will be different and unique to her alone. No need to compare her to the late Princess Diana, a young lady married in her teens, never had any support or public training from the British monarchy and ended up in a loveless marriage, where both Charles & herself used the media as a scoring point against one another.

I think this prolonged obsession & exploitation of Diana has gone beyond the realm of humanity and should be stopped, but I know its a wishful thinking as long plp consider comparing & contrasting women is fair game.

 

[Toledo]

You are absolutely right. Right now we have a whole new generation of Crown Princesess that do not share the same time and space with Princess Diana. They are like a new breed of royal ladies while Diana could be called the modern Proto-Princess, the one who opened the door to this new generation of royal ladies. Unfortuately, these two generations of Royals never had the chance to met. But Diana and her times are a whole different story that cannot compare to the lives of the ones that came after her. To each it's own.

 

[ladejesus]

Toledo, I completly agree with you. Letizia is incredibly capable and powerful in her own right. She will definitely make a great queen (hopefully not for a while).

As for the comparisons with Princess Di, they are absolutely rediculous. We are talking about two women who are very different, yet they are (were) incredible women and model Princesses.

 

[rani]

Princess Letizia has one thing that Princess Diana never had-the love and support of her husband. Prince Felipe seems to me to be incredibly bright in that he recognized a strong team mate when he saw her,and I don't think either of them would be happy without the intellectual support they give oneanother. In addition,Letizia is more fortunate than Princess Diana in that she has a Mother-in-law who is not only a great role model,but a wonderful instructor for the role she will someday have to fulfill.

 

[Vanesa]

I think that in Rotal and not-royal families it's nice that husband and wife would walk side by side, and that non of them would "overshadow" his/her partner. Of course, for all this the true secret is...TRUE LOVE. This is a miracle than not everyone reachs in this life. It's like religious Faith. The ones who feels it, finds very easy to follow its path.

I think that, if the Princes of Asturias loves each other, it will be easy to them to keep walking side by side, helping each other and supporting each other as well. The one who loves the other doesn't want to be "the star", but rather that the one who he/she loves would be the star. And if this feeling is shared in a couple, the result is a loving partnership in which no one is superior to no one, but equal in love, confidence and strenght. No feminism, no machism. Where true love exist, these words make no sense.

I have the impression that Felipe and Letizia are this kind of couple. And of course, Letizia has a great couple of parents-in-law too.

Vanesa.

 

[Alexandria]

I think that, if the Princes of Asturias loves each other, it will be easy to them to keep walking side by side, helping each other and supporting each other as well. The one who loves the other doesn't want to be "the star", but rather that the one who he/she loves would be the star. And if this feeling is shared in a couple, the result is a loving partnership in which no one is superior to no one, but equal in love, confidence and strenght. No feminism, no machism. Where true love exist, these words make no sense.

Vanesa.

I think that this is a wonderfully true statement you've made Vanesa.

In any relationship where the two people really love each other, the one partner will want the other to shine and vice versa. One partner won't want to purposely outshine the other and if he or she knows that by some natural or superficial quality they do generate more attention than their partner they would try to play up some other aspects of their personality that should shine and attract the public's attention.

 

[highpriestess]

I was at a newstand that carries foreign magazines. It had two copies of Point de Vue. I didn't buy it since I don't read French. Just a few hours later I went back to the newstand, both copies were sold.

 

[grevinnan]

Feminism is about equality. Look around at some of the princesses and you'll see pretty faces, latest style clothing and activities without much substance. If feminists want to throw a fit then there is where they should look. Not toward someone that is involved in the same activities as their husband.

 

[madeleine victoria]

I disagree, I have a different point of view. Letizia did not leave her strenghts at the door, she took the job of the fourth most powerful woman in the Kingdom right after the King, Queen and Crown Prince. And she is the second most powerful and influential woman in Spain right after the Queen. When Felipe becomes King, and God forbid something bad happens to him while Leonor is still an infant, the Kingdom will rest on the shoulders of none other that Letizia. I believe she was accepted by the family because they saw in her two great qualities: intelligence and independence. Anything can happen these days and Letizia, just like Queen Sofia, can easily take command as Regent. Her change in publics habits, from outspoken TV reporter to a more reserved royal family member, shows the great control she has on her emotions. And a great role model for their daugther Princess Leonor. She did not became submissive, she became a woman with an incredible power and the wisdom on how not to use it.

i completely agree with you.. i think Letizia is an asset to the SRF.. good luck to both of them!!

 

[Vanesa]

Feminism is about equality. Look around at some of the princesses and you'll see pretty faces, latest style clothing and activities without much substance. If feminists want to throw a fit then there is where they should look. Not toward someone that is involved in the same activities as their husband.

Well stated! I agree 100%.

Vanesa.