Princess Letizia's 40th Birthday: September 15, 2012

[carlota]

i personally don't feel offended by the pictures, but i can see how some spanish people may feel this is over the top. the lavish surroundings of their garden can be some sort of a provocation to some, who have lost their houses or are resigned to extremely tiny flats that the previous government approved not long ago.

i like the pictures a lot and i'm personally glad they released them. they are different to their usual official pictures. but maybe it wasn't the best idea to do a very hollywoodesque photoshoot seeing the spanish situation.

[Cici]

I love the photos, they look natural and warm. The photos with Sofia sleeping a precious as are the one where Letizia is reading to her daughters.

[kathia_sophia]

anyone knows if the pictures made the covers or inside pictures of the other countries with royal families? like if it made to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands...

[LadyFinn]

Cover of Hoy Corazon
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/A2ySVfHCcAAaJoE.jpg:large

[EIIR]

When I first looked at these photos I was disappointed to see another royal family go in for this kind of soft-focus, photoshopped, Hello!-style photo session of the kind that the Danish in particular seem to prefer.

My next thought was that lounging on an expensive looking outdoor sofa in the beautifully manicured garden of your very high-spec modern home while your country's in economic meltdown was probably not the best idea.

Sometimes restraint is the best option. The Spanish people know they're royals, that they're wealthy and that they can't understand the difficulties that so many Spaniards are going through. It's a difficult tightrope to walk, but the royals need to do all they can not to exacerbate that right now. A couple of pictures of Letizia with some trees vaguely in the background would've been a much better idea.

[ricarda]

Originally Posted by grevinnan

Be more specific when mentioning "Scandinavian royal families". I do not remember the Swedish royal family doing a photo spread like this.

????????
What with all the "happy little family" pictures of Victoria, Daniel and Estelle? Or - in the past - of Carl Gustav, Silvia and kids?
Actually all royal families (except perhaps the Spanish RF) do photo shootings like this - some just do it better than others.

I have mixed feelings about the pictures. I think it was great they released pics on this occasion. And I don't see how anyone could be offended by them (I mean the Spanish monarchy must be really in big trouble if the royal family is not even allowed to show a beautiful couch in a beautiful garden.)

But I would have preferred more personal pictures which tell us something about Letizia, other than that she is the beauty-operated devoted wife of Felipe and mother of two lovely daughters. Especially her solo pics are really strange with those model poses and her mask-like face.
There is an air of "un-realness", of "putting up a perfect facade" about them.

On the other hand the pics with the children are lovely.

[LadyFinn]

Originally Posted by ricarda

But I would have preferred more personal pictures which tell us something about Letizia, other than that she is the beauty-operated devoted wife of Felipe and mother of two lovely daughters.

Maybe that is exactly what Letizia wants to show to the world of herself. She is the wife of an heir, whose task is to support her husband. And she is a loving mother, and a beautiful woman. Maybe she doesn't want to open herself and her life more to outsiders. It is quite understandable that she is protecting her privacy.

Nowadays people want to see photos of their royal families. At least in Sweden people are hoping to see new photos of Estelle, Victoria and Daniel all the time.

[ricarda]

LadyFinn
Maybe that is exactly what Letizia wants to show to the world of herself. She is the wife of an heir, whose task is to support her husband. And she is a loving mother, and a beautiful woman. Maybe she doesn't want to open herself and her life more to outsiders. It is quite understandable that she is protecting her privacy.

But those pictures actually invite us into their privacy.
If the aim was to protect her privacy then 3 pictures would indeed have been enough.

[lula]

Yes, as Spain is in crisis, they should have done some photos dressed as homeless and in a street between garbage ...

They are family photos in a garden, the princess doesn´t wear jewelry and all clothing is repeated ... how can it be more simple!!! Most princesses pose dressed in haute couture, full of historical jewels and in opulent palaces.

This is a photo session for the 40th birthday of the Princess of Asturias, the only thing they have done to celebrate a birthday so significant. 16 photos to celebrate the birthday of a princess is the minimum ... there have not been multiple interviews, or concerts, parties or institutional gifts. And frankly, pretty sad and pathetic as was the no celebration of the Golden Jubilee of the King and Queen... people and press need this.

The Prince and Princess of Asturias have not given an interview or a photo shoot for a magazine in eight years. This is the first time we can see images of this type. A serious and professional princess we have every day of the year, with a full agenda performed with professionalism... we have photos like these once in 10 years.

These pictures are a gift to the press, they will win a lot of money with them ... and a good campaign for Spain's image abroad.

[kathia_sophia]

^very well said.
c'mon Letizia is one of the hardest working Princess, lets give her a bit of rest
and always bringing the 'crisis' is a bit low, seems people doesnt have more arguments when they see something they dont like.
my country is in a more 'crisis' situation than Spain, and i know lots of people who are rich or live confortable, but i dont go and say to them that they need to refrain a bit because of the economic crisis.
sorry but some here sound like if the pictures ruined more the crisis, actually it was the opposite, magazines will sell millions and make profit. those people in money need should be grateful if they did photosessions like this all the time.

[Al_bina]

It is His Majesty King Juan Carlos,who made the Golden Jubilee celebration awkward. I doubt that any celebration can improve Spain's image.
As for Crown Princess Letizia's photo session, it is usual.

[lula]

What is needed is NORMALITY.

In the golden jubilee would have never been a big celebration, but some pictures and a small dinner. After the scandal Botswana there was nothing.

The image of the Royal Family also affects the image of Spain, because they are the first ambassadors and image of Spain. In recent months, it seems that has been conveyed is that the royal family is as bad or worse than Spain...and that's really bad, because the scandals Urdangarín and Botswana has reached worldwide.

The Royal Family needed to give a positive image, highlighting the good things, for the institution itself, but also for the country.

[Grandduchess24]

Originally Posted by lula

The photos are criticized by those who always criticize everything. Now use the economic crisis to criticize everything is very absurd, but they have to criticize and seek any argument.

It is the 40th birthday of the Princess of Asturias and all the celebration has been these photos... neither big parties, no concerts, no royal guests, no official gifts...

The photos have been well received by the press, who has been waiting and asking eight years for some pictures as these. The Royal House is working to make changes and updated and that is being recognized.

Surely the magazines will sell millions of copies with these photos. Probably it will be much better for the Spanish economy than doing nothing. The magazines are usually published on Wednesday ... and all will advance to Monday the publication.

Cover of Hola

http://www.hola.com/imagenes/realeza...la-leti--a.jpg

Letizia looks so pretty and happy for her 40th, with a hadsome husband and two beautiful little girls.
:: flowers::

[Grandduchess24]

Originally Posted by LadyFinn

I see nothing luxurious, provocative or extravagant in these very lovely photos of a happy family. There are no expensive evening gowns, no tiaras, no big jewelry. Just a happy princess with her husband and daughters.

Doña Letizia cumple 40 años y protagoniza un posado excepcional junto a don Felipe y las Infantas Leonor y Sofía | Galería 14 de 16 | Mujerhoy.com

Princess Letizia releases special edition photos to mark her fourtieth birthday - hellomagazine.com

I see nothing wrong despite being royal this family looks like they had photos taken in their backyard together in casual clothes. They look so happy being together plus i totally agree with LadyFinn.

[donnaK]

Victoria of Sweden had posed for a fashion magazine a few years ago, she and Daniel had a photo session before the wedding. I think the only European RF who hasn't done this type of photoshoots or wouldn't do one in the future is Liechtenstein.

Originally Posted by ricarda

But those pictures actually invite us into their privacy.
If the aim was to protect her privacy then 3 pictures would indeed have been enough.

If there were only 3 pictures for 3 scenes (wife, mother, herself), I bet more people would be complaining.
They had a very good professional photographer this time, took the pictures with an excellent lighting and setting, but they haven't done any over the top styling or posing, gestures, expressions are all familiar to me, you can find them all in their public appearances over the year (except for Sofia falling asleep).

[Duke of Marmalade]

They are finally doing what all other royals are doing, trying to please the public with such sweet, artificial photos. I like some of them, especially the sit-down with the royal couple, while I find others (especially the Letizia-only shots) just fake, airbrushed and hollywood-ish, something that hasnt applied to the pictures of the SRF, until now.

Like other royal families, now, because they are in a desperate position, are starting to sell themselves to the public incl kids, something they always refused to do, all these cheesy posing, some of the shots are really tacky, but what else can they do?

Considering we know they are really private for various reasons, its easy to see that these shots are a fake, cool calculated home story, nothing more. How things can change.

Some previous poster said that Letizia didnt even have a hairdresser for these shots, seriously? She's professionally styled and airbrushed to the maximum, some of these shots could go straight into Vogue, something that was until now a no-no for the so very serious Spanish royals but rather applicable for the fluffy peers.

[An Ard Ri]

Getting back to Letizia's actual birthday is there any news from Spain regarding a family celebration?

[dazzling]

I liked the pictures and I liked the approach, very different to what we have seen in the past.
I dont know whether to expect a celebration but something would be nice.

[Bine221]

I actually like all pics (with only one exception), especially the bare-footed ones giggling with the family, simply W O N D E R F U L !!!

But also the ones with Felipe are great (given the fact, that the gossip about problems are swaging around again and again since months now) - and well, Letizia alone, she really is a beauty - and here we have pics with a more formal as well as with a more "private" attire, great. And all other CPs pics are photoshopped as well (I especially remember Maxima as well as Victoria´s earlier this year), so what do you expect????

I think, it is great PR and especially the ones with the family will break the hearts of all Spanards

BYe Bine

[Al_bina]

The family portrait: Prince and Princess of Asturias