Future and Popularity of the Spanish Monarchy


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Originally posted by electrivicki@Apr 9th, 2004 - 2:11 am
Spaniards prefer a royal princess as princess Magdalena(the favourite princess in Spain),

In Spain a divorced woman as future Princesa de Asturias is something impossible,repugnant...
That still doesn't give any evidence or factual information.
 
All people I know hates Letizia,she's not a princess.In Spain we want a real princess as future Princesa de Asturias,even she's a divorced woman!!! :yuk: :yuk: :yuk: :yuk:
 
I am Spanish and I don’t agree with you Electrivicki. I think much people in Spain is satisfied with Juan Carlos and wish for Prince Felipe wedding. Of course, traditionalist monarchist are against the wedding (because Letizia is not a princess)and republicans are against the monarchy itself. However, Spain nowadays is a country that loves gossip (country of marujos and marujas). People enjoy watching Royal news in magazines and television. I don’t know what will happen if Prince and Letizia would be ugly and nasty, but he is handsome and she is beautiful so people is delighted with this Cinderella story.
 
Originally posted by electrivicki@Apr 10th, 2004 - 3:54 am
All people I know hates Letizia,she's not a princess.In Spain we want a real princess as future Princesa de Asturias,even she's a divorced woman!!! :yuk:  :yuk:  :yuk:  :yuk:
Well, you're getting Leitizia. So you'll simply have to deal with it or move! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thanks for your comments Meg. Somehow considering the lack of evidence and all, I had an idea that not every single soul in Spain hated Letizia. It seemed a bit strange to me. :rolleyes:
 
Bluetortuga,you don't understand my sense of humour :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: ...

I doubt Meg is spaniard :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: .She don't know there are millions of republicans in Spain :p :p :p :p :p :p ,The difficult is to find monarchist,here :cry: :cry:

And Letizia means the ending of spanish royals,she's so vulgar :yuk: :shock: :shock: ,people hate her..that's the truth,everybody say this in Spain,maybe "las marujas"...like her....
 
I’m Spanish you can believe me and I don’t know any real republican. I mean I don’t meet many people who take much care about the subject. Most of the people I know are not enthusiast of Monarchy, but they tolerate it because has worked well or not so bad. I agree with you Electrivicki, there are few traditionalist monarchist, however some people admires Juan Carlos, they are juancarlistas.

Monarchy exist because of people’s affection to the King. People likes Letizia because she is asturiana and came from the middle class. In my opinion this people could be wrong at the end. Royal family have privileges, but apparently, they don’t have duties. People is starting to think. If everybody can be a Queen. Why everybody can not be a King?. Perhaps you are right and Prince marriage is the end of the Monarchy. Time will give the answer.
 
"People is starting to think. If everybody can be a Queen. Why everybody can not be a King?. Perhaps you are right and Prince marriage is the end of the Monarchy. Time will give the answer."

This is my idea...,¿Letizia as a queen?..please..don't make me laught ,ja,ja,ja,and,don't forget their parents are divorced,¡TOO!,she's going to be the first DIVORCED QUEEN..it's incredible and repugnant..

Letizia as a future queen is an insult to Spain..I don't say but the truth
 
I always thought Felipe would be the only Royal Prince to marry another Royal so I was surprised that he is marrying a commoner who is also a divorcee, and I'm also suprised his parent approved!
 
Originally posted by TODOI@Apr 13th, 2004 - 10:38 pm
I always thought Felipe would be the only Royal Prince to marry another Royal so I was surprised that he is marrying a commoner who is also a divorcee, and I'm also suprised his parent approved!
I agree.
 
I was said that , at the beginning, Felipe's parents (especially the Queen) disagreed with his choice, but finally they had to accept it as Felipe was very subborn.
 
Well, all I have to say is tha he looked so much inlove today... she looked happy but nothing close to him. I woke up at 3am to be able to wacht the weeding life...as we know she wore the same tiara as Queen sofia for her wedding the dress was pretty but I don't know she didn't look happy to me.... I'm happy for him and I hope she makes him as happy as he look today.
 
In many cases, the son never outshines the father. Let's hope that Felipe will outshine his father!!! Juan Carlos and Sophia are very magnetic, strong-willed personalities. I love Queen Sophia and Queen Elizabeth. A lot of people find them cold and distant or unapproachable, but I feel like they are very warm people who are bearing heavy burdens under which they must remain composed. They are both super-queens and we might not see their kind in the future.

As for Spain being anti-monarchy, every country with monarchy has people who are for and people who are against, and it's generally the same old arguments. I think the Spanish people revel in their history, and while they might not be ga-ga over the royals, gushing emotions about them in every breath, I don't believe they are anti-monarchy.

Letizia is a sore spot because Letizia is not very well-rounded. She has a very shady history. Consider that she's divorced, engaged to another only to dump him for Felipe - not to mention there are rumours that she has had an abortion (during her first marriage, and the baby wasn't her husband's), that she slept around for her job...Eva and Gigi and the other women were always painted scarlet by the Queen, but generally because they were models and, thus, considered "looser." Letizia was no model and yet the rumours about her are more hurtful and hateful than about any other of his other girlfriends. Why? Letizia i'm sure is a nice girl, but also a girl who looks as if she will get what she wants any way she can. >>Consider the engagement announcement as case in point.<<

As many rumours as there are about her, I can't help but respect strong women who get what they want no matter what the cost. But she has to know that she is going to be a Queen & that she should be above suspect or reproach. So far her PR has been very bad and her behaviour around Felipe & the Royal Family deplorable. Maybe she will prove me wrong, but I side with Sofia and Juan Carlos in admitting she wasn't the ideal woman for the job.
 
I had not read this til after the wedding, but it is very interesting. Its not just the the future Spain's monarchy being debated, but the future of Spain.

Felipe and Letizia face a truly daunting task - they will have to fill some of the biggest shoes in Europe when he succeeds to the throne. Letizia will have to fill Sofia's shoes as reigning queen. She's signed up for the job and she has no easy way out. Sophia has done a wonderful job and it looks like everyone is agreed about Juan Carlos. One reasonwhy monarchy persists in Europe is that it represents nationhood and, beyond that, social contract in the fullest meaning of the words. A social contract binds people of all classes together. There is something more important than my getting ahead in a social contract environment. Monarchs and aristocrats are supposed to contribute by leading the common defense - this is why Crown Prince Felipe and the other royal men wore their uniforms. The USA never really established one and whatever it had is being abrogated by those at the top. It will be interesting to see what will happen to the monarchies if pan-Europeanism really takes hold.

There is a discussion about whether the Spanish press is controlled. I'm an American and I live in a country with an increasingly controlled press. Control of the press does not need to come from a government or a monarchy. It can also come from an oligarchy of powerful people who don't want the little people to get upset over things like who pays taxes and who doesn't, unilateralism in foreign policy, or whether their country is taking on the Islamic world. We're supposed to focus on "reality TV" and a local murder story in Modesto, California that is a national rather than local news story. This is censorship in action. While the Bush regime is not yet directly involved, it is the principal beneficiary. George Bush II benefitted from press coverage in 2000 that was 2/3 to 1/3 favorable to him instead of his (rightfully elected) opponent. The press also ignored the fraudulent voter screening scheme in Florida that is well-known outside of the USA.

Getting off of the soapbox, it has only recently come out that George V was euthanized, that Edward VIII was probably deposed with considerable input from the aristocracy because of his strong pro-Nazi leanings, and that maybe he was an out an out traitor in the early days of World War 2. The UK press cocooned their monarchy. I gather Anthony Armstrong Jones had a role in peeling away the cocoon and the antics of Charles and Diana did away with it all together. I have seen that back in the 30s, a lady was no referred to as "Lady Jane", but as "The Lady Jane". Very deferential.

Giving the benefit of the doubt, maybe the Spanish press seeks to protect the monarchy as the symbol of nationhood understanding the strong centrifugal forces at work. Modern democratic Spain is a marvel, it is as dynamic and creative as it ever was in the age of Velazquez.

In any and all events, I wish the people of Spain, Crown Prince Felipe, and Crown Princess Letizia the best.
 
Originally posted by Sean.~+Jan 30th, 2004 - 1:57 am--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Sean.~ @ Jan 30th, 2004 - 1:57 am)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-electrivicki@Jan 29th, 2004 - 11:10 pm
¿Proofs?

There isn't freedom of expression in Spain.The spanish monarchy works as a dictadure....

The  british newspapers can opine against british royals...HERE,THAT'S IMPOSIBLE

¿Do you understand me?....my english is bad,but I think you can understand me...
I understand you. If you want to write to me in Spanish (via PM), I can understand that too. I just have a problem with arguments by assertion. You claim that millions of Spaniards hate the monarchy. I can see that being the case with Basque separatists, but not with the rest of Spain (and I follow world politics very closely). Thus perhaps you can provide links to articles, published polls, discussion forums on the subject, etc. in order to back-up your argument.

mucho gracias,

Sean

ps. that's a very interesting sig. you have [/b][/quote]
Sean, I am in agreement with you on this issue and was shocked by the personal signature as a Spanish speaker (although not a native). That was not something I expected someone to say of themselves to the world.
 
Personally, the way Sheba was treated a few posts back is rude in my opinion..."please stay on topic"
 
Originally posted by Dulce Elena@May 23rd, 2004 - 4:34 pm

Letizia is a sore spot because Letizia is not very well-rounded. She has a very shady history. Consider that she's divorced, engaged to another only to dump him for Felipe - not to mention there are rumours that she has had an abortion (during her first marriage, and the baby wasn't her husband's), that she slept around for her job...Eva and Gigi and the other women were always painted scarlet by the Queen, but generally because they were models and, thus, considered "looser." Letizia was no model and yet the rumours about her are more hurtful and hateful than about any other of his other girlfriends. Why? Letizia i'm sure is a nice girl, but also a girl who looks as if she will get what she wants any way she can. >>Consider the engagement announcement as case in point.<<

She was divorced, that's the fact. Other than that, all those rumors around her are purely rumors, nobody had found anything to back it up. Jus because she had a successful career, it doesn't mean she had slept around. I doubt someone like Jaime Penafiel would have let her take an easy way if there was any truth to what you just said.
 
i don't really know if letizia is or isn't the most suitable one, but we all have to agree that there are many other crown princesses that weren't at all suitable. i think that the future of the spanish monarchy would depend mostly of the reactions of the people against the new couple, mainly because people really like sophia and juan carlos, because the did a lot to win their place and have done many things for spain. but we'll have to wait. maybe felipe is as good (or better!) as his father... and i'm sure that letizia will try to follow sophia's exemple accurately
 
I have nothing against Letizia, rather I like her so far and think if you put her in context as coming from a middle-class/professional background, there's nothing either "shady" or a big deal about her at all. On the other hand, I can understand if either Queen Sofia or King Juan Carlos were having private thoughts (or converstions with their son) wondering why he had to choose from someone with not the ideal background. That's to say, not a bad or shocking background, but not the background of a young woman raised in an aristocratic or royal background who understands instinctively and easily the role of a future queen. Still, I'm sure that Felipe might easily have replied that royal and noble matches do not necessarily guarantee future success, and furthermore other princes of reigning houses are marrying women from as far away as Hong Kong and Australia, Cuba, Argentina and Brazil, with no or little knowledge of royal life in their backgrounds. And European women with illegitimate children or past secret affairs with gangsters. Of course Q. Sofia and K. JC already know all these facts, along with the fact that they already objected to previous possible matches between their son including one with a woman did have a noble pedigree.
 
Firstly, Penafiel is not a journalist. Secondly, she has a home field advantage because now that she is Princess, people will tread on eggshells around her. Especially, since she is JUST married. I'm sure that if there is any valid suspicion (I'm not saying there is, simply that the tabloids always have their noses to the ground to trail the scent) they will wait until after the Honeymoon and give her some time before they attack, if they ever do. Besides, I think everyone -- journalists included, just FINALLY wanted to see Felipe married !!
 
In reading this discussion (which I think I've been reading on and off in some variation or other on this board and others since Felipe announced he was getting married) I'd like to share this thought: There is no such thing as a perfect princess--there are only degrees of better or lesser. Princess Diana appeared by all measures to be the perfect candidate for princess and the British monarchy hasn't exactly come out of her complicated legacy untarnished.

Only time will tell if Princess Letizia, or Princess Mary or Princess Metta-Marit or any of these new princesses will prove to be a good thing for their respective crowns and only time will tell if they will prove able to fulfil the role that they need to fill in their respective countries.

Digging up the past and, more specifically, spreading rumours about the past at this point--when the marriage has been consecrated before God--is simply malicious and ill-intentioned. Letizia is now Felipe's wife and should be given the opportunity to prove herself worthy of the trust he has placed in her. Only if in some future date she were to fall short is this kind of criticism merited.

I just spent two months in Spain and had many many conversations about the wedding and about Letizia and I got the feeling that while she certainly has both avid fans and avid detractors, most people seem to like her and are willing to do just that--give her time to gain her footing and prove herself.

But this is all just my opinion.
 
Originally posted by Dulce Elena@May 23rd, 2004 - 5:34 pm
I love Queen Sophia and Queen Elizabeth. A lot of people find them cold and distant or unapproachable, but I feel like they are very warm people who are bearing heavy burdens under which they must remain composed. They are both super-queens and we might not see their kind in the future.

Queen Sofia does appear to be very warm but Queen Elizabeth is cold and distant. Anyone who saw her the day she went to Dunblane after the masacre will tell you how cold she is. How any person, but especially a mother and grandmother, could visit that place and not show any emotion is beyond belief. Queens Sofia, Beatrix and Margarethe or any other King or Queen would have wept and hugged the parents but not Elizabeth. Many in Scotland turned against her that day.
 
Originally posted by Iain@Jun 16th, 2004 - 9:30 am
Queen Elizabeth is cold and distant. Anyone who saw her the day she went to Dunblane after the masacre will tell you how cold she is. How any person, but especially a mother and grandmother, could visit that place and not show any emotion is beyond belief. Queens Sofia, Beatrix and Margarethe or any other King or Queen would have wept and hugged the parents but not Elizabeth. Many in Scotland turned against her that day.
It seems that Queen Elizabeth II maintains control of her emotions by detaching herself from the situation at hand. She was brought up to never show her emotions in public. Usually the more cold she seems, the more emotionally affected she is. I am not excusing her--I think she needs to learn and know it is OK as a Queen and human being to show true emotion.
 
Originally posted by electrivicki@Jan 29th, 2004 - 10:42 pm
"Each country is connected to it's monarchy for different reasons" :p :p :p :p :p :p

There isn't that "connection" in Spain.

Millions of spaniards hate the royal family,maybe latinoamericans love spanish royals :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: :innocent: ...¡HERE WE HATE THEM! :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:
Of course this is your opinion...
We can always see the popular support to the Royal Faily...
 
Originally posted by electrivicki@Jan 29th, 2004 - 11:10 pm
¿Proofs?

There isn't freedom of expression in Spain.The spanish monarchy works as a dictadure....

The british newspapers can opine against british royals...HERE,THAT'S IMPOSIBLE

¿Do you understand me?....my english is bad,but I think you can understand me...
it's not a question of having no freedom of expression... it's a question of respect... and the spanish do respect its Royal Family...
 
I think monarchy is stable in Spain. In most polls, monarchy is the most "credible" institution among Spaniards. Being a country where nationalism in some regions (Catalonia and the Basque Country) is very strong, the major political parties (right wing PP and socialist PSOE) support monarchy and don´t question it because, if things go wrong, at least there will be a "central" representative of all the Spanish territories, i.e., the King. Then Spain would be a loose confederation of semi-independent States like the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
 
The King has little power. According to the Constitution, the King cannot sign any decree without the approval of the Government. He doesn´t preside over the Cabinet neither. He cannot propose any law. He just proposes to the Parliament as a Prime Minister the person who has won a general election. Therefore, he has more or less the same powers as Queen Elizabeth. The only difference is that when he opens a Parliament session, his speech is not the new Government´s programme. In that speech he reflects his own thoughts, trying not to be partisan.
 
P****** said:
There's maybe no censorship in other subjets in Spain, but when it comes to the Monarchy oh yes... It sure there is... Look what the papers did with Eva Sanum and other Felipe's girlfriends, the press did butch meat with them and all whith the annuence of Juan Carlos and Sofia... but now because Felipe gave an ultimatum they put their marketing dogs to work and they are being shouting mouthes since the fiance's announcement cirque. And almost nobody wants to publish anything bad or about the pass of Letizia because they know they can't loose their jobs, their friends, everything, is just one of those non written laws. Everybody know that in Spain. I don't mean to sound bitter or rude, but this is the true and nothing else. Did you know that even Letizia's divorce papers are in one security box, under seven keys ? Ask yourself why and why no one ask about it... Everybody knows (because we are not dumbs) that Letizia was still legally married when she and the Prince was hanging around and she just become divorce on the days before the royal marriage.
There is no censorship about any subject, including the Royal Family. As a proof of it, remember that a nude portrait of Princess Letizia apperared on the press. I know some people would like that the Spanish press would act in a tabloid manner, but that is another question. Books are published in Spain critizing the private lives of the Spanish royals (for example, the book "La soledad del Rey"). The figures of Spanish Royal Family should be treated with more respect because royals -thank God- cannot go to defend themselves to those horrible TV reality shows like "Crónicas marcianas" (by the way, in that TV show they often critizice monarchy as an institution).
 
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P****** said:
Look at Juan Carlos de Borbon and Sofia, they started with nothing, now they are millionaires !!!... And still the people of Spain have to pay Royal taxes and fees for those "suckopteros" to have vacations on the last corner of the world, private jets, servants, first education, first healths providers...while there's people in Spain that can't pay a single appartment not to mention vacations. Why ?.

Can someone tells me what goods brings the monarchy to any country ?.

Can someone tell me what DO I HAVE TO PAY to have one Letizia, if Felipe was born with the so called "blue blood" that's not Letizias case....she's nothing, just like you and me but was cold enough to scalate ... and even if the marriage was for LOVE, so what ? I did get marry in love and noone pay my bills..... why do I have to pay for that &*^%&&^ so called Princess ?. She's NOTHING and means NOTHING to me and to my family. After Juan Carlos I don't give a dime for the Monarchy in Spain.

If anyone could be a Princess, anyone could be a King or what is better, No More Royal Family Anymore !!!.
Many people who are now millionaires and billionaires started with nothing and now have access to or even own several private jets, own mansions and self-described palaces and their children get the very best education money can offer. So I don't think Juan Carlos and Sofia are unlike others.

While Felipe could've married someone who had blue blood he did not. And while he married a commoner its not as if he and Letizia sit around their home watching television and "hanging out" all on the Spanish tax payer's expense. While they certainly have a cushier life than most others, Felipe and Letizia also work very hard on behalf of the Spanish people -- even if you do not value that work. Consider how exttensively they travelled in the weeks and months after their wedding to represent Spain, from within and around Spain to Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

I think the asset of royals is that because they are neutral they can represent their country completely without undertones of politics or partisan values. And when you have royals to represent you, you allow the government to focus on developing and improving policies that would best serve your people rather than flying half way around the world to meet a new incoming president. Think about how much time Felipe and Letizia have sent since May in South America, from their visit to meet President Fox and earlier this month to attend the innauguration of the new incoming president of the Dominican Republic. Nearly two weeks combined spent on both those trips which, while nation building and nation supporting, would've taken the President/Prime Minister away from working to better Spain. And even if he had gone, he would've represented a certain set of political values -- values that if Felipe and Letizia have or share or disagree with were not as evident.

Monarchies are representatives of their countries and act as bridges between the various political parties. Consider the aftermath of the March 11 attacks in Spain. Many Spaniards were upset with Anzar's government for sending Spanish troops into the war in the first place and the new incoming government opposed the war. And in the middle were the royal family who grieved and mourned with the nation in a way that neither of the party leaders could.
 
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P****** said:
There's maybe no censorship in other subjets in Spain, but when it comes to the Monarchy oh yes... It sure there is... Look what the papers did with Eva Sanum and other Felipe's girlfriends, the press did butch meat with them and all whith the annuence of Juan Carlos and Sofia... but now because Felipe gave an ultimatum they put their marketing dogs to work and they are being shouting mouthes since the fiance's announcement cirque. And almost nobody wants to publish anything bad or about the pass of Letizia because they know they can't loose their jobs, their friends, everything, is just one of those non written laws. Everybody know that in Spain. I don't mean to sound bitter or rude, but this is the true and nothing else. Did you know that even Letizia's divorce papers are in one security box, under seven keys ? Ask yourself why and why no one ask about it... Everybody knows (because we are not dumbs) that Letizia was still legally married when she and the Prince was hanging around and she just become divorce on the days before the royal marriage.
Nobody has ever been able to prove that there is censorship in Spain, related to the monarchy or reaching outside of it. In this thread especially some people keep bringing it up but nobody has any proof of it. A very good point I see here: if there is legimately censorship in Spain, why are ex-pats not exposing the truth about the monarchy? Perhaps because there is no truth in these allegations?

As far as I see, the Spanish media is not doing anything different than what the Danish media are doing. The Spanish media want access to the royal family because there is interest by their readers and viewers. They would not be critical of Letizia, her divorce, her family, her clothes, her hair, or whatever for fear of being cut off from the royal court. If they were to say now that Letizia is inappropriate for the role of Queen, when Letizia has her first baby the royal court would no doubt prevent them access to the official presentation of the baby or send them news updates or pictures.

And while ideally the media should be objective, fair and honest, when it comes down to it, the media is a business like any other. Publishers and CEOS and producers want their newspapers, magazines, television networks to make money so that they can make money in turn. And as long as Letizia draws interest good or bad and sells those papers and magazines and news shows through their ads and commercials, then the media will continue to cozy up to the royal house so that they can continue their access.

The same goes in Denmark with CP Mary. Nobody is screaming censorship in Denmark because not a single drop of negative ink has been spilled about Mary. She is an international fashion icon, she is an inspiration to Hollywood, she is a star in Athens, she is the prettiest CP in all of Europe, she is the smartest woman on earth, etc. The Danish media wants to be there when Mary has her first baby and if they make criticisms of her, even light or honest ones, they know that they will be cut off from her and the rest of the royal family by extension.

As for Letizia's divorce papers, why should the media have access to it? Letizia's divorce is nobody's business but hers and that of her ex-husband's.

And if your speculations -- and that is all they are -- are right that Letizia and Felipe were friends before her divorce was final -- so what? Was Letizia not allowed to have any male friends until those divorce papers were signed? Even if her marriage was obviously over and she and her husband were living seperate lives, was she supposed to walk around with a big M on her chest stating that she was married and hence could not have male friends until her divorce was final? So what if they were friends? Women seperated from their husbands, or even married women aren't allowed to have friends of the opposite sex?
 
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I would suggest that you ignore the posts by this newest member--the board name this person has selected says all you need to know. It is a flagrant insult and should not be permitted on this board. This poster has come only to speak ill and spread salacious gossip in an effort to slander another persons reputation. Ignoring this poster, IMO, is the best option.
 
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