Relationships between Members of the Spanish Royal Family

[Britters]

I have not done a count but I would have said that the Spanish, Dutch and Belgian heirs are all on the less visible end of the spectrum, but I definitely do not perceive the Spanish heir as significantly more more visible.

Interestingly, and a bit OT, but I chuckle at how the Cambridges (heir to the heir) have gotten raked over the coals (not on this forum) for years for hiding the now four-year old heir to the heir to the heir, whereas other monarchies keep their older, and closer to the throne, heirs under wraps.

I think all of the youngest generation are kept away from the press whenever possible, as their parents recognize what life will be like when they come of age. The age of social media and just media in general, we see so much more of other peoples kids and celeb kids, and so I think people wish for the same from the Royals.

I do agree that in comparison to their counterparts (in age not position), the Spanish Infantas appear much more reserved and sheltered. I remember thinking the video released for Felipe's 50th, that it felt like a very poorly acted/written film. It was entirely too staged and felt so cold and remote. Felipe is unquestionably adjusted and comfortable in front of cameras. Because of her background, I don't believe Letizia is at all comfortable, she's too suspicious to relax, and I think the girls are learning that, rather than their father's more relaxed comfort.

 

[wyevale]

don't think many can say the same of her.

Not 'cold' exactly [except where her Daughter-in-law is concerned], but 'manipulative' ? CERTAINLY and I would say HIGHLY manipulative [of her grand-children, and of her 'public image']..She is not a daughter of Queen Frederika 'for nothing' !

 

[Blog Real]

Hola it is a "royal" magazine whenever the royals grant them their exclusives... it has never been a particularly friendly magazine with Letizia, and it was used on more than one occasion to criticize her from the old Royal House. Hola's friends are Juan Carlos and Sofía, who granted them an exclusive treatment that they did not grant to other magazines.

But Hola is a magazine that is always on the side of the Royal House. At least it always seemed to me.

 

[nisreen]

One more friend who is talking?!? With friends like that, who needs enemies...
The argument about protecting the daughters from being photographed can be shot down in a second.

A) It was the royal photographer.
B) Her very experienced mother-in-law, posed with the girls and we must presume she has a pretty good idea what she's doing.
C) The press corps was waiting right outside the cathedral.
D) There were lots of people inside the cathedral taking photos, some of them now doubt from within an arm reach, since the girls walked around greeting people.
E) It was a high profile public event.

- That "friend" has done more harm than good.

 

[lula]

But Hola is a magazine that is always on the side of the Royal House. At least it always seemed to me.

Hola is a magazine that has changed a lot, following the degeneration of that type of press in Spain.

Juan Carlos and Sofía have a long tradition of favors exchanged with Hola, the magazine is always kind, and they gave them photographs of interviews or warned them to photograph them at certain private moments.

Letizia has never given interviews to Hola ... so the magazine "uses" her when it's profitable like any other celebrity, sometimes they praise her and sometimes they criticize her subtly.

 

[nisreen]

Now after I read the whole thread, I am shocked with Letezia fans who said that
Letzia was trying to protect her daughters ,protect them from what for God sake?!
Taking photos with their granny by the royal photographer?! even if Letezia right she could have just asked not to publish the photo and then spoke privately about that with queen Sofia ,what she done was vulgar, childish and irresponsible.

 

[Zonk]

No, I am sorry...any decision regarding how much or how little their daughters are available to the media is up to Felipe and Letizia. Not Sofia. They are not her daughters. Yes, they are her granddaughters and she loves them but any decisions regarding them are up to the parents.

And yes, both Sofia and Letizia could have handled this a little better. I am sure they were not thinking this would blow up. And yes Marie Chantal should mind her business. As should Letizia's "friend" It has nothing to do with them. they might have thought they were helping the situation but they have only added fuel to the flames.

 

[Rudolph]

Once Letizia gave Sofía the ‘eye’ that should have been it. Leonor pushes her grandmothers arm away and what does Sofía do? Grab Leonor around the neck again and again Sofía is pushed away.

Sofía even shuffles back and forth determined to get the picture. Out of line imo.

 

[Mbruno]

Letizia, abucheada al grito de "fuera" a la salida de su primer acto tras el rifirrafe con Sofía | Casa Real

Letizia was booed and people were screaming "Fuera" (OUT) outside of the building where she had an act today.

And many people are asking Felipe outright to divorce her on Twitter.

"Loyalist" media like Hola will start a campaign soon but people will have to be appeased a LOT to let go of this.

Wow, that looks like an over-reaction to me. It was just a minor incident after all.

It is bad though that Letizia’s supporters’ excuses keep changing. First, she was trying to protect the girls’ privacy against media intrusion, which makes no sense since it was a royal photographer taking a picture for private use of Queen Sofia only. Now, there is a new version that Letizia was concerned that it would be disrespectful to take a picture inside the church, as if Letizia, who has never struck me as a particularly religious person, would care about that. Besides, even if that were true, why did Letizia try again to prevent Sofia from taking the picture with the girls outside the cathedral , which would be an appropriate venue ?

 

[Britters]

I will say, watching the different "angles", I don't think Letizia was purposefully blocking anything at first. She walked to shake hands with someone, was going to return to where she came from, spotted her daughter and went to talk, and things escalated. Perhaps it was a major miscommunication, and Sofia snapped thinking she was doing something maliciously. But Letizia's body language and wavering steps, don't initially look defensive, not until Q Sofia moves so abruptly to the side and Lenore brushes them off, does Letizia look at all defensive or upset. Her shoulders square and raise after the first scuffle move.

 

[Juliette2]

Things are getting very much out of proportion, though. Although played publicly, this is clearly a private matter. A campaign demanding Felipe to divorce his wife is rude and ridiculous. The fact that people do not want to move on shows that there are clearly other issues with the monarchy and/or Letizia in particular. I agree with the poster who said that monarchs who have abdicated should lead more private lives. Unfortunately, I think that in this case QS feels that the abdication was unfair. I have a feeling that we'll see less of her now, though. Both women have put the king and Infanta Leonor in an awful position.

 

[Empress Merel]

Once Letizia gave Sofía the ‘eye’ that should have been it. Leonor pushes her grandmothers arm away and what does Sofía do? Grab Leonor around the neck again and again Sofía is pushed away.

Sofía even shuffles back and forth determined to get the picture. Out of line imo.

Agreed. Sofia seems to forget she is not the reigning Queen and, especially in public, Letizia takes precedence. If Sofia hadn't reacted like a caged dog, this wouldn't have been a headline. The reason this is a headline and a shitstorm in the first place is mostly on her.

 

[Juliette2]

No, I am sorry...any decision regarding how much or how little their daughters are available to the media is up to Felipe and Letizia. Not Sofia. They are not her daughters. Yes, they are her granddaughters and she loves them but any decisions regarding them are up to the parents.
[...] .

The same now infamous photographer took all the other pictures that were taken inside the cathedral (some of which were published on the website of the Casa Real) including several (much more delicate in my opinion) of the family in their pew waiting for service to begin.

 

[lula]

Felipe and Letizia's protection of the girls has no relation in the context of these images. The press is using it to attack Letizia because according to them, she wants to protect her daughters too much, but in this situation the debate should not be that.

In its egocentrism the press manipulates and says that Letizia did not want the press to take a photo ... but the photo was not for the press that was meters away, the photo was for the official photographer and for Sofia herself.

It is absurd to say that Letizia did not want the photo to be taken ... another thing is that Letizia did not think it appropriate to take family photos at the moment they are leaving the temple and when what they should be doing is attending to the citizens ... opportunity to get a thousand family photos they had when they arrived at the palace.

 

[Mbruno]

Once Letizia gave Sofía the ‘eye’ that should have been it. Leonor pushes her grandmothers arm away and what does Sofía do? Grab Leonor around the neck again and again Sofía is pushed away.

Sofía even shuffles back and forth determined to get the picture. Out of line imo.

Yes, Siofia’s “ physical” overreaction was inappropriate, but Letizia also touched and even seemed to pull Leonor’s hair. Leonor was uncomfortable with both adults physically trying to push her and probably exchanging angry looks at each other.

 

[Britters]

Yet, when the incident occurred, the entire congregation was snapping pictures of their phones...It it not a convincing explanation and again does not justify the aggressive and controlling reaction.

This. Exactly this. Whichever 'friend' spoke out, was not there or privvy to the situation I don't think. There were people everywhere, many of whom likely had phones with cameras, and press were just outside the doors. I do not believe for one minute this was a protection from the cameras.

I honestly believe it was a miscommunication that escalated quickly and has now been blown way out of proportion.

It was clearly a private matter, and I feel for all involved. No one wants their dirty laundry aired for the world to speculate on.

 

[wyevale]

excuses keep changing

My reasons have not changed.. I think the Mother was [rightly] annoyed at the VISIBLY unwanted 'pawing' of her daughter. Children are NOT 'toys' to be played with 'at will', by any adult [EVEN a Grandmother]!
Queen Sofia was 'out of order'..[to say nothing of her naked favouritism for 'the Heir' over her younger sister, which ill befits ANY Grandparent..].

 

[An Ard Ri]

Letizia's 'friend' should have kept her mouth shut as this I fear will go on and on

 

[Juliette2]

Yes, Siofia’s “ physical” overreaction was inappropriate, but Letizia also touched and even seemed to pull Leonor’s hair. Leonor was uncomfortable with both adults physically trying to push her and probably exchanging angry looks at each other.

Generally, I feel there's too much hair touching and giggling going on between Letizia and the girls (initiated by QL) during photo shoots to the point of being mushy and annoying. It almost looks like she wants to act like a friend rather than a mother. It always looks to me like she's sharing confidences and jokes but during public events! I don't know I find it strange.
This happens with other RFs as well but it is especially true with QL and her daughters. I understand it's the mothers being nervous and trying to comfort their children but it gives off such a sense of insecurity to the children.

 

[Mirabel]

I don't think anyone comes across in a good light!
Sofia looks encroaching, Letizia nasty, Leonor bratty, and Felipe wimpy.

That is just my perception, of course, but it appears all is not happy within that family circle.

Still, advocating divorce due to this incident is extreme.
Hopefully it will blow over soon.

 

[Blog Real]

I don't think anyone comes across in a good light!
Sofia looks encroaching, Letizia nasty, Leonor bratty, and Felipe wimpy.

That is just my perception, of course, but it appears all is not happy within that family circle.

Still, advocating divorce due to this incident is extreme.
Hopefully it will blow over soon.

Truth. It is unnecessary the proportions that a single incident is taking.

 

[Mbruno]

My reasons have not changed.. I think the Mother was [rightly] annoyed at the VISIBLY unwanted 'pawing' of her daughter. Children are NOT 'toys' to be played with 'at will', by any adult [EVEN a Grandmother]!
Queen Sofia was 'out of order'..[to say nothing of her naked favouritism for 'the Heir' over her younger sister, which ill befits ANY Grandparent..].

You are going back to a point that has already been rebuked before. Sofia may have been out of line after Letizia’s intervention, but before Letizia showed up to prevent the picture from being taken, there is no sign that the princess and the unfanta were uncinfortable posing with their grandmother or that Sofia was being physically abusive to them.

 

[Rudolph]

I think Leonor only had the confidence to push her grandmothers arm away because her mother ‘intervened’.

Why is Sofía so determined to get this picture taken ‘by hook or by crook’ ?

Surely she must have pics with her grandchildren. To me it looks like she put both the girls and Letizia on the spot in public hoping she’d get away with it.

 

[loonytick]

Why an earth queen Sofia wanted a photo taken at a church? There are better places for taking a photo with her grandchildren, how about at home or in Marivent? But then no one would have seen the loving grandmother with her grandchildren.

Bingo. It's so obviously manipulative. It seems she hasn't learned her lessons from the way she hurt her kids and older grandkids. Or doesn't care?

Toxic.

 

[Mbruno]

If something as banal as this causes the monarchy to tremble, what can one say?

It's just an excuse. It's clear some have carried an issue regarding Letizia from the day she married.

Sofia , considering the culture she was born into, obviously must have wished that her son had married someone of “higher rank” than Letizia. Still, Sofia stood behind Felipe to defend his right to marry Letizia, despite the objection iof Juan Carlos and Felipe’s sisters, probably because she feared Felipe would renounce his succession rights if he couldn’t marry Letizia and that could open a crisis in the monarchy. For a long time, Sofia was Letizia’s greatest ally in the Royal House even if she didn’t personally like her necessarily.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Whoa. People are seriously asking for the King to divorce ? For .... this ?

Please. Strained relationships between mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws are probably as old as the world. Even in royal families ( Maria Teresa and Josephine-Charlotte, anyone ?) Did monarchies collapse because of this, in recent times ? No.

The important question here is : Cui bono?

Not 'cold' exactly [except where her Daughter-in-law is concerned], but 'manipulative' ? CERTAINLY and I would say HIGHLY manipulative [of her grand-children, and of her 'public image']..She is not a daughter of Queen Frederika 'for nothing' !

I agree that most of this is due to Sofia's unusually adamant manner throughout. At no point does she approach her daughter-in-law warmly, stand by Letizia's side, or any of that. She does quite the reverse, when she had innumerable opportunities to 'make nice' with Letizia.

Which leads one to wonder what we (as the public) were 'walking in on'? Did they have a discussion before the event? Was Sofia completely scrambling an agreed upon exit scenario? Was this the 'last straw' for Letizia (at that moment) and she decided to make a point with Sofia? We will never know what Letizia has to put up with behind-the-scenes with her mother-in-law but we can guess watching how Sofia handled herself (she clearly feels entitled, subject to no consequences, which the public are endorsing).

I think the public were being given a little window into the private lives of the Spanish royals (a tad fun! isn't this very thread evidence to the fact that we wish to have the skinny on royals' private relationships, so here we have it!) ?

The two girls give a good indication that this is 'old stuff', nothing new. They are clearly totally in sync with their mother and very polite with their grandmother.

As best as I can make out the real problem lies in that Letizia is a commoner and no matter that she is now Queen, as a commoner she will never 'really' be royal or a 'real' Queen. As a commoner she still (after all these years) does not know her place. Yikes!

Methinks Letizia is made of sterner stuff, and by the same token so is Leonor, and Felipe. Lots of strong, passionate personalities in that family. Leonor is likely to inherit some of that. Watching her adolescence unfold shall be interesting. Fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a bumpy ride!

 

[Marengo]

This is getting absolutely grotesque.

A few seconds of irritation between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law and people are asking for a divorce and even booing the Queen. It seems both ladies could have behaved better in public, but who knows what is the underlying cause of this scene.

It is the first time in 14 years that Queen Letizia has set a foot wrong. She is the hardest working Queen-consort of the moment. She and her husband were able to distance themselves from real scandals of relatives & the monarchy is stronger for it.

Would it have been better if she had not participated as she did in this public display? IMHO yes. But it certainly is not worth all the attention it is getting. It seems that people have been waiting for this opportunity. Now the knives are out. And for such a trifle.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Yet again Spains RF are making world headlines but for the wrong reasons

Booing Letizia and asking the king to divorce her along with the social media jibes on Leonor are not at all nice.

 

[_Heather_]

I think Leonor only had the confidence to push her grandmothers arm away because her mother ‘intervened’.

Why is Sofía so determined to get this picture taken ‘by hook or by crook’ ?

Surely she must have pics with her grandchildren. To me it looks like she put both the girls and Letizia on the spot in public hoping she’d get away with it.

I absolutely agree with this. Everyone looks at a situation differently and no one, other than those involved, will know exactly what was happening. But, from my perspective as someone with a highly manipulative mother in law, that's exactly what I see here, too. And I see a mother/daughter in law that has just simply had enough of being manipulated and questioned. I know that oftentimes my own children, who were raised to always be very respectful to all of their elders, only gain the courage to speak up when we as their parents speak up.

Could Letizia have chosen a better time to have her "last straw" moment? Absolutely. But is Sofia also in the wrong? Definitely.

 

[Kitty1224]

According to Daily Mail, a hard working royal is a royals who is stylish, smiles and waves and receives flowers graciously. Even when Letizia does all of this, I can not think or feel that she is really enjoying it.

I am sorry if I am being a hard critic of Letizia. Monarchy ‘s role has obviously changed in the past decades. We don’t need someone who is a good politician, or a royal who can control a country or whatever. You just have to be likable, and smile, and try to keep the monarchy popular. Unfortunately now these are the standards for those who don’t really care about royalty and monarchy itself ( the majority of the people).

Haven't realized bu you are right the role of royals and the monarchy has changed and not for the better. I think its more apparent with the Spanish and British monarchies.