Relationships between Members of the Spanish Royal Family

[LadyFinn]

While watching the photos and videos, I think that the Queen and Letizia are friends, they get along very well. Letizia seems quite close also to Elena and Jaime.
Here´s a photo of Letizia and Elena from the Rostropovich Gala
Radial Press/KorpaPress
Letizia and Elena seem to get along just fine.

[Avalon]

It looks like Cristina and Letizia get along just fine as well. At least according to this picture (and there were other pictures from the event, where the 2 were apparantely quite enjoying each others company).

[BeautyLeonor]

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/5449/24290327ql4.jpg They look relaxed and friendly
__________________
" *Love Is Like A Rose In Winter,Only The Strong Survives* My Favorite Rose: Felipe & Letizia

[crisiñaki]

Seems Cristina, Elena and Letizia get along just fine

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/9...es00009gj3.jpg
http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/5...0001221vh5.jpg
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/4...es00023sq0.jpg

(I don't know why, but I can imagine the three of them getting dressed together for the concert )

And it seems Elena is now closer to her siblings than ever:

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/5...0000121ay8.jpg
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/2...0000221kc1.jpg

(Reporters)

[dazzling]

If there was any tension between Cristina & Letizia then I think it was at the right begining of the marriage and the two growns ups worked it out becasue persobally, I dont see them going anywhere when there are tensions & Letizia or Cristina would want that. I think everything is worked out, from the last pictures they all seem to be getting along just fine. It was really nice to see her close with her sisters in law. Letizia easily couldve walked in front with her husband.

[acdc1]

This is going with the discussion over in the Easter 2008 thread, and I thought that this would be a more appropriate place.

I don't really understand what's going on with the Spanish Royal Family, especially with the ladies, excluding Queen Sofia. I read somewhere on TRF's that Cristina was the one who initially supported Felipe and Letizia when they were dating or engaged, and now we see that she and Letizia don't even associate with each other, in a friendly or "I'm just being polite" way. Elena and Letizia used to be polite, but not so much anymore, but, granted, Elena does have a lot on her plate right at this moment. At Easter, the Asturias couple and Leonor were practically ignored by everyone, and little Sofia only got attention from Juan Valentín and Queen Sofia, and that was very brief attention. Everyone else was talking with each other and associating, and even Irene, who is basically the same age as Leonor, was able to be with the others. The cousins didn't even include Leonor with them, and they were all kind of in a bunch together. I mean, Leonor and Irene are really too young to do associate with each other by themselves, but in a big group, they certainly could! Really, I haven't seen Leonor associate with her cousins much at all, besides Victoria and Froilan, and with Miguel in Mallorca during the summer. She seems to be a very open, engaging child, so I don't know whether she's just not at the level where she can associate well with other, older children, or whether her mother just doesn't want her to. I noticed at the Easter photoshoot, Irene was free from her parents and could wander around a little bit, but Leonor was kept very near her parents, and I saw that she did try to "break away" a few times, maybe to go near Irene? I don't know, but I just don't like the way the family and their children seem to be associating.

[Ennyllorac]

How can we speculate so much from just a few moments? We don't know what happens behind the palace walls. They just stood outside for a few seconds to let their pictures be taken. It isn't a social event.

[Lindy]

Originally Posted by acdc1

I don't really understand what's going on with the Spanish Royal Family, especially with the ladies, excluding Queen Sofia. I read somewhere on TRF's that Cristina was the one who initially supported Felipe and Letizia when they were dating or engaged, and now we see that she and Letizia don't even associate with each other, in a friendly or "I'm just being polite" way. Elena and Letizia used to be polite, but not so much anymore, but, granted, Elena does have a lot on her plate right at this moment. At Easter, the Asturias couple and Leonor were practically ignored by everyone, and little Sofia only got attention from Juan Valentín and Queen Sofia, and that was very brief attention.

ACDC: I agree with everything you said. I watched several videos and I think it was apparent that Felipe and Letizia were being ignored. I find it painful to even look at the pictures. I hope that the Spanish Royal Family will find a way to resolve their differences. (This is certainly not the first time we have seen this.)

[lula]

Acdc, the Infanta Leonor was with her father almost at all time, not with her mother, so you blame the Princess (as always). The Queen looked for Leonor and was the girl the one that decided to remain with daddy. This summer we have seen as Leonor relates perfectly to her cousins.

Since always it happens in these photos, the attention of the press centres on the Princes and their daughters, Leonor and Sofía are Infantas and they are never going to be judged as their cousins. If they stick out as Irene or are serious as their cousins, they are going to be judged with great more hardness.

I believe that nobody in the Royal Family likes these photos. For years they avoided these photos of family, and only with the wedding of the princes they met obliged to recover them for the pressure of the press. And they all know the one who centres the attention, and who is going to be the object of the judgments.

[RhapsodyBrat]

Originally Posted by Ennyllorac

How can we speculate so much from just a few moments? We don't know what happens behind the palace walls. They just stood outside for a few seconds to let their pictures be taken. It isn't a social event.

ditto. the problem here is that too often people try to deduce big conclusions and assumptions from so little things (such as a couple of photos and few minutes' worth of video).

[Camarina]

Originally Posted by RhapsodyBrat

ditto. the problem here is that too often people try to deduce big conclusions and assumptions from so little things (such as a couple of photos and few minutes' worth of video).

Totally agree!

[Duke of Marmalade]

All is not well in the SRF as the pictures of the last two years clearly show. I see the princes more or less ignored by the Infantas and their families and the same goes for the children. There is almost no interaction at all, not even the usual informal chatting between those parties. I see tough and lonely times for the princes ahead once they will enter the center stage, with the Infantas bowing out and especially Queen Sofia being no longer around at some point, the anchor and soul of the family, who makes most effort to hold everything together. Felipe will probably be busy with getting rid of the long and wide shadow of his father for many years and Letizia will almost certainly never get anywhere near the class and regal appearance of her perfect mother in law. An affectionate relationship to extended members (in this case the sisters / sisters in law) could be helpful for the public image but at the moment this scenario seems to be very far from the truth.

[donnaK]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

All is not well in the SRF as the pictures of the last two years clearly show. I see the princes more or less ignored by the Infantas and their families and the same goes for the children. There is almost no interaction at all, not even the usual informal chatting between those parties. I see tough and lonely times for the princes ahead once they will enter the center stage, with the Infantas bowing out and especially Queen Sofia being no longer around at some point, the anchor and soul of the family, who makes most effort to hold everything together. Felipe will probably be busy with getting rid of the long and wide shadow of his father for many years and Letizia will almost certainly never get anywhere near the class and regal appearance of her perfect mother in law. An affectionate relationship to extended members (in this case the sisters / sisters in law) could be helpful for the public image but at the moment this scenario seems to be very far from the truth.

Don't worry, I don't see how the Princes would be any lonelier than the Kings today. Indeed Queen Sofia is the anchor and soul of the royal family, but that doesn't include the King's two sisters Infanta Pilar and Infanta Margarita either, I don't see how Letizia can't do the same with the grown up Leonor and Sofia and their new families.
I think Felipe is still close to his sisters, probably not as close as when he was single, but that's perfectly normal since he is very busy with his work and his own family, the Infantas the same, plus Cristina doesn't live in the same city Madrid. The Princes also have a very busy social life too that include many private lunches, dinners, tea parties with people from various sectors, from yesterday's award ceremony, it's quite obviously that they are very comfortable socializing with people from various sectors (ex Politicians, businessmen, writers, journalists, artists and etc), definitely a big improvement for Felipe compared to his single days.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by donnaK

Don't worry, I don't see how the Princes would be any lonelier than the Kings today. Indeed Queen Sofia is the anchor and soul of the royal family, but that doesn't include the King's two sisters Infanta Pilar and Infanta Margarita either, I don't see how Letizia can't do the same with the grown up Leonor and Sofia and their new families.

You have a point regarding the Kings today; I believe that Sofia is even more isolated than JC. Don't think she had an easy life in a foreign country in a - at times - hostile environment and with the King going astray. There is another factor that applies to younger royal families in general but to this one in particular: age. JC & Sofia had their first child almost 15 years earlier than Felipe and were 30 years of age when their family was complete whilst Felipe is already fourty and will probably have more children. What I want to say is that we only have this nice situation now with the Kings, their children & grandchildren because they started their family very early. When we look into the future it could well be that Felipe will celebrate his 70th birthday the same way he celebrated his 40th - with his wife and two (or more) unmarried children. Leonor will only be 30 years old by then and when looking at society in general or other royals (CP Victoria) she might not even be married by then let alone have children. And that would be indeed give very different (and sad) picture of the SRF compared to today.

[royaltywatcher]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

I see tough and lonely times for the princes ahead once they will enter the center stage, with the Infantas bowing out and especially Queen Sofia being no longer around at some point, the anchor and soul of the family, who makes most effort to hold everything together.

Every family undergoes a transition, a sort of redefinition, this is normal, but more easily observed in a royal family. Letizia will become the new anchor of the family over time (a long time) and attention will be focused on the infantas and their eventual families. Elena and Cristina will always be of some interest, but less so as time goes on.

[royaltywatcher]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Letizia will almost certainly never get anywhere near the class and regal appearance of her perfect mother in law.

Queen Sofia is a lovely woman and admittedly a tough act to follow, and she has proven herself a good mother. She and Letizia are very different physical types and have very different backgrounds. Letizia has a delicate sort of beauty combined with an interesting austere modern presence. She has shown in the past four years that she understands her role and his committed to it. She obviously loves her husband; this is no small thing. Despite her more humble beginnings (more humble than Sofia, that is) she has barely had a single misstep.

I had to give a prize for "class and regal appearance" I would give the prize to Letizia. Only time will tell, though, whether she will be the excellent "family former" that Sofia was.

[Ferrara]

Originally Posted by royaltywatcher

Queen Sofia is a lovely woman and admittedly a tough act to follow, and she has proven herself a good mother. She and Letizia are very different physical types and have very different backgrounds. Letizia has a delicate sort of beauty combined with an interesting austere modern presence. She has shown in the past four years that she understands her role and his committed to it. She obviously loves her husband; this is no small thing. Despite her more humble beginnings (more humble than Sofia, that is) she has barely had a single misstep.

I had to give a prize for "class and regal appearance" I would give the prize to Letizia. Only time will tell, though, whether she will be the excellent "family former" that Sofia was.

I agree with you royaltywatcher. Considering all the ridiculous and made-up stories in the media, the unconstructive and usually undeserved criticism, and what her family has gone through, she has shown as much, if not, more class than someone who was born royal.

[julia garcia roch]

I agree with Ferrara and royatywatcher. I admire Letizia and Felipe for their dignified and caring manner. It is going to be a challenging future, but they are both doing a wonderful job and will continue to do so.

[grevinnan]

No need for Letizia to try to follow Sofia's footsteps. This is another time and generation. Letizia will find her own voice and style and will be just as "queenly" as Sofia when her time comes. Silvia in Sweden has proved that not being born royal is not an obstacle to being "royal". It takes more than bloodlines to be royal. Character, integrity, work ethic and charisma are not guaranteed by your bloodline. Letizia and Felipe will be a great royal reigning couple.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by grevinnan

Letizia will find her own voice and style and will be just as "queenly" as Sofia when her time comes. Silvia in Sweden has proved that not being born royal is not an obstacle to being "royal". It takes more than bloodlines to be royal. Character, integrity, work ethic and charisma are not guaranteed by your bloodline. Letizia and Felipe will be a great royal reigning couple.

You are absolutely right although it's a topic to disagree on regarding the ladies or gentlemen concerned. Royal blood has not much to do with a regal appearance. There are royals who are born royals with either disgraceful behaviour (Ernst August of Hanover) or the perfect regal touch (QEII or Sofia of Spain); same thing can be found among commoners turned royals (Fergie / Queens Silvia of Sweden or Rania of Jordan). Many royals are somewhere inbetween. I simply don't see much of a regal touch in Letizia, find her and Felipe rather ordinary, nothing special, both lack the sparkle that makes people believe in monarchy. But as I said, that's just my opinion and probably a bit off topic here.