Relationships between Members of the Spanish Royal Family

[Blog Real]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

The key words are 'According to Vanitatis'

Contrary to what one might think, Vanitatis is a reliable site with good sources. They sometimes bring you first-hand news.
I sometimes exchange messages via Twitter with a Vanitatis journalist, so I know they can be trusted.

[lula]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

Contrary to what one might think, Vanitatis is a reliable site with good sources. They sometimes bring you first-hand news.
I sometimes exchange messages via Twitter with a Vanitatis journalist, so I know they can be trusted.

You may think so, but it is still a gossip website that publishes a lot of gossip and makes a lot of mistakes, and that takes advantage of the work of many anonymous Internet forum users.

The journalist who writes this is based in Barcelona, and talks mainly about Cristina and Urdangarín... so if her information comes from that circle, it's not like we can expect positive comments about Letizia either.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Even if it's true, what is wrong about that? I see my MIL much less frequent than my husband does, she's his mother not mine, perfectly ok that the son (and the grandchildren) are the main contact points.
When I look around with friends and colleagues, this is the way that almost everybody deals with their in-laws.

[An Ard Ri]

A Hello article on the relationship between the 2 Queens!
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalt...ofia-of-spain/

[muriel]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

A Hello article on the relationship between the 2 Queens!
https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalt...ofia-of-spain/

Not sure what new information or perspective that article is sharing!

[Winnie]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

Even if it's true, what is wrong about that? I see my MIL much less frequent than my husband does, she's his mother not mine, perfectly ok that the son (and the grandchildren) are the main contact points.
When I look around with friends and colleagues, this is the way that almost everybody deals with their in-laws.

I certainly agree. Plus I saw my own mother certainly more and talked to her on the phone much more frequently than my husband did. This article might just want to start a bit of stirring trouble and people fall for it because they fancy a bit of stress about others. JMO

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by muriel

Not sure what new information or perspective that article is sharing!

Nothing new other than last month in Athens that Letizia seems to have mended fences with her mother in law and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal!

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Nothing new other than last month in Athens that Letizia seems to have mended fences with her mother in law and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal!

I am sure it was arranged, the last thing the family needed was the focus on the quarrel between Letizia and MC. Those photos were shutting down the talk.

Same at the first outing after the Mallorca incident, they arranged a public appearance where Letizia opened the car door for her MIL, as gesture of submission to calm the press, when visiting JC in hospital.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

I am sure it was arranged, the last thing the family needed was the focus on the quarrel between Letizia and MC. Those photos were shutting down the talk.



Same at the first outing after the Mallorca incident, they arranged a public appearance where Letizia opened the car door for her MIL, as gesture of submission to calm the press, when visiting JC in hospital.

100% agreed.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Nothing new other than last month in Athens that Letizia seems to have mended fences with her mother in law and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal!

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

I am sure it was arranged, the last thing the family needed was the focus on the quarrel between Letizia and MC. Those photos were shutting down the talk.

Same at the first outing after the Mallorca incident, they arranged a public appearance where Letizia opened the car door for her MIL, as gesture of submission to calm the press, when visiting JC in hospital.

I really do think the relationship between Letizia and Sofia is a good and warm one. A few issues here and there, but nothing substantive. The Mallorca incident was years ago, and any issues between them would have bee long since resolved.

[Duke of Marmalade]

I think their relationship is professional and has always been (apart from very early days when Letizia had not understood what was going on in the family), Mallorca was unfortunate because Letizia lost control in public. But I don't blame her, I don't love my MIL either but make do with her, same as most people I know.
But I am not in the public eye and nobody speculates about it.

[Blog Real]

I think that Letizia and Sofia's relationship is cordial, they are not the best of friends but they seem to have gotten closer lately. Letizia has a better relationship with her mother-in-law than with her sisters-in-law.
Felipe adores his mother and he must have been the bridge between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

[JGio]

I see Letizia closer to Sofia as well. But honestly I don’t see why many people believe the fault lies only with Letizia. They are for sure very different people, but we know very little in the end.

How do we know instead of the cold relationship between Letizia and Elena&Cristina? What happened?

[Mbruno]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

I think that Letizia and Sofia's relationship is cordial, they are not the best of friends but they seem to have gotten closer lately. Letizia has a better relationship with her mother-in-law than with her sisters-in-law.
Felipe adores his mother and he must have been the bridge between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Letizia's tenure as queen has been for the most part in Sofia's shadow and that ought to be uncomfortable for her.

Many people in Spain, especially some right-wing conservatives, frown upon Letizia because of her humble family origin and because she was a professional woman, divorced, allegedly a republican and an atheist, etc. etc. She is also seen as a "modern", progressive woman, which also annoys some conservatives.

In many ways, Sofia is the opposite to Letizia: politically and socially conservative, religious, with an impeccable family tree (a King's daughter descending from the Danish, British, Prussian, Hanoverian, and Russian royal houses), and was even willing to put up with an unfaithful husband for the sake of the Crown. Inevitably we see many Spaniards often comparing the two queens, from the way they dress and the jewelry they wear to how they behave in public events, state visits, etc. In those comparisons, many Spaniards are unkind to Letizia on social media saying she lacks manners, is not fit to be a queen, is rude and arrogant, or is simply not a "true queen" like Sofia, that Felipe should have chosen a better bride etc. etc.

If you were in Letizia's shoes, wouldn't you be hurt or at least annoyed by those recurring comments? I can't help thinking that might have an impact on her relationship with her mother-in-law.

[Winnie]

Mbruno....I agree with your post. Plus, let's face it, Sofia certainly could have help stop quite a lot of the comparisons and nasty comments in quiet, sophisticated and subtle ways.

[Duke of Marmalade]

In public, Sofia has always been an actress for the good of the monarchy. Her stoic smile is legandary. I don't think L and S have anything in common apart from business and keep a happy distance in private. Sofia has always kept her own circle where Letizia would neither have nor seek access.
In all these years as Princess, we have never seen any public support of Sofia for her DIL, unlike in other royal houses (eg Beatrix - Maxima), and there is no need to repeat that L was thrown under the bus by the family multiple times.
I think once Letizia realized what was going on in the family, the relations soured and became really difficult when Sofia sided with her daughters.
And Felipe in the middle, poor guy. They have to work together professionally and keep up a relationship for the granddaughters.

[An Ard Ri]

I think its unfair to way the media like to compare Letizia to her mother in law.Both are very different in age /background traditions.

However they both have a common goal which is the preservation for the Monarchy and insuring its survival at all costs.