Relationships between Members of the Spanish Royal Family

[dbarn67]

I think the fault is on both ladies. Letizia for coming in and trying to manage the grandmother and granddaughter interaction so publicly when Leonor was fine until she stepped in to block. Sofia for pushing too much with the Leonor. I saw a video from the side (sort of across from Juan Carlos) and Sofia looked angry and frustrated at the end. Its an unfortunate situation for both Queens IMO. There are good feelings and tensions in every family. They both should know better than to allow the public to see those tension on display. More upsetting for me was in the end Sofia makes a big show of affection toward Leonor when they are outside the chuurch but seems ignores Sofia.

 

[Juliette2]

I think Leonor pushes her grandmother away after this one "locks" her tight around the neck to prevent Letizia from pulling her daughter away. Awful behaviour from all the adult women here...Sofia trying to "steal" the limelight, Letizia blocking the photographers, incapable of grace (she could have kept shaking hands just like her husband was doing!) and then trying to pull her daughter away and clearly not being able to let go instead of making a scene once she saw that her mother-in-law wasn't backing out!! Finally, Marie-Chantal getting involved makes all three of them look like low level fishwives (with all due respect for fishwives!). I guess things are so clearly bad between Sofia and Letizia that she couldn't wait for a faux pas to express how that side of the family feels! Oh well....they're just like us...!

 

[Rudolph]

Grandmothers usually mean well but it’s the parents who have the last word. It’s unfortunate this played out publicly but I think Sophia should have asked Letizia if a picture could be taken.

I give props for Leonor pushing her grandmothers arm away. At one point it was around her neck.

 

[Juliette2]

King Felipe and King Juan Carlos are completley caught off guard by the whole scene.

No wonder!! I guess they thought their wives were able to behave better in public.

 

[muriel]

A MILLION times THIS.. M-C Miller [dreadfully spoilt scion of a Billionaire] cares NOTHING for the extremely delicate position of the [ACTUALLY REIGNING] side of the family she married into, and should keep her trap SHUT, [at least in public] !

I agree with you Muhler about Leonor and Sofia. I think that the most astonishing thing is Marie Chantal's post. What on Earth would possess her to make a remark like that. Wow!

I could not agree more with you both. No matter what the circumstances, who is M-C to comment publicly? No doubt Sofia and Letizia will move on, after all they are close family, but M-C has certainly blotted her copy. Mary and Maxima, amongst others, will probably be wary of having her around lest she decide to opine in the public domain!

 

[Muhler]

Well, unless you are very temperamental an episode like this doesn't just pop out of the blue. There has to be some underlying tensions to trigger it.
Otherwise you would normally discuss any disagreement afterwards in private.

Three things springs to mind.
A) The girls are very uncomfortable with being in the public gaze and with posing. There are periods in the life of children where they are very aware of themselves and how they look in the eyes of others.
The perfect "torture" for say a 13 year old boy is if his mother gives him a big hug in front of his friends - worse if it's in front of girls - give him a kiss and call him "sugar-cube". - Even if they actually like getting a hug from time to time - in private...
The same thing applies for girls.
Queen Letizia knowing this may have reacted instinctively and ferociously in order to shield her children from embarrassment.
We can discuss whether that is justified or not. And also whether that would be the right approach.
Queen Sofia may have considered this no be no big deal, and after all the girls have to get used to being in the public glare, and they were safe surrounded by their family. And as such she reacted with anger, and grabbed hold of Leonor's arm.
- So to sum up this may have been a clash about how to bring up children the right way and not least protecting them - and I think all parents have been there.

B) Queen Sofia is genuinely fond of her granddaughters. No doubt proud as well and would like to pose with them and show them off - and the PR ain't bad either...
Perhaps to the extent that it's too much for the girls. So Letizia may have reacted with a: "Will you back off!! Good grief!!"

C) Or it's simply a deep-rooted disagreement in how to expose, prepare, and train the girls to approach the public.
Queen Sofia perhaps believes she is the one who knows what she is talking about, having been in the public glare for all her life actually and raised children of her own in the public light.
While Queen Letizia, with her background in the media, believes she is the one in the know.
So it's basically: "They are my children and I decide how to prepare them!" Versus: "You don't know what you are talking about, you silly... How many years have you been royal anyway?"
- I think you get the drift. ?

Whatever, King Felipe was sure taken aback and rushed in to intervene.
And the girls, well, no matter how fond they may be of their grandmother, you cannot expect a child at that age to side against her mother.

 

[camelot23ca]

It's exactly like that, and obviously that's done in purpose. In the first video that initiated the scandal you just watched Letizia walking in front of the group withno context.

Leidi, I have seen mean comments towards Leonor in social media. But it was actually not social media whom I was referring too

When some of us expressed concern about Leonor growing up in an unhealthy media environment, the concern was regarding things beyond her and her family’s control. Comments about her appearance, for example.

In addition to all the other nonsense that went on in that scene from Easter - and, yes, I’ve watched all the videos - Leonor at one point appears to behave with disrespect to her grandmother. That’s not a “first public error” that it’s ok to make, IMO, and I hope her father, who spoke to her at length about her responsibilities toward Spain in his speech not long ago, has now also spoken to her about more basic things like respect for her grandmother.

The fact that Leonor, in addition to Letizia, is getting absolutely brutalized on social media is extremely unfortunate, even more unfortunate is that because of social media the scene and the reaction it provokes in many people will be around forever.

Not a good week for the Spanish Royal Family.

 

[Kitty1224]

What sucks is this is the most press that the Spanish royal family has had around the world since the abdication and Felipe coronation.

 

[Juliette2]

I give props for Leonor pushing her grandmothers arm away. At one point it was around her neck.

That's right, plus Sofia may have pulled her hair inadvertently. I hated that at that age and would have reacted the same way. However, Letizia's involvement is unjustifiable. Even if they had decided to exit in a different manner she should have done things more diplomatically. She's very controlling and from the very beginning she's been assertive almost to a level of rudeness (I still cringe thinking at the moment during the engagement press presentation when she said to Felipe "Let me finish"...).

 

[lula]

I repeat ... there were no photographers, the photographers were out several meters away ... there was only the photographer from the Royal House, and it is Sofia who comes from behind and calls him so that he takes a picture of her alone with the girls.

The first 20 seconds of this video ...

The press chasing Letizia's mother and sister today

 

[Juliette2]

Here's the video showing the royals exiting the church. Sofia is quite upset and Letizia seems to be intent (through a smile...) in making her point to her mother-in-law who clearly is trying to avoid her. I'm so sorry for the two girls caught in this spat.

https://elpais.com/elpais/2018/04/04/inenglish/1522830022_840171.html

 

[Juliette2]

I repeat ... there were no photographers, the photographers were out several meters away ... there was only the photographer from the Royal House, and it is Sofia who comes from behind and calls him so that he takes a picture of her alone with the girls.

I don't know, it doesn't look to me like Sofia is calling the photographer, it looked more like maybe there was an understanding look between the two (but we see only Sofia's side). The photographer gets ready and she gathers the girls next to her. Then, embarrassingly, Letizia tries to prevent the picture from being taken (!). Regardless, exactly because it was an official, royal photographer, and so someone they clearly trust, Letizia should have just left them finish for two seconds and then re-joining the group.e

 

[dgtns]

Sophia likes the camera

Actually the only "conflict" is between oppressive grandmother and overwhelmed granddaughter. The rest is pure fiction.

Please watch the full videos, and not the clipped video. The story is very different.

Looks to me like all was well until Sophia saw the camera and wanted to make a picture with the granddaughters and grabbed them both. Sophia looked like she wanted to give the photog a posed photo. Looks to me like Letzia objected to here mother in laws choice. Sophia def plays to the camera., Letizia doesn’t perform like that!

 

[Rudolph]

Surely though Sophia knows Letizia and Felipe have certain ‘rules’ and parameters regarding their children, especially with photographs.

With Sophia pulling the children close for a picture she was putting Letizia on the spot.

I agree it’s unfortunate that this has become a ‘scandal’ but I think Letizia was just doing what mothers do, looking out for her children’s best interests.

 

[Juliette2]

Well, unless you are very temperamental an episode like this doesn't just pop out of the blue. There has to be some underlying tensions to trigger it.
Otherwise you would normally discuss any disagreement afterwards in private.

Three things springs to mind. [...]

Muhler, I'm shocked to say that I disagree with you this time (I thought I'd never say something like this!!). This is clearly a case of two women wanting the spotlight. Sadly, they know that the spotlight is where the children are. Letizia is ferociously defending the girls not for the press but, sadly, from their grandmother for whatever reason. You are right, an episode like this does not pop out of the blue. Those two women don't like each other (for whatever is worth Marie-Chantal's comments prove that the Greek side of the family does not like Letizia). Period. The girls were absolutely fine before Letizia intervened. They were smiling and poised. They may have been nervous but didn't show it. They were easily in control of their emotions unlike the adult women around them...Also, if it's true that the photographer was a trusted royal photographer and not just a casual member of the press that proves my point even further.

P.S. You mean Queen Sofia, and not Sonia, right Muhler?

 

[Emmily]

Okay, I have to admit that this clip from Daily Mail, does show that Leonor does not wish to have her grandmother's hand on her: 'Tense scene' between Letizia of Spain and Queen Sofia in Mallorca | Daily Mail Online

Of course we can speculate endless as to why, so unless it happens or has happened more often, it could be caused by anything IMO.

ADDED: Marie Chantal's remark is astonishing IMO!!
What on earth would possess her to say anything like that in public?!?

Muhler, after watching the clip a few times Leonor seems fine with her Grandmother until Letizia steps into the picture. Then she pushes Sofia's hand away. It's hard to tell, of course, from just this short clip. But it seems such a ridiculous over-reaction on Letizia's part. A few pictures of the girls with their grandmother and then it would have been over with. Instead it's turned into a big mess that puts Letizia in a bad light.

 

[Juliette2]

Looks to me like all was well until Sophia saw the camera and wanted to make a picture with the granddaughters and grabbed them both. Sophia looked like she wanted to give the photog a posed photo. Looks to me like Letzia objected to here mother in laws choice. Sophia def plays to the camera., Letizia doesn’t perform like that!

Then how do you explain Felipe's shocked expression at what Letizia's saying to her mother??

 

[kalnel]

I don't think it looks like anything happened between Sofia and Letizia -- the whole thing seems to be that Leonor didn't want to get pulled and fussed at by either of them, so she pushes their hands away. Letizia appears to walk in front of the photographer twice, and she's smiling as she walks back toward Leonor.

Much ado about nothing.

 

[Queen Claude]

My conclusion is that Queen Letizia initiated the "tense scene" by trying to obstruct Queen Sofia from getting pictures taken with her granddaughters, Sofia then escalated the matter by doubling down, and her doubling down was basically her tightening her grip on Leonor which resulted in Leonor, not once but twice, removing Sofia's hand. Note that Leonor did not resist her grandmother when her grandmother initially corralled her, but she did start resisting Sofia after Letizia became part of the scene, exchanged words with Sofia and Sofia tightened her grip on Leonor. It did not look like Leonor had hard feelings towards her grandmother and she approached / stayed close to her grandmother after the incident.

 

[Juliette2]

My conclusion is that Queen Letizia initiated the "tense scene" by trying to obstruct Queen Sofia from getting pictures taken with her granddaughters, Sofia then escalated the matter by doubling down, and her doubling down was basically her tightening her grip on Leonor which resulted in Leonor, not once but twice, removing Sofia's hand. Note that Leonor did not resist her grandmother when her grandmother initially corralled her, but she did start resisting Sofia after Letizia became part of the scene, exchanged words with Sofia and Sofia tightened her grip on Leonor. It did not look like Leonor had hard feelings towards her grandmother and she approached / stayed close to her grandmother after the incident.

I completely agree!!! ?

 

[Muhler]

Muhler, I'm shocked to say that I disagree with you this time (I thought I'd never say something like this!!). This is clearly a case of two women wanting the spotlight. Sadly, they know that the spotlight is where the children are. Letizia is ferociously defending the girls not for the press but, sadly, from their grandmother for whatever reason. You are right, an episode like this does not pop out of the blue. Those two women don't like each other (for whatever is worth Marie-Chantal's comments prove that the Greek side of the family does not like Letizia). Period. The girls were absolutely fine before Letizia intervened. They were smiling and poised. They may have been nervous but didn't show it. They were easily in control of their emotions unlike the adult women around them...Also, if it's true that the photographer was a trusted royal photographer and not just a casual member of the press that proves my point even further.

P.S. You mean Queen Sofia, and not Sonia, right Muhler?

Well, there has to be a first time, eh?

Well, I won't be the judge and I won't take sides, as I don't feel I have enough basis for doing that.
It was merely the three scenarios that went through my head.

And yes, I did mean Sofia. - I blame it on increasing senility. ?

 

[TLLK]

I think the fault is on both ladies. Letizia for coming in and trying to manage the grandmother and granddaughter interaction so publicly when Leonor was fine until she stepped in to block. Sofia for pushing too much with the Leonor. I saw a video from the side (sort of across from Juan Carlos) and Sofia looked angry and frustrated at the end. Its an unfortunate situation for both Queens IMO. There are good feelings and tensions in every family. They both should know better than to allow the public to see those tension on display. More upsetting for me was in the end Sofia makes a big show of affection toward Leonor when they are outside the chuurch but seems ignores Sofia.

I agree dbarn67. Ultimately they're human beings who have to deal with the tensions and squabbles that occur in all relationships. Theirs was unfortunately caught on film that morning.

 

[Juliette2]

Well, there has to be a first time, eh?

Well, I won't be the judge and I won't take sides, as I don't feel I have enough basis for doing that.
It was merely the three scenarios that went through my head.

And yes, I did mean Sofia. - I blame it on increasing senility. ?

Maybe senile, but always wise Muhler, and rising above us catty women... ?

 

[Empress Merel]

It seemed innocent at first to me. Letizia clearly goes up to her daughter to caress her or tuck her hair behind her ear and Sofia went off for whatever reason.

Grandma's ain't always cute and just because she's old, doesn't mean she can't be shady.

 

[Livia]

Letizia was doing her job, and that was say goodbye to people, she even didn't notice the photographer was behind her and what her mother in law was trying to do, opinions shouldn't be made in base a video with no sound and when you have around 20 people or more, too many people, too many things to do, you reach a point where you don't know where you are, how to pose, if you have to smile or not depending of the situation.... and above all trying not to be unpolite with all these people who are waiting to greeting them or say their goodbyes. And everything with the threat Mallorca's Nationalism to be there making noise so security this year was more strong.

The Press got what they wanted and better than they can imagine, protect Cristina's image with the help of Marie Chantal, a Princess of Greece who doesn't know where Greece is. I hope a rebound effect for them and a very painful one.

 

[dbarn67]

Letizia is very upset about the incident according to her close friend.

https://www.semana.es/galeria/letizia-esta-bastante-desolada-segun-amiga-inma-aguilar/

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

My conclusion is that Queen Letizia initiated the "tense scene" by trying to obstruct Queen Sofia from getting pictures taken with her granddaughters, Sofia then escalated the matter by doubling down, and her doubling down was basically her tightening her grip on Leonor which resulted in Leonor, not once but twice, removing Sofia's hand. Note that Leonor did not resist her grandmother when her grandmother initially corralled her, but she did start resisting Sofia after Letizia became part of the scene, exchanged words with Sofia and Sofia tightened her grip on Leonor. It did not look like Leonor had hard feelings towards her grandmother and she approached / stayed close to her grandmother after the incident.

I agree with your observations. The situation tensed when Letizia sabotaged the photo opp. The reaction of Doña Sofía would be the same for a Princess Beatrix or a Queen Margrethe. It is unimaginable that a Máxima or a Mary would act like that to them. Letizia is on the verge of collapsing, the tension is so visible.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

As someone who had to grow up with a mother and a (paternal) grandmother who quite loathed one another, I sincerely hope it was a minor dust up that has been blown out of proportion.

There was no stress worse than trying to please a grandmother and a mother, both whom I adored, and watch them shoot daggers at one another at family gatherings. The scars remained for years.

For the sake of those two very young and innocent girls I would not want them caught in the middle of that for anything in the world.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I hope Letizia realizes she can not have an enemy like Doña Sofía, to have an Archduchess Sophie vs Sissi-like situation.

Alienating exactly the very lady who sided with her son's unusual choice and - with doing so- confronted King, Court, establishment and society with her royal approval and acceptance.

Doña Sofía was Letizia's first ally. It would be most unwise (and could make things VERY difficult for her) when she does not reconcile.

 

[Rudolph]

Maybe it’s Sophia alienating Letizia. Maybe Sophia has a difficult time accepting its Letizia, not her, who’s now Queen.

Felipe and Letizia have well established ground rules regarding the children. Maybe Sophia was trying to take advantage of a public situation to sneak in a photograph when she knows the parents wouldn’t approve.

I think the whole thing has been way overblown but I have no issue with Letizia. She’s the girls mother, not Sophia.