Infanta Elena and Family, Current Events Part 2: April - September 2005

[Elsa M.]

Jaime is a member of the Royal Family after all. Perhaps the newspapers aren't allowed to bring discredit on him too much??

Spain is a Democracy, so the newspapers are completely free to criticise whoever they want. I mean, just look at the amount of rubbish that is everyday published about Letizia... and she's the future queen...
I guess the reason why Jaime is somehow spared by those people who write in the newspapers about the royal family is that he actually comes from a noble family, the perfect portrait for someone as snobbish as Peñafiel and his companions... so, if Jaime spends most the year attending fashion shows in Paris and encourages Elena to spend lots of money in dresses made by Lacroix, that's O.K., but if Iñaki buys a new property, he's immediately considered a "dangerous guy" (Peñafiel dixit)... Not to say that if Letizia spends a weekend ahead of the spotlights or gets a pair of new suits made by a Spanish designer, she's wasting the public income and ruining the Mallorcan tourism...

 

[Emily]

I am curious to know what listmembers from Spain think about Jaime de Marichalar. I agree with many of the comments written above: he seems like a snob, the children do not seem well behaved, Elena never looks happy these days. I wonder how much his behavior has changed because of the stroke and how much it is affecting his family members? Or has he always been like this? I think it would be increasingly hard for Elena and her family to be around Cristina's family because E's children - at least from the photos I see - are not nearly as well behaved as C's children and I think that would be hard on Elena. Also I had read that Jaime didn't speak to Letizia initially because she was not royalty -- is there any truth to that statement? If there is, despite Letizia's graciousness in talking with Jaime in some of the photos, I'm sure his initial behavior would create a certain distance between them. And Jaime seems almost the opposite of the King with his preoccupation with clothes and not apparently very interested in things of the sea -- or is this a wrong perception? All in all, it doesn't make me very surprised they aren't spending much time in Mallorca this summer.

 

[lula]

The truth is that I believe that the press is a bit unjust with him. He has had a problem of serious health of which always sequels stay. To live with this problem must be easy, and less being a young man. It must be easy neither for he nor for the family.

On the other hand, Jaime de Marichalar always was a bit "a" "snob", and much is spoken about his taste by the mode. But what many people do not know, is that Jaime de Marichalar works for the LVMH and it forms a part of his work. Often in the parades he is next to the president of the company Bernard Arnault, or of his wife.

As for his relation with Letizia I believe that they are once again speculations of the press. It is more in occasions, I think that he is one of the members of the family with the one that has better relation. For example, Jaime gave a few Manolo Blanhik's shoes to Letizia for the day of her wedding. In November a few photos appeared of them two alone ones eating in a restaurant of Madrid. A few months ago the Princes came to an exhibition, and Jaime was there as counselor of the company that was supporting the sample, and Jaime to be able to lower the stairs caught of Letizia's arm. When it was the funeral for the Pope in Madrid, the Infanta Elena could not come because she was patient, Jaime was and at the moment of going away, he went away to his car and letizia asked for him to say goodbye.

 

[Emily]

I appreciate your response, Lula. Thank you. Do you know what his limitations are due to the stroke? He seems to always have a wire attached to his ear and down his chest. I thought it might be a cell phone at first but he seems to have it hooked up when there are photos of him attending functions, so I wonder if it is some sort of monitor of his neurological activity? Someone said he was left with partial paralysis on one side? And what do you make of the children's behavior?

 

[lula]

I appreciate your response, Lula. Thank you. Do you know what his limitations are due to the stroke? He seems to always have a wire attached to his ear and down his chest. I thought it might be a cell phone at first but he seems to have it hooked up when there are photos of him attending functions, so I wonder if it is some sort of monitor of his neurological activity? Someone said he was left with partial paralysis on one side? And what do you make of the children's behavior?

The truth is that not that he will have still had sequels. In spite of the recovery that he has done it is evident that he has not recovered completely the mobility. To part of it, I imagine that it is very difficult to agree for a young person to live with these limitations and to affect it psychologically.
As for the children, I believe that children are it. Their attitudes do not stop being the normal ones in children. Felipe is a naughty, very active child, but the own Queen has said that later he is a good and obedient child. The bad thing is that since it happens often the children leave you in evidence in the worst moments. On the contrary, the children of the Infanta Cristina are tremendously shy when there are cameras ahead. But the one who knows if later in house they are a few earthquakes.
It does that the people adore Felipe for being a spontaneous child, and that only considers the children of Cristina to be a few very handsome children. As for Victoria, she looks like a calm and spoilt girl, though sometimes she has her assaults of rebelliousness.
My brother of small was very naughty, and nevertheless with the step of the years he has turned into very calm someone. It is a question of time, to veecs the children are naughty of small, because they are children, and later it changes with the time.

 

[lula]

A detail, if you concentrate on the family photo of Irene's baptism, on the one that the Infanta Elena calls to Victory in order that she puts in the photo, Felipe is perfectly sat in his site, and is I believe that one of the children of the Infanta Cristina who is rolling about the soil.

 

[Emily]

Thanks again. Can you permit one more question for clarification? You talk of Froilan as "Felipe" -- is it the same name? How do I understand the difference?

 

[lula]

Thanks again. Can you permit one more question for clarification? You talk of Froilan as "Felipe" -- is it the same name? How do I understand the difference?

I am called him Felipe, because it is like that how they call him in his house, or more affectionatly "Pipe". The truth is that it of Froilán it was a thing of the press, I imagine that the name seemed to them to be nicer than Felipe or Juan, but in his house they have never called him this way. How the press calls him this way, the people call him this way, and the poor child will remain for all his life with this name, when the normal thing and what happens with all the members of the Royal Family, is that there is called he by the first name, Felipe

 

[Emily]

So, what is his full name as given by his parents?

 

[lula]

So, what is his full name as given by his parents?

Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos

 

[Emily]

Many thanks for all your help today! And such quick answers -- it must be bedtime in Spain! Buenas noches!

 

[Genevieve]

Excuse me, I mean, he SEEMS to have been badly brought up!!
I think Froilan may be a hyperactive child. Everytime I see pictures of him, he always jumping everywhere, making faces, sticking out his tongue to people, etc... How sad!!

Isn't that just a child being a child though? What child doesn't jump around and isn't active? Any school yard you pass boys and girls, but particularly boys, are jumping on this and jumping off that. They are running around in circles, chasing each other or girls, or chasing a ball.

If Froilan just sat there with hand hands in his lap then people would say that he was drugged out or something.

I don't know of a single child who has never stuck their tongue out at someone or made goofy faces. They are children! Why expect them to behave like adults when there is such a short time frame for them to behave this way? If Froilan's jumping around or making faces isn't physically hurting anyone why stop him?

 

[Genevieve]

For those who (like me) are wondering were on Earth has been Elena this summer, here some clues about her whereabouts.

(It’s extracted from an article about the holidays of the Spanish Royal Family. Source: El Semanal Digital)

"Since the Infantas Elenas and Cristina got married, their presence in Majorca has been lessened. Infanta Elena shows affection for more chics places, places which can be better protected from indiscreet onlookers. Some people say that Doña Elena is influenced by her husband, Jaime de Marichalar, who has a reputation of being a "bon vivant" who really loves the luxury and the friendship with people who are on the habit of having very high standard of living."

I don't completely blame Jamie for Elena's lack of presence in Mallorca this summer. I think she was either interested in socializing in such circles and hot spots before and just never had anyone to go with or suggest places to go, or she just didn't like Mallorca as much as her sister and brother and parents seem to.

I think it's some combo of both.

Elena, unlike Cristina, has always expressed more of an interest in the European social circles. When I first started noticing royals, it was a picture of Elena and Jamie in 1997 attending a Karl Lagerfeld fashion show in Paris with her cousin Pavlos and his wife Marie-Chantal. Periodically, though not as consistently as Marie-Chantal, Elena and Jamie still attend the runway shows in Paris. Eight years later I have never seen a picture of Cristina in Paris sitting in the front row of a Dior or Chanel show.

Plus, I don't think Elena was ever as passionate about sailing as the rest of her family is, hence less of a draw to go to Mallorca where the royal family seems to spend most of their days attending regattas. The King, Felipe and Cristina actively participate in the regattas with Inaki participating occasionally, and the Queen happily watching from her own boat surrounded by her grandchildren and Letizia, then later presenting the trophies.

I think it's a loss that Elena doesn't holiday with her famiy as much. Her children are losing out on an opportunity to bond with their cousins. But it is her holidays afterall and she is free to spend them as she wants.

I think too, that we are fortunate that the Spanish royals holiday together year after year and are spoiled by their united presence year after year. You can't expect that with all the other royal families. The Norwegian royals seem to be scattered every summer with the King and Queen off doing their own thing, Martha Louise and her family elsewhere, and Haakon and Mette-Marit and their family elsewhere, too. The Swedish royals seem to holiday together but how long will that last when Victoria, Carl Philip and Madeline get married and have their own families?

 

[wlb825]

don't take me wrong or anything but Is she Dressing better than before? I mean I have seem some pictures where she look so bad!!! but lately she looks good

 

[lula]

Fom Hola:

The Dukes of Lugo in the X season of the ballet of mallorca
The Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar were present to contemplate the digest of Ángel Corella's dance together with nine dancers of the American Ballet, on the occasion of the X ballet season of Majorca

 

[rchainho]

Fom Hola:

The Dukes of Lugo in the X season of the ballet of mallorca
The Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar were present to contemplate the digest of Ángel Corella's dance together with nine dancers of the American Ballet, on the occasion of the X ballet season of Majorca

here you have the website about this subject. http://www.temporadadeballet.com/

 

[Squidgy]

... some recent pictures from Colourpress ... sorry I don't know what the occasion is ...

 

[rchainho]

thanks squidy. These photos are from yesterday occasion in the ballet.

 

[rchainho]

more pics from ballet from face to face.

 

[Squidgy]

thanks squidy. These photos are from yesterday occasion in the ballet.

Thanks for the info Rchainho.

 

[grevinnan]

I have noticed that the Spanish Royal ladies all wear pants to many events, including semi formal evening and church occassions. Is that the current style on the continent or is it just in Spain?

grevinnan

 

[rchainho]

i thinks is normal. The first lady of Portugal also wears pants.

 

[isabella_]

I have noticed that the Spanish Royal ladies all wear pants to many events, including semi formal evening and church occassions. Is that the current style on the continent or is it just in Spain?

grevinnan

I thought pants were often worn by ladies who attend formal events in the entire world and that there was nothing odd about it.

grevinnan, why do you make that question? In which country is that considered to be unusual?

By the way, thanks everyone for the photos.

 

[Lunalu]

thanks for all those pics everyone !

lol, i just like the way they match : her purse with his tie in black-white tones

 

[grevinnan]

Response to Isabella

Here in Northern California pants is not as widely used on more dressy or formal occassions. The pants - at least as it appears on the photos - are more of the sporty cut rather than dressy evening. I would not go to church - especially not a funeral - in pants.

My question came from what looked different from what I am used to seeing.

grevinnan

 

[betina]

In Denmark it is Normal to have pants on to a party. I dont mean jeans but formal pants. Women have the right to choose.

 

[isabella_]

Response to Isabella

Here in Northern California pants is not as widely used on more dressy or formal occassions. The pants - at least as it appears on the photos - are more of the sporty cut rather than dressy evening. I would not go to church - especially not a funeral - in pants.

My question came from what looked different from what I am used to seeing.

grevinnan

Thanks a lot for your response, grevinnan.
I didn't know this until just now.

 

[isabella_]

Here an article about the american habits of the Dukes.

(From El Confidencial www.elconfidencial.com)

The chicest thing in New York is to have a dinner with the Dukes of Lugo

By Paloma Barrientos.

For a couple of years, the Dukes of Lugo install themselves, the first part of their holidays, in The Hamptons (USA), the chic zone where the millionaires from New York spend their summer time, they celebrate their house parties and they rest some weekends. It is also Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha's (the girls of "Sex in New York") favourite place, and it's also the incomparable frame of the movie ' Something's Gotta Give', where the successful theatrical author Erika Barrie (Diane Keaton) decides to shelter herself.


The Infanta, her husband and their children do something like that. For the Dukes, this place allows them to have a calm life and to forget their obligations as daughter and son-in-law of the King of Spain.



The Infanta rides a horse, while Marichalar is related to the chicest people and he goes shopping to his favourite shops in the Fifth Avenue. They like this place because there they can be (not the Duke) unobservant. There are neither press which can harasses them as in Majorca, nor inaugurations as in Madrid, nor critical commentaries about the clothes of the son-in-law of the King. Besides, Jaime and madame - that's the way the Duke calls her wife when he talks about her - become a "dark object of desire" for the richest people from the zone. As their aristocracy are the Kennedy, the Hilton, the Morgan ..., to sit in the table with an Infanta and to share a picnic with the grandsons of an European monarch represents the best thing for these mega rich people "made in USA". Let's not forget that The Hamptons is the holiday’s frame of the social life which is described in 'La Hoguera de las vanidades' ('The Bonfire of the vanities').



There is an anecdote that reflects faithfully the way of seeing the life of the vacationers of this elitist and very privated place. When the financier JP Morgan died, his colleague Rockefeller read an article in a newspaper. In the obituary there was mentioned that the deceased banker was leaving his inheritors a patrimony of hundred million dollars. After reading the number, Rockefeller commented: "How wrong I was! I always believed that Morgan was a rich man! "



For the rest, when the "period USA" finishes, the family Marichalar-Borbón will be established in Marivent's pavilion, dad Juan Carlos's summer house.

 

[Elsa M.]

Thanks, Isabella! Interesting article!

 

[fanletizia]

Infanta Elena has been going to the appointment of the fashion of Madrid

With the presence of infanta Elena, follower for years of the collections of Angel Schlesser, of Esperanza Aguirre, whom she loved again to show the support of the in fashion Spanish Community of Madrid, and of Ana Botella, edition of Cibeles Footbridge began the 42 today, in the Pavilion number 1 of IFEMA.

(...)

http://actualidad.terra.es/sociedad/articulo/elena_madrid_infanta_acude_cita_474580.htm