Engagement of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz: November 1, 2003

[Julia]

I think it's a marvelous surprise that Felipe and Letizia are engaged! Letizia is beauiful and probably very well suited to being the next crown princess of Spain. Congratulations to them both! :flower:

 

[Sean.~]

Speaking of royal consorts I watched the "Meet the Royals" last night on A&E, and your requirements for a consort sound funny when applied to Prince Philip.

It seems most agree that Prince Philip is the master of gaffs and rudeness.  But he has been exemplary in the areas of discretion and support of the queen, even if he has no tact and even less polish.

Firstly, Meet the royals is tabloid tv, which sensationalizes things in order to draw in viewers. It is not serious history programing. Secondly, as someone who knows quite a bit about him, I personally don't think he's *that* bad. He has done quite a bit of good work and has *always* stood by his wife's side. Always. Thirdly, I attribute his comments to his personality, age, and upbringing. Philip is hardly what I would call as today's royal consort. Indeed, he's been a consort for almost 60 years. Moreover, not only does he come from a different era, but he also had a very harsh, unconventional upbringing, where both parents were not around. He was shuffled from boarding school to relative (to relative). This can harden a person. In any event, he was much more polished in his youngr age. But even then the role of the royal family was different fom what it is today & there was far less media scrutiny.

Finally, if one doesn't like Philip, but still insists that royals should marry royals, then there is a bit of a problem. After all, Philip was born a prince and is the grandson of a King and Great Grandson of a Russian Tsar. So, if he is the master of gaffs and rudeness (which I don't think he is), then that is proof that royals are not always more suitable than commoners when it comes to marriage partners for princes/sses.

 

[Lady Jean]

Letizia has made it "in". She must be a remarkable person.
Remember when Princess Diana said the Spanish royals looked down on her (an Earl's daughter). I guess Cristina's marrying a "commoner" helped pave the way for her brother.
Not only will the body language between Felipe and his lady be watched on Friday, but what about his parents!? Will those big smiles be genuine?
I wonder if we'll see a photo from Letizia's first wedding day so we know what she will not be wearing for her next one. I assume it was something casual since it was not a church wedding.
I wouldn't want to be the other Royal bride, Mary Donaldson now...Letizia is gorgeous and a media pro....and sure knows the native language well !


I have been reading and totally enjoying the forums for the past few weeks (where have you been all my life?) I am so excited to find other people interested in royalty.

 

[xicamaluca]

Letizia's Official Presentation to the Press - November 3, 2003

The first official pic from the couple :flower:

El Mundo

 

[Josefine]

they look sweet,

felipe looks to be :crush:

 

[salma]

This evening Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz have pose in the Prince felipe´palace, in Pardo (Madrid), and they have say that they are very love.
This night theo go with other member the Royal Family to the Opera.

 

[samitude]

I don't think these photos have been posted before. They're from abc.es.

 

[salma]

this evening

 

[Duchess Sophie]

Originally posted by salma@Nov 3rd, 2003 - 7:50 pm
This evening Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz have pose in the Prince felipe´palace, in Pardo (Madrid), and they have say that they are very love.
This night theo go with other member the Royal Family to the Opera.

great news. Do you have pictures or something of it??

 

[Josefine]

they are holding hands, how sweet...

 

[Duchess Sophie]

This looks much bete as Freddie and Mary.

What a sweet couple

And the way he hold her hand and look to her... He's really in love

He looks very proud on her.

How sweet...........

 

[bibi]

did anyone find videos? are there any on abc.es?

 

[xicamaluca]

The press wasn't allowed to make questions. They will made thursday.
this was only a meeting to thank all spaniards for the suport and good wishes given to them.

I leave an translation from their words :flower:

Felipe said:

"We are very in love and we wanted to show together our big joy for our engagement"

"This is an imense joy to me, i finaly can show how much i'm in love to Letizia, the woman that i want to share my life, the women that has all qualities to be Queen of Spain"

Letizia also said some few words:

"During all my caree has a reporter, i always gave the best of be, with hard work and sacrifice and is with this are same values witch i will serve Spain"

"This was are reflected decison and was taken with a profound love and partenership"

 

[salma]

More pictures

 

[Yirina77]

Yes, she was there too

 

[xicamaluca]

Yahoo! News

Spain's Heir Presents Bride with Love-Laden Speech

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's heir to the throne Prince Felipe appeared for the first time in public with his new television presenter fiancee on Monday amid a media frenzy and widespread approval of future queen Letizia Ortiz.

The Royal Palace announced the engagement on Saturday, surprising nearly everyone in Spain and plunging the media into a royal wedding whirl.

Even financial dailies carried the photogenic Ortiz on their covers.

"I am very happy to be able to show how happy our engagement has made me and how in love I am with Letizia," the 35-year-old prince told reporters.

"We present ourselves here in love, committed, with conviction and full of hope and, of course, devoted to serving Spain."

The elegant blond Ortiz became a household face in Spain by presenting the evening news. Despite being a divorcee, the 31-year-old appears to have won the hearts of Spaniards.

An online survey by El Mundo newspaper's Web site showed 68 percent of readers who had voted approved of the prince's choice.

Newspapers have approved of the engagement, which ends years of speculation about the prince's love life.

Felipe had previously been linked with Norwegian model Eva Sannum but she was considered inappropriate for having worked as an underwear model.

The prince will propose formally on Thursday.

 

[barbara_41172]

Fantastic pics! Thank you for everyone who posted them.

They both look so happy and so in love - my congratulations! What a difference from Fred and Mary (sorry about comparing them once again but can't help it )

They look as a couple should, full of life, love and totally mesmerized with each other, especially Felipe. There's a pic of him that I love when he's looking at her and oh wow he's got that look that all guys should have when they look at their woman.

TC
Barbara

 

[Josefine]

Is there any translation of what they said?

 

[Yirina77]

on this picture she looks definitely like queen Rania

 

[Yirina77]

next

 

[Teresa]

Has anyone else seen the short interview they gave to the press this evening?
Guess what, she handled it perfectly

Personally I think it's good they kept their relationship secret, so there was no pressure from some very conservative aristocrats

 

[Dennism]

Looks great. I'm watching it now. TVEI is showing the orchestra warming up and the various people coming in. You see the ushers and everything.

 

[hrhcp]

thissal  Posted: Nov 3rd, 2003 - 10:00 am
has been exemplary in the areas of discretion and support of the queen, even if he has no tact and even less polish.

an oxymoron, if I have ever heard of one.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 03-11-2003 Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his new fiancee Letizia Ortiz arrive at the Royal Theater in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, to see a concert by violinist Mtislav Rostropovich in honor of the Spanish Royal family. The Royal family announced last Saturday Nov. 1 the engagement of Prince Felipe with Letizia Ortiz.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 03-11-2003 Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his new fiancee Letizia Ortiz arrive at the Royal Theater in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, to see a concert by violinist Mtislav Rostropovich in honor of the Spanish Royal family. The Royal family announced last Saturday Nov. 1 the engagement of Prince Felipe with Letizia Ortiz.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 03-11-2003 Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his new fiancee Letizia Ortiz arrive at the Royal Theater in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, to see a concert by violinist Mtislav Rostropovich in honor of the Spanish Royal family. The Royal family announced last Saturday Nov. 1 the engagement of Prince Felipe with Letizia Ortiz.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 03-11-2003 Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his new fiancee Letizia Ortiz arrive at the Royal Theater in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, to see a concert by violinist Mtislav Rostropovich in honor of the Spanish Royal family. The Royal family announced last Saturday Nov. 1 the engagement of Prince Felipe with Letizia Ortiz.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 03-11-2003 Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his new fiancee Letizia Ortiz arrive at the Royal Theater in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, to see a concert by violinist Mtislav Rostropovich in honor of the Spanish Royal family. The Royal family announced last Saturday Nov. 1 the engagement of Prince Felipe with Letizia Ortiz.

 

[thissal]

Originally posted by Sean.~@Nov 3rd, 2003 - 9:04 am
Firstly, Meet the royals is tabloid tv, which sensationalizes things in order to draw in viewers. It is not serious history programing. Secondly, as someone who knows quite a bit about him...........................

It may be "tabloid" tv and not "serious" tv, but the program nevertheless covered all the topics you mentioned. Did you have anything new to add?

BTW, I don't think royals should marry royals. For one thing there's no political need for those kind of alliances anymore, and for another, it encourages too small of a gene pool which leads to insanity and other serious disorders.

 

[Alexandria]

Polfoto 03-11-2003 Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his new fiancee Letizia Ortiz arrive at the Royal Theater in Madrid, Spain, Monday, Nov. 3, 2003, to see a concert by violinist Mtislav Rostropovich in honor of the Spanish Royal family. The Royal family announced last Saturday Nov. 1 the engagement of Prince Felipe with Letizia Ortiz.