Future and Popularity of the Spanish Monarchy

[Duc_et_Pair]

Besides Letizia missing the charisma other royal ladies have: for years and years she was a news anchor entering Spanish living rooms, day in, day out. Every Spaniard knew Letizia Ortiz from TVE.

Suddenly that daily face from TVE became a royal and even is "Queen" now and this needs a sort of change in mindset which was not needed with the totally unknown spouses of other royals.

We see this same phenomenon, to less extent, with Meghan Markle whom was a well known actress marrying into the royal family. Suddenly that Suits actress is "Your Royal Highness". Compare this to Sophie Rhys-Jones no one ever knew before her engagement to Prince Edward.

Had Felipe married a totally unknown lady from somewhere in Spain, I am sure the initial attitude of the Spaniards would have been different than marrying with one of the most broadcast faces of TVE.

 

[Prinsara]

Familiarity certainly breeds contempt, which is why I said it was just as well Felipe did not marry Eva. But I really think Spain would have managed to pick on and find fault with whomever Felipe did marry. It's just the national attitude, like An Ard Ri said, between a rock and a hard place.

Sofia was a princess with every ounce of royal dignity in place, the most appropriate spouse imaginable and married for her suitability.... and she was very, very disliked for a very, very long time. It's not the married-ins. It's the critical Spanish viewpoints.

 

[janelarn]

Besides Letizia missing the charisma other royal ladies have: for years and years she was a news anchor entering Spanish living rooms, day in, day out. Every Spaniard knew Letizia Ortiz from TVE.

Suddenly that daily face from TVE became a royal and even is "Queen" now and this needs a sort of change in mindset which was not needed with the totally unknown spouses of other royals.

We see this same phenomenon, to less extent, with Meghan Markle whom was a well known actress marrying into the royal family. Suddenly that Suits actress is "Your Royal Highness". Compare this to Sophie Rhys-Jones no one ever knew before her engagement to Prince Edward.

Had Felipe married a totally unknown lady from somewhere in Spain, I am sure the initial attitude of the Spaniards would have been different than marrying with one of the most broadcast faces of TVE.

From my point of view I cannot agree with you at all. All the other royal "brides" were simply much better known for their long courtships.
And of course, Letizia has no charisma? Who says that? She has more charisma than all the other royal ladies put together. Charisma, personality, intelligencem, beauty and discretion.

Sofía was a princess and for many she continues to be "Sofea" (So-ugly) or "the Greek" (her continuous trips to Greece and living many months outside of Spain does not help); Victoria Eugenia was considered almost like a morganatic and very cold marriage, and blamed for the hemophilia of her children (it was said that she stole children to give her children blood, as I say), the regent María Cristina de Habsburgo was not supported by no one even when their work was impeccable. I think there have been few queens loved by the Spanish.
Letizia's problem was precisely that she appeared by surprise: all the other crown princes already had girlfriends and had formed a "fan club" ... From these fan clubs, many, many lies and defamations have come out and they continue to come out. Although it may seem childish, that another girl with personality suddenly appeared and stole the attention of her "dear royal girlfriends" was a bomb. And that little by little hurts
Letizia's behavior as a princess and as a queen has been INTACHABLE.

 

[janelarn]

Dont see why. She seems to be seen as cold and not very friendly, she's from a middle class background, she was married before marying Felipe, and was seen as republican and atheistic...

It is a totally absurd poll, that's the first thing, because it is a YELLOW MAGAZINE that never supports the queen.
Second, Letizia has been baptized, has made her First Communion, has been confirmed and has been married by the Catholic Church and her daughters are still within the Catholic Church, which cannot be said of other consorts because they adopted the religions of their respective husbands (Except in Norway and Belgium);
The queen's father has brought to justice those newspapers that accuse them of being republicans, and Third I believe that there is no virgin among the consorts: one had a child out of wedlock, and they all had coexistence with other couples (Letizia simply took the most "legal" way and instead of living as a couple, he got married ... but that must be terrible from what I see). Nobody cares in Spain that a person is divorced, perhaps if she had borne children from the first marriage ... but it was not like that. This is reading true attacks on my queen that are incomprehensible and quite rude.
I mean a lot of posters but I am answering here. I am hallucinating, although I think it is almost better to laugh, because of the ignorance that exists about Spanish society.
To see the popularity you just have to observe the number of people who go to the acts of the king and queen,

For Moonmaiden23 I see that you don't know who Isabel Sartorius is.
But I am going to explain to you who that girl is and without acrimony, because I feel sorry for her as a person: Isabel is a girl totally socially destabilized because her mother was a drug addict (in the royal house, no one despised her because her parents were divorced, and there would be many other reasons for doing it, but Isabel herself simply always says that they treated her wonderfully), she is a girl very marked by that trauma, because she has said many times that she had to go out to the street for the dose to her mother ... Whatever the reason, this girl is not stable at all, and her intelligence remains to be demonstrated. No couple has lasted, no work, nothing. She has liked the press very much because she likes the press and has been paid many times for her contributions, , although she has always been very respectful to the king and queen. In fact, Isabel and Letizia are friends. Did you know that she had a daughter before getting married and that she left the groom standing one week before the wedding? Did you know that she was now dating a man who could be her grandfather, yes, with a lot of money? Did you know that Isabel had almost 25 years and Felipe 21? Felipe has been married at the age of 36, so it is clear that he is not one of those who were going to marry the first one to go out.
Before defaming my queen and putting virtues on another woman like Isabel, I beg you first to find out about her.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

janelarn Neither Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz , now Queen of Belgium nor Countess Stephanie de Lannoy ( Hereditary Grand Duchess of Luxembourger)cohabitated with their husbands before marriage. They also did not have long courtships and accumate "fan clubs" prior to marriage.

On that point you are quite simply wrong.

And for you to speculate about the virginity and/or sexual history of the other Royal consorts in your zeal to prop Letizia is inappropriate.

ETA:...I never said Isabel Sartorius was wonderful. I stated that she was beautiful, smart and aristocratic. And that Felipe dated her. And i pointed out the reasons she was rejected by Casa Real.

Perhaps there is a language barrier that has caused you to misunderstand virtually my ENTIRE post?

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

Besides Letizia missing the charisma other royal ladies have: for years and years she was a news anchor entering Spanish living rooms, day in, day out. Every Spaniard knew Letizia Ortiz from TVE.

Suddenly that daily face from TVE became a royal and even is "Queen" now and this needs a sort of change in mindset which was not needed with the totally unknown spouses of other royals.

We see this same phenomenon, to less extent, with Meghan Markle whom was a well known actress marrying into the royal family. Suddenly that Suits actress is "Your Royal Highness". Compare this to Sophie Rhys-Jones no one ever knew before her engagement to Prince Edward.

Had Felipe married a totally unknown lady from somewhere in Spain, I am sure the initial attitude of the Spaniards would have been different than marrying with one of the most broadcast faces of TVE.

Really interesting comments !

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

From my point of view I cannot agree with you at all. All the other royal "brides" were simply much better known for their long courtships.
And of course, Letizia has no charisma? Who says that? She has more charisma than all the other royal ladies put together. Charisma, personality, intelligencem, beauty and discretion.

Sofía was a princess and for many she continues to be "Sofea" (So-ugly) or "the Greek" (her continuous trips to Greece and living many months outside of Spain does not help); Victoria Eugenia was considered almost like a morganatic and very cold marriage, and blamed for the hemophilia of her children (it was said that she stole children to give her children blood, as I say), the regent María Cristina de Habsburgo was not supported by no one even when their work was impeccable. I think there have been few queens loved by the Spanish.
Letizia's problem was precisely that she appeared by surprise: all the other crown princes already had girlfriends and had formed a "fan club" ... From these fan clubs, many, many lies and defamations have come out and they continue to come out. Although it may seem childish, that another girl with personality suddenly appeared and stole the attention of her "dear royal girlfriends" was a bomb. And that little by little hurts
Letizia's behavior as a princess and as a queen has been INTACHABLE.

Letizia's problem was precisely that she appeared by surprise: all the other crown princes already had girlfriends and had formed a "fan club" ... From these fan clubs, many, many lies and defamations have come out and they continue to come out. Although it may seem childish, that another girl with personality suddenly appeared and stole the attention of her "dear royal girlfriends" was a bomb. And that little by little hurts
Letizia's behavior as a princess and as a queen has been INTACHABLE.

I’m not sure what you are saying . Do you mean that lies about Letizia came from the girlfriends of other crown princes.???

 

[janelarn]

Letizia's problem was precisely that she appeared by surprise: all the other crown princes already had girlfriends and had formed a "fan club" ... From these fan clubs, many, many lies and defamations have come out and they continue to come out. Although it may seem childish, that another girl with personality suddenly appeared and stole the attention of her "dear royal girlfriends" was a bomb. And that little by little hurts
Letizia's behavior as a princess and as a queen has been INTACHABLE.

I’m not sure what you are saying . Do you mean that lies about Letizia came from the girlfriends of other crown princes.???

Of the other consorts? When have I said such a thing? Of course from other "fan clubs, sure. Just read the ones that" adore "other consorts and this persons apologize for anything about them but if Letizia, even if she doesn't do anything reprehensible, she is criticized.
Anyway, each one thinks as he wants, because the world, thank God, is free, but I do not understand how you can insult a person for free. So far I left the topic.
I am Spanish and I know that the monarchy is strong, and that is, in large part, thanks to the queen, because she has known how to be with the Spanish at all times and knowing that her in-laws were committing many mistakes, that Felipe and Letizia have tried correct. The king is well loved but we have a complex political problem that is putting Felipe in trouble.
Who wants to understand, let him understand.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

Of the other consorts? When have I said such a thing? Of course from other "fan clubs, sure. Just read the ones that" adore "other consorts and this persons apologize for anything about them but if Letizia, even if she doesn't do anything reprehensible, she is criticized.
Anyway, each one thinks as he wants, because the world, thank God, is free, but I do not understand how you can insult a person for free. So far I left the topic.
I am Spanish and I know that the monarchy is strong, and that is, in large part, thanks to the queen, because she has known how to be with the Spanish at all times and knowing that her in-laws were committing many mistakes, that Felipe and Letizia have tried correct. The king is well loved but we have a complex political problem that is putting Felipe in trouble.
Who wants to understand, let him understand.

I am not insulting Queen Letizia at all - I like her very much and have been trying to understand why she is unpopular in Spain. I think she is intelligent, very well educated, professional, obviously adored by her daughters and husband so I don’t understand why some see her as cold or arrogant. I admire that she had a very successful career of her own before she met Felipe.

I did not at all understand your comment about “fan clubs” and thought you were saying something about the girlfriends of other crown princes.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

From my point of view I cannot agree with you at all. All the other royal "brides" were simply much better known for their long courtships.
And of course, Letizia has no charisma? Who says that? She has more charisma than all the other royal ladies put together.



[...]

Charisma is when a buzz goes through a room, a thrill, someone enters the venue and the atmosphere changes. Don Felipe absolutely has that charisma. Probably the most of all royal gentlemen in the world. A rising, stately, affable, friendly and approachable King.

Letizia often looks under pressure, strained, with her pressed lips, with her eyes alike a rabbit caught in the headlights of a car. Frozen and control-freaky. It is not that a sunray breaks through the clouds when Letizia enters a venue.

But charisma is always in the eye of the beholder and food for discussion.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Letizia's problem was precisely that she appeared by surprise: all the other crown princes already had girlfriends and had formed a "fan club" ... From these fan clubs, many, many lies and defamations have come out and they continue to come out. Although it may seem childish, that another girl with personality suddenly appeared and stole the attention of her "dear royal girlfriends" was a bomb. And that little by little hurts
Letizia's behavior as a princess and as a queen has been INTACHABLE.

I’m not sure what you are saying . Do you mean that lies about Letizia came from the girlfriends of other crown princes.???

Fanclubs? Philippe of Belgium? Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands? Guillaume of Luxembourg? Other royal gentlemen? I must have missed something.

 

[Denville]

I think its obvious that it means that other royal ladyfriends had acquired a set of fans and tehy were apt to stick up for THEIR favourite royal girlfriend.. as is the case on the internet.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I think its obvious that it means that other royal ladyfriends had acquired a set of fans and tehy were apt to stick up for THEIR favourite royal girlfriend.. as is the case on the internet.

It must be that English is not my native tongue.

Does this mean that Mathilde, Mary, Stéphanie, Mette-Marit, Máxima etc. "have acquired a set of fans" to defend them on the internet?

But that is a phenomenon which goes completely outside these ladies or is the implication that a Mathilde or a Catherine are actively assembling "fans".

And ergo, does this mean that Letizia has no "fans" on the internet?

 

[An Ard Ri]

The fact that the Spanish Royal Family and kings Family is one of the most ununified Royal Families does not help either. It adds to the gossip about the sour relations between the kings family/extended Borbons and queen Letizia. The media has used this against the queen and further tarnishes her image.

Old king Juan Carlos living in exile and with constant dark clouds over his head does not do the monarchy any favours and is the biggest worry for me.

 

[Denville]

It must be that English is not my native tongue.

Does this mean that Mathilde, Mary, Stéphanie, Mette-Marit, Máxima etc. "have acquired a set of fans" to defend them on the internet?

But that is a phenomenon which goes completely outside these ladies or is the implication that a Mathilde or a Catherine are actively assembling "fans".

And ergo, does this mean that Letizia has no "fans" on the internet?

I presume that all of them have groups of fans, and sometimes fans really cheer for their favourite and attack other royals/girlfriends and start internet rows.
I dont suppose any of the royal brides tired to "assemble fans". but its a fact that most royals have groups who like them and often groups of people who really dont like them.
Im sure Letizia has her fans on the Net. I just dont tink she's overly popular in Spain. I can imagine that traditional monarchists may criticise her for coming from a modest background and having been a non churchgoer and having been married before seh married Felipe. And more left wing people may feel that she reneged on her more liberal beliefs in order to marry the Prince..... so she doesnt' have as many fans in Spain as you'd expect.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I also think that alienating the traditional monarchists was a misstep by casareal they are the core supporters of the monarchy.

 

[Denville]

I also think that alienating the traditional monarchists was a misstep by casareal they are the core supporters of the monarchy.

I presume Felipe married for love, so he can't really help it if he fell for a wife who was not likely to be popular in more conservative sections of Spanish society.
I dont think that Sofia was all that well liked either, but she was at least a princess albiet a foreign one... SHe seems pushy to me and I get the feelign that she and Letizia are not on the best terms so the family has its tensions...

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

I presume Felipe married for love, so he can't really help it if he fell for a wife who was not likely to be popular in more conservative sections of Spanish society.
I dont think that Sofia was all that well liked either, but she was at least a princess albiet a foreign one... SHe seems pushy to me and I get the feelign that she and Letizia are not on the best terms so the family has its tensions...

It seems Don Felipe was (and is) the absolute apple in Doña Sofía's eye and it was exactly she herself whom persuaded the King to let his opposition go and accept Letizia. So the resistance was not from Doña Sofía.

I can imagine the King had hesistations with accepting the wellknown daily face of TVE news anchor Letizia Ortiz as a befitting partner to the Prince of Asturias. By hindsight Don Juan Carlos probably did regret his resistance to Doña Isabel Sartorius y Zorraquín, daughter of the Marquess of Mariño (Don Felipe's earlier girlfriend) as an acceptable bride for the future King...

 

[An Ard Ri]

I presume Felipe married for love, so he can't really help it if he fell for a wife who was not likely to be popular in more conservative sections of Spanish society.
I dont think that Sofia was all that well liked either, but she was at least a princess albiet a foreign one... SHe seems pushy to me and I get the feelign that she and Letizia are not on the best terms so the family has its tensions...

Nothing to do with the king and queen falling in love but rather more to do with her image.

Monarchy is all about tradition and something Letizia does not seem to follow and may have thus alienated the core traditional supporters along the way.

 

[Denville]

Obvously her image as a professional working woman, a divorcee, who wasn't religious and came from a modest family, was going to be against her. I think that both of them are modernisers and trying to strike a balance between traditions and adapting to the modern world...
But Letizia just seems a bit off to me. Perhaps she isn't that keen on Being Queen and having to rein herself in as much as she has to do.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Obvously her image as a professional working woman, a divorcee, who wasn't religious and came from a modest family, was going to be against her. I think that both of them are modernisers and trying to strike a balance between traditions and adapting to the modern world...
But Letizia just seems a bit off to me. Perhaps she isn't that keen on Being Queen and having to rein herself in as much as she has to do.

There was probably a sizeable portion of social snobbery directed towards Letizia but I also think that anyone who married Felipe would have had obstacles but no to the same degree at Letizia.

The image of the 21st century queen who does not wear her wedding ring ,follow royal tradition, no bouquets of flowers,fallen out with almost all of inlaws and so on may well have been too much for the traditionalists.

The queen may also have attracted more modern thinking new supporters but they seem few in numbers.

We could say in 20 years time her polling maybe higher but will there be a Spanish Monarchy in 20 years?

 

[Denville]

No idea, but Im pretty neutal on the subject.
but if Let is n't close to her in laws I dont entirely blame her. They have caused financial and other scandals, and I dont think highly of Sofia at all... I think that as King Felipe has to distance himself from the members of his family who have been involved in corruption...and odds are that Letizia is not too keen on them.

 

[An Ard Ri]

No idea, but Im pretty neutal on the subject.
but if Let is n't close to her in laws I dont entirely blame her. They have caused financial and other scandals, and I dont think highly of Sofia at all... I think that as King Felipe has to distance himself from the members of his family who have been involved in corruption...and odds are that Letizia is not too keen on them.

And family politics are best kept private and not in public displays as we've seen .

Distancing herself from Inaki/Cristina/Juan Carlos I cannot blame the queen and is to her credit.

 

[Prinsara]

It's the rock and a hard place again, but considering JC decided to back and further Spanish democracy, isn't it just as well Felipe married someone who's outside of the traditional falangistas?

 

[Stefan]

And of course, Letizia has no charisma? Who says that? She has more charisma than all the other royal ladies put together. Charisma, personality, intelligencem, beauty and discretion.

But her charisma doesn't show like it does with Máxima. And then i sometimes think people don't kinow her to goood. She never has given an Interview even around the time if the engagement and marriage lime Mary and Máxima have done.

 

[An Ard Ri]

It's the rock and a hard place again, but considering JC decided to back and further Spanish democracy, isn't it just as well Felipe married someone who's outside of the traditional falangistas?

And there was a lot of support for Letizia in around the engagement/wedding and she was seen as a breath of fresh air into the Royal Family.

 

[Stefan]

The fact that the Spanish Royal Family and kings Family is one of the most ununified Royal Families does not help either. It adds to the gossip about the sour relations between the kings family/extended Borbons and queen Letizia. The media has used this against the queen and further tarnishes her image.

But going back 20 years the spanish RF was quiet united or at last it seemed so. Maybe a coincdence but soon after the Wedding of Felipe and Letizia the relations of him with his sisters became to sour, even before the scandals so it is no wonder that people blame Letizia.

 

[Prinsara]

But going back 20 years the spanish RF was quiet united or at last it seemed so. Maybe a coincdence but soon after the Wedding of Felipe and Letizia the relations of him with his sisters became to sour, even before the scandals so it is no wonder that people blame Letizia.

But she was a coincidence, not a cause. It only takes a minimum of logic to know she was not responsible for corruption and wanted nothing to do with it.

Should she have gone along with something that's proved massively damaging for the sake of "family harmony"? Perhaps it might have helped slightly if Letizia were more of a mediator-type... or Felipe might have gotten caught in the mess too. It's hard to say, but easy to say Letizia does have sound instincts.

 

[An Ard Ri]

But going back 20 years the spanish RF was quiet united or at last it seemed so. Maybe a coincdence but soon after the Wedding of Felipe and Letizia the relations of him with his sisters became to sour, even before the scandals so it is no wonder that people blame Letizia.

Ofcourse its always handy to have a scapegoat to blame for all and the media soon picked upon it.

 

[Stefan]

But she was a coincidence, not a cause. It only takes a minimum of logic to know she was not responsible for corruption and wanted nothing to do with it.

I have written that Familya relations became to sour already from 2005 and that was several years before the NOOS case.