camelot23ca
Heir Presumptive
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2003
- Messages
- 2,160
The young members of most royal families have attended a mix of informal and more formal events from the time they were young, with the possible exception of the Dutch. All the European royals attend plenty of events that are family oriented and most of them have taken the opportunity to bring their children from time to time.
For example, Elisabeth of Belgium and her siblings have gone to a wide variety of events, some solemn, some not. When they were little the events were generally low key and child appropriate but there was never anything silly or childish about them, any more than there is anything silly about their parents attending the same events.
When Elisabeth was little, her mother took her to an event involving other small children and read a story to the whole group. Elisabeth behaved well, Mathilde was clearly happy to be there and happy to have Elisabeth along, a good time was had by all. I doubt the apparently very refined sensibilities of the majority of Spanish citizens would have been too offended had Letizia done the same with Leonor once upon a time.
I think what helps ensure the long term survival of a modern monarchy is affection and a sense of familiarity with its members, as well as respect. It’s unlikely that many in modern Spain feel there’s anything inherently superior about the current SRF and I’d anticipate a generation from now the public will be much more skeptical about the idea that the monarchy is essential to the Spanish state’s ability to function. It will be interesting to see if the monarchy has the ability to adapt.
For example, Elisabeth of Belgium and her siblings have gone to a wide variety of events, some solemn, some not. When they were little the events were generally low key and child appropriate but there was never anything silly or childish about them, any more than there is anything silly about their parents attending the same events.
When Elisabeth was little, her mother took her to an event involving other small children and read a story to the whole group. Elisabeth behaved well, Mathilde was clearly happy to be there and happy to have Elisabeth along, a good time was had by all. I doubt the apparently very refined sensibilities of the majority of Spanish citizens would have been too offended had Letizia done the same with Leonor once upon a time.
I think what helps ensure the long term survival of a modern monarchy is affection and a sense of familiarity with its members, as well as respect. It’s unlikely that many in modern Spain feel there’s anything inherently superior about the current SRF and I’d anticipate a generation from now the public will be much more skeptical about the idea that the monarchy is essential to the Spanish state’s ability to function. It will be interesting to see if the monarchy has the ability to adapt.