"Letizia Ortiz: A republican in the Court of Juan Carlos I" by Isidre Cunill, 2010

[Duke of Marmalade]

Duke, a young Catholic virginal royal bride like Tatiana of Liechtenstein might not have a past, but as long as she is worthy for the news, money, political agenda, rumors and lies can also be invented about her present life, for example, marital crisis, infidelities, not being able to adjust to live in Spain and etc. We have seen enough that the press wouldn't even leave the dead women alone as long as they could still squeeze out $$$$.

I agree but the topics you mention like marital crisis etc are the usual bla bla all CPs have to go through. Its pink press, nothing serious.

Tatiana could never have been accused of such heavy stuff as abortion, being agnostic or a republican because her history is known to the public. Letizia was a private citizen and not only could but will have done anything she wanted, unaware of her later fate. Its not her fault but if you make your bed, you have to lie in it, the same goes for Felipe. He decided to marry Letizia incl. her past (and whatever happened during that past that could turn out to be harmful for the monarchy) and now they both are living to see the boomerang coming straight back into their faces.

Again, it might not be fair but obviously there is a climate in Spain where anything will be used to instrumentalize against the monarchy. Fact is that the tough professional TV presenter hasnt turned out to be gods gift to the monarchy of the 21st century, as probably hoped or thought by the protagonists on engagement day.

Unlike the Queen, the King has yet to give any kind of publicly visible, affectionate support to the couple, what speaks volumes to me. We've been there before. Even only with her known past as divorced journalist Letizia was vulnerable withing the family from day one and if Felipe believed that the knives wouldnt be out on her = on them he was, unlike the Kings (and the Count of Barcelona, god bless him) very naive.

 

[Chimene]

Again, it might not be fair but obviously there is a climate in Spain where anything will be used to instrumentalize against the monarchy. Fact is that the tough professional TV presenter hasnt turned out to be gods gift to the monarchy of the 21st century, as probably hoped or thought by the protagonists on engagement day.

This is an excellent point, and this is where I'm a little perplexed by Letizia and her reputation as a tough journalist. I still think these accusations are very unfair, but we seem to be dealing with this in a political context, and she's unfortunately been turned into a scapegoat.

My general point on the virginal bride comment was if you have an axe to grind, anyone can find something, whether real or not, and turn it into a scandal. Yellow press or not, people read that stuff and worse yet, most believe it, otherwise there wouldn't be a market for it.

I don't understand why Letizia is so powerless if you take into account her former profession. She must have some smarts and friends in that circle, so why is she not using them.

Look how Maxima was able to turn public opinion around. But I guess that's the difference between the two countries.

 

[madeleine victoria]

I don't believe that a person known publicly cannot be accused of something horrible or shameful. Public individuals are more prone to scandals if you ask me. Only a few are spared. As for Letizia's past, are we sure that she has something to hide that is too harmful for the monarchy? Seriously, what alarms me the most is her recent outfits not her past.

 

[White Princess]

Exactly, a vain book. I am not interested at all. I am interested in what Letizia does now, as crown princess, and she is doing a great job. That`s what matters, not some stupid, probably not even true things from the past

I do agree with you. I'm sick and tired of this people who try to put her down.

Long may she reign as queen!

 

[black]

i think this book is badly researched (hah!) and written and will not recieve much attention in spain except maybe for those who need something, anything against letizia. and someone asked why she is not using her friends in the media section to gain better publicity for herself- can u imagine the furore if she did? and also, maybe she and the royal house doesn't really give two hoots about this book...they know how all this works. no point getting into the mud for a mud-slinging match.
letizia will have a public role long after the last copy of this book has been chucked in the bin
and can i just say, i think its ludicrous to be discussing who would have made felipe a better bride, 6 years after the wedding. it's over guys, let it go!

 

[Duncan]

As for Letizia's past, are we sure that she has something to hide that is too harmful for the monarchy?

What we know for certain is that the regional government bought a 900 kg safe to put away her divorce sentence and (allegedly, since this part wasn't confirmed) other documents concerning her past, causing a scandal because of the big expenditure.

The safe was kept at the town where the divorce had taken place, since the law stipulates that divorce documents can't leave the local court facilities, but I heard (this might be a urban legend) that it has since been moved to one of the vaults of the Bank of Spain.

The whole story is the kind of thing that can give rise to all kind of rumors and, eventually, to a book like the one we are commenting on.

 

[Priest008]

fandesacs2003 you said what is wrong with abortion??? Wow you really need to see photographs of what an aborted baby looks like, my problem is how can a women ever sit on the throne of Spain having committed such an atrocity, we are not talking about a merer love affair of adultery but the ripping of a baby to pieces, the throne of Spain has ever been a Catholic stronghold if the throne of Spain does not remain in service to God then it should not exists! Shame on the King who does not give glory to God, God who has placed him there in the first place through divine right.

 

[black]

What we know for certain is that the regional government bought a 900 kg safe to put away her divorce sentence and (allegedly, since this part wasn't confirmed) other documents concerning her past, causing a scandal because of the big expenditure.

The safe was kept at the town where the divorce had taken place, since the law stipulates that divorce documents can't leave the local court facilities, but I heard (this might be a urban legend) that it has since been moved to one of the vaults of the Bank of Spain.

The whole story is the kind of thing that can give rise to all kind of rumors and, eventually, to a book like the one we are commenting on.

a 900 kg safe? there must be a lot of documents in there? maybe a secret lovechild too? just kidding. i read that the reason that happened was because it is illegal for private documents to be in someone else's possession but as the future queen- her documents were more in danger of being stolen and leaked to the press. if it is well known that she is divorced and the ex has spoken well abt her (im sure there are many media ppl who would pay him a bomb to snark on her) then what more do we need to know?

 

[Winnie]

I am still not certain it was an "abortion". On my medical papers of years ago it states medical abortion, when it was actually a miscarriage that started at a picnic in my 3rd month but completed in hospital. So, you see, it might all be an awful thing to accuse a person of abortion when in fact it was a very painful loss of a much wanted additional child. I had to explain this to my own daughters when they came across this paper years later. We should not jump to believe all this.

 

[fandesacs2003]

You are right! Abortion or miscarriage, it is an enough big pain for a woman. We do not need to blame her in top of that.

 

[donnaK]

The divorce document of public figures should be locked, the divorce document of Elena and Jaime has also been locked in a safe. I'm sure the same happened to other divorced royal couples in other countries. If that local court happend not having a safe, buying one was expected. Now you see a DNI report even the author questioned its origin, if the divorce document hand't not been locked, you probably already saw it (real or fake) to be used for money, fame or political agenda.

 

[donnaK]

I agree but the topics you mention like marital crisis etc are the usual bla bla all CPs have to go through. Its pink press, nothing serious.

I'm pretty sure the real marital crisis or infidelities between Felipe and his wife would have been much more serious in Spain (we had seen it between Charles and Diana) than the unproven rumors on the past of his wife. So far from the reviews of the press, some details of the book have been taken with a grain of salt since the author hasn't shown any proof.
I don't think they are unprepared at 'knives are out at her/them' now the King is ill. She is tough, thus makes him a tougher person IMO.

I don't believe that a person known publicly cannot be accused of something horrible or shameful. Public individuals are more prone to scandals if you ask me. Only a few are spared.

Completely agree. If someone has an agenda to attack you, they could always make up stories to harm you, whether it's past or present, it makes no difference.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

For example in Germany, where the tabloids focus on Victoria, Madeleine, MM, Maxima, Letizia and Mary, the topics go in circles on a weekly basis: they are either pregnant, have a marital crisis, a family feud, finally a reconciliation and it all starts over again with the pregnancy rumour. Its daily business and I dont see how anyone would take that seriously.

Despite the gossip, a serious marital crisis usually goes unnoticed because royals are brilliant actors - it only gets confirmed in case of an imminent split, when it actually happens to the surprise of most people.

 

[donnaK]

German yellow press is a different story, pure fiction, I don't think they are even counted as rumors or gossips.
Today's press in Spain is very different from 30 years ago, Felipe obviously can't do lots of things his father had done without being talked in the press, marrying for love instead of convenience at least provided a good start.

 

[Paty]

Allow me to remember that the author of the book doesn't give any real proof that Letizia had an abortion. This book is based on gossips with no reliable sources.

 

[nascarlucy]

Most of the attacks on the commoner girlfriends/wives usually involve their past. It is usually their sexual history. If they don't have one, the press will either make one up or say that they are hidding something or they are a lesbian. If they have a past, the press or others that are against them will try to make it out like the've been around the block many times. Saying that someone had numerous boyfriends or saying that one slept around a lot doesn't prove anything.

The favorite of the attackers is did they have any children out of wedlock or did they ever have an abortion? If they kept the child of course they can't attack them on this, but if they gave the child to someone else, the press will find the child even if they had to hunt them down to the ends of the earth. Just hinting that someone may have had an abortion is enough to cause emotions in people. Even if there is no proof of it, it's enough to cause problems.

Royalty and politics shouldn't mix, but it looks like in this case, it's mixed together. Some of the people who have attacked Letizia have done so for political and religious reasons. Or perhaps to advance themselves at her expense.

 

[Jackswife]

Blah, blah, blah, more of the same Letizia bashing with no real proof of anything. In my eyes, if she's Felipe's choice, then fine with me. She seems very devoted to her children and totally in love with her husband and that's all I care about. All this other stuff makes me want to

 

[Katrianna]

Allow me to remember that the author of the book doesn't give any real proof that Letizia had an abortion. This book is based on gossips with no reliable sources.

Exactly and we all must remember this.

 

[An Ard Ri]

fandesacs2003 you said what is wrong with abortion??? Wow you really need to see photographs of what an aborted baby looks like, my problem is how can a women ever sit on the throne of Spain having committed such an atrocity, we are not talking about a merer love affair of adultery but the ripping of a baby to pieces, the throne of Spain has ever been a Catholic stronghold if the throne of Spain does not remain in service to God then it should not exists! Shame on the King who does not give glory to God, God who has placed him there in the first place through divine right.

Your entire rant against the Princess is based on idle gossip,you have no proof that the Princess committed any of the above .

The bible has a lot to say about people who spread idle gossip & slander !

 

[COUNTESS]

Frankly, it is all silly. All speculation. She is a lovely woman, who is doing her job, today. She is loved by her husband and two, adorable children. Her past is just that, "past". What she believes in is her own business. Conservative values is a crock...it also, brought you the Inqisition.

 

[donnaK]

At the latest interview the author gave to El Mundo this Sunday, he admitted that the CNI report was fake. He already questioned the validity of the CNI report in his book due to many spelling/grammatical errors of the report.

El autor del libro más polémico del otoño abjura de lo más novedoso, el informe del CNI: «Yo también creí que era falso. Incluso quise quitarlo de la versión final», dice a LOC

....
EL MUNDO. AÑO I. NÚMERO 85. LA OTRA CRÓNICA. SÁBADO 11. SEPTIEMBRE 2010

 

[nascarlucy]

Poor Letizia has been accused of just about everything that one could be accused of. You name it and she's been accused of it. The only thing that she hasn't been accused of is kicking her dog or cat or pet (I don't know if she has pets but this is the only thing that she hasn't been accused of).

Can you imagine if all this wasted time and energy being used by others to put her down was used in positive ways that benefited Spain. It seems like those attacking her want the country to go down the drain and then they can blame her or use her as some type of pawn in their political, religious or social agenda. This is all it is.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

After the book that was full of trash here comes the book that is full of sugar:
Los Prncipes, preparados para reinar? | España | elmundo.es

Carmen Enríquez and Emilio Oliva, who work as journalists for TVE and EFE (Letizia used to work for both institutions) created "The Princes. Prepared to reign", where Felipe is presented almost as overprepared, the perfect heir

Understandably that the SRF got their guns out but only time will tell what happens to the Spanish monarchy.