King Felipe and Queen Letizia have been busy with international matters in recent weeks.
Last week, they welcomed Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa for a state visit. Leaders of the neighboring countries keep extremely close ties.
Their Majesties hosted a welcoming ceremony at the Royal Palace in Madrid and attended a reception at El Pardo Palace just outside the city.
Other stops for de Sousa included the Reina Sofia Museum and the University of Salamanca.
Tiara debut
During a dinner at the Madrid Royal Palace for the Portuguese president, Queen Letizia wore the family’s Cartier tiara for the first time ever.
Queen Sofia has often word the headpiece, but Queen Letizia has generally favored the smaller tiaras in the collection.
Saudi Visit
Earlier this month, the King and Queen welcomed the Saudi crown prince for a less formal gathering at the Madrid Royal Palace and Zarzuela Palace.
King Juan Carlos was recently vacationing in Saudi Arabia. where he keeps close touch with its royals.
All is well in the Spanish Royal Household. That’s the message from King Felipe after visiting his father at the hospital following an operation this weekend.
A supposed spat between Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia made international news soon after Easter.
On Saturday, they were both all smiles as their went into the La Moraleja Hospital in Madrid.
The controversy was over images appearing to show Queen Letizia blocking Queen Sofia from posing for pictures with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
Notably, on Saturday Queen Sofia walked holding both her young granddaughters’ hands. Other members of King Juan Carlos and King Felipe’s family also showed up.
An apparent Easter spat between Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia has caught fire and generated more family bickering.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia attended Easter services over the weekend with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
Videos have been circulating online showing Queen Letizia attempting to block her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia, from posing with photographers alone with her granddaughters, Infanta Sofia and Princess Leonor.
Queen Letizia, who tries to manage her daughters’ public appearances, apparently only wanted one photo of the entire family outside the church, as is custom.
Still, media outlets and critics are repeating claims of the Queen’s bad temper and strained relations with her mother-in-law.
As if all that wasn’t tough enough, Greek Princess Marie-Chantal — wife of Queen Sofia’s nephew — weighed in on social media.
Marie-Chantal criticized Queen Letizia’s actions and said Her Majesty had shown her “true colours.”
Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie-Chantal.
Whatever many European royals feel about Queen Letizia, they are also not likely to take well a princess in exile openly criticizing a reigning queen.
Media outlets often cite sources saying Queen Letizia doesn’t get along with Queen Sofia’s extended family, but they also talk about Queen Letizia’s efforts to encourage an active and exemplary monarchy in Spain. Marie-Chantal, an heiress, is known for her lavish lifestyle.
Don Juan, King Felipe’s grandfather and King Juan Carlos’ father, never got to reign over Spain. Still, he used the title of Count of Barcelona, which is generally attached to Spanish monarchs.
Events leading to the Spanish Civil War forced his abdication along with Queen Victoria Eugenie. He remained in exile for much of his life but died in Spain in 1993.
National Archives of the Netherlands
After King Juan Carlos succeeded dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, he held a ceremony at Zarzuela Palace for his father, Juan, to officially renounce his claim to the throne.
Infanta Cristina
A significant occurrence at the event was that Infanta Cristina, King Felipe’s sister, attended the services.
Infanta Cristina with Infanta Elena as photographed by the magazine ¡Hola! several years ago.
She has kept a distance from other members of the Royal Family and King’s Family amid controversy surrounding her husband’s business dealings.
LOS BORBONES 