Queen Letizia a ‘common divorcee’ branded by Spain’s King Juan Carlos

Queen Letizia a ‘common divorcee’ branded by Spain’s King Juan Carlos

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Spain’s Queen Letizia was viewed as a threat to the nation’s royal household by former king Juan Carlos, according to a brand-new novel concerning the royal family.

Spain’s former king Juan Carlos viewed his soon-to-be daughter in law as ‘the worst thing that occurred to [the royal family] in many years’, before she wed his son Felipe.

The 77-year old Juan Carlos abdicated last year in favour of his 47-year old son, now King Felipe VI. Letizia came from a working family, her grandfather was a taxi driver and her mother was a union activist. ‘The master never liked the entrance of a journalist in a place that had traditionally been an opaque sanctuary from the fourth estate,’ explains the novel, ‘The Court of Felipe VI’, which will be released this week. It’s been written by two online journalists, Daniel Forcada of El Espanol of Alberto Lardies and El Confidencial.

The pair claim that Juan Carlos would entertain his friends with jokes that the royals, referring to her would devastate as ‘la chacha’. King told pals that Felipe was ‘about to ruin the monarchy’ when he learnt of his conclusion to marry Letizia, reported The Times. But this past year since the couple came to the throne, his friends have changed the public understanding of the Spanish monarchy for the better.

King Felipe has introduced reforms to help make the monarchy transparent and more responsible, in a country struggling beneath the weight of institutional corruption.

Meanwhile the prevalence of the royal family’ has increased, according to recent polls. The novel holds numerous alleged ‘errors’ including a desire to control what is published about Letizia, against her, a lack of diplomacy with workers and a ‘lack of esteem for many areas of the crown’.

But they add that she’s helped forge a connection involving the monarchy and the Spanish people. ‘ The fact that Letizia has got Felipe to go out for dinner in Madrid in areas he never knew before makes him normal for most people,’ said Forcada.

‘Perhaps for just about any son it is painful to believe his finest virtue should be not to be like his father.’

Journalism remains close and the Luis Carandell Journalism Awards were attended by her at the Senado Palace in Madrid. The royal household did not offer an opinion.