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Post by americanchai on Apr 7, 2018 9:56:25 GMT -4
I'm also Team Leti. She is much-hated amongst the Spanish grandees and the JC/Sofia/Cristina camp. I think people are just jealous because she is stunning and well-dressed and a decent mother and Felipe adores her. I think she stole their most adored son.
I think the video shows a stroppy pre-teen feeling a bit fed up with her grandmother and a protective mother squaring off against MIL. Leti will not live this down, no matter what the truth is, because her enemies seem to be legion.
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Post by Augustus on Apr 7, 2018 11:12:13 GMT -4
Team Leti too. No matter what, she's still the parent and Sofia the grandmother. It's her kids, so if she doesn't want Sofia to use the kids for a photo-op, she's in her right to put a stop to it. Being a grandmother does not give you more rights.
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technicolor
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 337
Nov 22, 2010 9:41:42 GMT -4
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Post by technicolor on Apr 7, 2018 13:35:45 GMT -4
I really don't get the hate for Letizia. She seems to be very hard working and professional-- like Princess Anne. Is it just a case of "who is this commoner hussy who over-stepped her place and became Queen?" Or is Letizia a rude and snobbish control freak who steps all over the minions, and therefore there's a reason to dislike her? (Is she like Mariah Carey?) IMO it's a number of things combined. The Spanish monarchy still has a relatively strict protocol, at least compared to other European houses. Letizia came in as a divorced commoner, and had a relatively high profile professional career. Also, the Spanish tabloids seem incredibly vicious. The rumour is that Felipe threatened to abdicate if he couldn't marry her. Which...yes, if true, that sounds romantic. But in such a scenario, even though parents, people at court etc. had to give in to his demands and let him marry who he wants, there's life after the wedding. And if there's resistance to Letizia before the marriage, it won't go away after the marriage. If you look at her as a journalist, she was this vivacious, extroverted person, quick to offer her opinions. IMO for a few years after she became princess, it was as if all life had been sucked out of her at public events. And even now, she's much, much more careful in all her public appearances, a much quieter presence. Some of that is getting older, sure, but it's also the pressures of the court, probably. Before Felipe became king, it was also perhaps easier to work against her/marginalize her at court. I'm sure her husband tried to shield her, but as long as he himself isn't king, the politics of that place are probably complicated for him as well. It also can't be easy to give up your career, which she seemed to enjoy very much. IMO there's also a sexist angle where she has been often accused of being "too forward" since she's naturally extroverted and Felipe seems introverted. Which...he's super at ease with her, seems secure in himself and seems to have zero problem not being the center of attention at all times. So it's extra ridiculous that parts of the yellow press want to be offended on his behalf, while he's probably glad that his more extroverted wife is sparing him some effort when it comes to socializing. |
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Post by Ginger on Apr 7, 2018 14:40:02 GMT -4
Yeah, Letizia was tagged as problematic from the beginning for no good reason that I can tell and has been struggling against it ever since.
There was the crop of crown princesses that all married in 2002-2004. Maxima is the most extroverted of all and had a big-time career and a shady father who wasn't allowed to go to her wedding because of his ties to Argentina's dictatorship, and yet everybody loved her. Mary was a realtor of no particular personal distinction, but she fit in well enough. Letizia was always the black sheep; everybody knew her in-laws hated her. The press was always looking for evidence that she was a controlling beeyotch who would eventually make Felipe miserable. She interrupted him one time during an interview, was eviscerated, and from then on had to be extra meek and humble and submissive.
If Letizia is all, "I'm in charge now, bitches" then I don't really blame her.
If Felipe had done what he was supposed to and married some minor European royal, I don't think she would have fared much better. She just would have been attacked for different reasons.
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Post by Martini Girl on Apr 7, 2018 15:09:27 GMT -4
Wow Technicolor. It seems like you're also describing Meghan Markle...
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Post by Ginger on Apr 7, 2018 16:53:56 GMT -4
Wow Technicolor. It seems like you're also describing Meghan Markle... Meghan has had a very, very easy ride compared to Letizia. Yes, Meghan is being scrutinized endlessly and people are jabbering about this and side-eyeing that, but that's all part of the process of her becoming a famous princess that people want to follow. Nothing about her is considered an actual problem. And she seems to have the full and genuine support of her future in-laws. With Letizia, it's like she was expected to wear a hair shirt in public to atone for her horrible deficiencies. I would compare her more to Camilla in terms of being a genuine black sheep who was only reluctantly allowed into the family. |
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Post by Augustus on Apr 7, 2018 18:52:21 GMT -4
I'd also throw in the fact that Letizia was already working as a journalist on Spanish TV, so people already knew her. They were already quite acquainted with her presence, so opinions were already formed. So here comes this homegrown female journalist-news anchor, and she snags the Crown Prince himself. Oy.
All the other women were unknown, and whose careers were all started elsewhere. By the time they were introduced to the public, people still had no idea who they were. Perhaps some glimpses here and there in the tabloids, or other saucy stories, but still pretty much an enigma to the general public.
I'd guess it's easier to fit in the "role" if you're unknown to most, than having to reshape everything people already know of you to see you differently.
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Post by Babycakes on Apr 8, 2018 21:30:33 GMT -4
Meghan has had a very, very easy ride compared to Letizia. Yes, Meghan is being scrutinized endlessly and people are jabbering about this and side-eyeing that, but that's all part of the process of her becoming a famous princess that people want to follow. Nothing about her is considered an actual problem. And she seems to have the full and genuine support of her future in-laws. Except the monstrously horrific racism that she's been/is being subjected to. The press is being more subtle lately, but the internet is full of trolls. The comments beneath articles about her are the stuff of nightmares.  |
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Post by Martini Girl on Apr 9, 2018 17:35:02 GMT -4
From the Spanish Press Letizia only wants to work part time, and the senior King and Queen feel like "they're being pushed out". They sound like lovely people. I feel for Felipe and Letizia. |
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Post by Ginger on Apr 9, 2018 17:48:09 GMT -4
OMG, this is the incident I was talking about. From the El Pais article:
It was 15 years ago! Get the fuck over it! And there was never anything wrong with it to begin with, it was a cute moment between a genuine couple.
As for the former King and Queen, Juan Carlos abdicated the throne. Because of scandal. In the old days, what he would have been "pushed out of" is a moving train after getting a bullet to the head. He should count his blessings.
My suspicion that Juan Carlos and Sofia still think they are still the reigning King and Queen (and behave that way) was confirmed by that article.
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