The last several decades have seen a great deal of change in the Royal House of Spain. When his father, Juan Carlos, abdicated in 2014, Prince Felipe succeeded him as king, ushering in a new era of Spanish regal rule.
Additionally, Letizia, formerly Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, became the new Queen, giving the nation a new ruler.Life as a king, queen, prince, or princess is quite different from what ordinary people experience, just like in other Royal families in Europe, notably the British Royal family.
Regarding Queen Letizia, the King, and their offspring, things are unquestionably different. Letizia, who comes from a typical family, met her future husband at a job. She now makes an effort to live a normal life as possible. This is all you need to know about Queen Letizia and the King of Spain, Felipe.
Although it may seem like a joyful life, celebrities are typically recognized everywhere they go. Now, that isn’t a problem for some people, especially for those who are young and dream of a future in something like acting or music; some people genuinely desire that kind of attention.
However, numerous Hollywood stars can attest to the drawbacks of having a global following. Simply put, it’s almost hard to lead a normal life.
Even several Hollywood stars have expressed the desire to just be able to go out and get milk unnoticed as one of their greatest desires. Others desire the freedom to move down the street unmolested by people attempting to take their photo or solicit their autograph.
King Felipe of Spain & Queen Letizia
The life of a celebrity is glamorous in many ways, but extremely difficult in others.
A class of celebrities that is even more limited than Hollywood’s stars live lives that are arguably even more magnificent. We are, of course, referring to royalty. There are now more than 20 monarchy in existence worldwide.
One of the most famous is the British Royal Family, where Queen Elizabeth still rules after an incredible 70 years on the throne. Others can be found, for instance, in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
There are several additional royal families in Europe. However, one in particular has recently come under fire: the Spanish Royal Family. Spain’s King Felipe succeeded his father, King Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014. The family now leads a tranquil life, and King Felipe has grown to be a very well-liked ruler.
The fact that Felipe’s wife, Queen Letizia, has no royal ancestry is arguably the most controversial feature of the Spanish Royal Family. When she first met the then-Prince Felipe back in 2002, she was working with something quite different. Soon after, the two started dating. She went by the name Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano at the time.
King Felipe’s way to the throne
Letizia and Felipe have two beautiful children together today, and to some extent, they try to have as regular a life as they can. The son of former King Juan Carlos of Spain and former Queen Sofia of Greece, King Felipe of Spain was crowned on January 30, 1968.
Despite having two older sisters, Juan Carlos’ kid is the lone child. Felipe was anointed even though he wasn’t the oldest since the throne in Spain used to be passed via the male line. However, that has altered recently, and Felipe’s oldest daughter will now succeed him as queen.
King Felipe had the opportunity to travel extensively with his siblings as a child. In 1984 and 1985, he attended the Lakefield College School in Ontario, Canada, to complete his studies. Other noteworthy graduates from the school, according to Huffington Post, include Prince Andrew and actor Will Arnett.
“His only goal is to serve Spain”
“Those whom God has chosen to be kings and to be at the head of the destiny of a country do not have any other choice than to start to understand the importance and the special characteristics of the position because one can say that they start to become adults long before other boys of their age,” the King’s first letter home read, as reported by the Telegraph.
Felipe completed three years of military training in Spain’s armed forces academy after finishing his studies in Canada. He afterwards completed his legal education in Madrid. He completed his education, graduating from Georgetown University in Washington, DC, with a master’s degree in international relations.
“His goal, his only goal, is to serve Spain. It has been deeply ingrained in him that he must be the country’s main servant,” his mother, Queen Sofia, once said, as reported by The Guardian.
Felipe turned out to be quite well-liked by the Spanish populace. As a sailing competitor in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona—Prince even carried the Spanish team’s flag—his popularity increased even more. He finished sixth overall with his sailing teammates.
King Felipe of Spain was studying, sailing, and getting ready to become the king while his future bride, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, was engaged in other activities.
Who is the Spanish Queen, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano?
She was born in Oviedo, Spain, on September 15, 1972. Letizia was raised in a working-class household. Her mother, Maria, was a nurse, and her father, Jess José, was a journalist.
Letizia attended the public school in La Gesta before continuing her education at the Alfonso II Institute. She was 14 when her family relocated to Madrid.
Letizia graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Madrid’s Complutense University. The Institute for Audiovisual Journalism Studies awarded her a Master’s degree in audiovisual journalism as well.
Letizia started working at various newspapers and journalistic organizations while still a student. She worked as a reporter for several newspapers before transitioning to Spanish broadcast television.
Letizia rose to the position of news anchor for Telediario, where she even covered the 2000 US presidential election. She also received the Larra Prize, given by the Madrid Press Association, to the best journalist under 30 that year.
Letizia had been married once before she met the love of her life. She married Guerrero Pérez in 1998. Sadly, a year later, they decided to get divorced.
According to the legend, King Felipe had been eager to meet Letizia and eventually succeeded in getting a dinner invitation from her through an acquaintance who works in journalism.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia dated in secret
According to reports, Letizia gave the Prince her phone number. However, it took a few more months before the two began dating.
Letizia and Felipe began dating more seriously in the years that followed, but because he was the heir to the throne and she was a journalist, they decided to keep it a secret.
Letizia said in 2003 that she was traveling “with a friend.” At the same time, Prince Felipe was seldom ever spotted at his official vacation house in Mallorca.
It turned out that the two were secretly spending time together. The Royal Family made a shocking announcement at the beginning of November 2003: Felipe and Letizia were engaged.
The engagement ring worn by Queen Letizia has a white gold band and 16 baguette-cut diamonds. She gave the King cufflinks made of white gold and sapphires in the meantime.
On May 22, 2004, the couple tied the knot at the Santa María la Real de la Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, with many Rroyal guests in attendance.
Threatened to renounce his right to the throne
With their marriage, Letizia became one of the few non-royals to become engaged and marry a royal.
On October 31, 2005, the couple welcomed daughter Leonor. Nearly two years later, Letizia gave birth to the couple’s second daughter, Sofia.
Looking back, it was hardly assured that King Felipe and Letizia would ever marry. Firstly, it was reported that then-King Juan Carlos didn’t like her at all; rumors claimed that he called Letizia “the enemy within.”
Moreover, King Juan Carlos wanted his son to wait another year before deciding if he wanted to marry Letizia or not. But Felipe had made his mind up. In fact, he threatened to walk away from the monarchy altogether if he couldn’t marry her.
“Felipe went to his father to ask permission to marry c with a letter renouncing his right to the throne in his pocket,” a member of another Royal family explained.
“And when his father suggested that he wait a year or so to make sure that she really was the right girl, he handed him the letter.
Juan Carlos asked Sofía, his wife, what they should do. She told him: “You have no choice. If you don’t acquiesce, it will be the end of the monarchy.”
Became King and Queen in 2014
In addition, there were worries that the marriage might not succeed due to Queen Letizia’s previous union at one point.
According to a Yahoo story, the Vatican would have needed to grant special authorization for Letizia to marry Felipe if the Catholic church had officiated her prior union. Fortunately for them, Letizia’s first marriage was civil, so they were able to get married.
A controversy befell the Royal Family as Spain entered the decade of the 2010s. A corruption probe and an elephant hunting expedition Juan Carlos took in April 2012, in the midst of Spain’s financial crisis, both did great damage to his reputation.
Juan Carlos made the decision to step down in 2014. On June 19, 2014, Prince Felipe succeeded King Felipe of Spain after 44 years. As a result, Letizia was crowned as queen.
“I want to put into practice my firm and constant desire to adapt the institution to the times we are living in at each moment, leading a project that links our history with the future and that encompasses our traditions with a forward-thinking, progressive spirit,” Felipe said in Barcelona in 2011.
Since 2007, Letizia has devoted herself to helping children across Spain, with her main areas of work related to education and health.
She prioritizes assistance for vocational training, reading comprehension, and the promotion of reading for youngsters between the ages of six and sixteen. She is also actively involved in initiatives to stop educational failure and early school departure.
Living a normal family life
In addition, Queen Letizia works to raise awareness for young people with rare diseases and to support individuals whose loved ones are battling cancer. In 2010, she was elected to the position of Honorary President of the Scientific Foundation and Spanish Association Against Cancer.
Unlike many other royals, King Felipe and Quen Lettizia do their utmost to live a normal life. Well, as normal as it can be, that is.
The two are frequently seen bringing their girls to the movies. Felipe and Letizia reportedly take their girls to a public theater, in contrast to the last King, Juan Carlos, who frequently hosted private screenings there.
According to the Spanish newspaper El Pas, Letizia pushes her family to lead a more conventional life.
King Felipe of Spain and Queen Letizia seem like good people and great parents. So please, share this article on Facebook with friends and family if you’re also a fan of royal families!
