A committed defender
Infanta Elena is a prominent figure in the Spanish royal family. She is known for being a staunch defender of the reign of John Charles I and for expressing her critical views on some of Philip VI’s actions during his reign. Although he wept during his brother’s proclamation as King of Spain, he believes it was not the right time to force the emeritus to abdicate, let alone exile him thousands of miles away. For her, this decision was a totally unfair public humiliation (https://correccioencatala.cat/com-estructura-text-catala/).
A change of course
Since 2014, the royal family has followed a clear strategy to protect the crown, which includes keeping a distance from members of the Bourbon family. Little by little, this surname has been disappearing. In fact, Princess Leonor has received great approval from the citizens, as she is no longer related to the king’s family, not even to Juan Carlos. Since the early years of his reign, there is no public photograph of the ex-monarch with Eleanor and Sofia. The image of the two princesses has improved significantly and is no longer associated with the previous disastrous reign.
Family disagreements
Infanta Elena attributes to Letizia the humiliations suffered by Juan Carlos and Sofia. He has never had a good relationship with the Queen as he believes she is responsible for Philip VI’s controversial decisions. According to Froilán and Victoria’s mother Federica, her brother would never have made these decisions on his own. He believes that the queen is to blame for all the family problems, an opinion that Juan Carlos also shares.
A celebration without Bourbon
Last Wednesday, June 19, the tenth anniversary of the proclamation of Felipe VI as King of Spain was celebrated. The event was attended only by the current Royal Family: Felipe, Letizia, Leonor and Sofia. No other member of the Borbó family attended the event, except for the king, who was the protagonist of the day. Both Juan Carlos and Sofia expressed their desire to attend, but ultimately did not appear. This absence left the Infanta Elena very sad and let Philip VI know that he had made a mistake once again. He also discussed it with Juan Carlos, as he believes that many years have passed and it is time to forget and move on. He believes that this was a crucial moment to close wounds and rebuild the family, but the ex-monarch will not set foot in Zarzuela again (https://materials.campus.uoc.edu/continguts/PID_00294231/index.html).
Infanta Elena, a critical voice
Infanta Elena is a key figure in the Spanish royal family and has expressed her views frankly and openly. Although she has been critical of some actions of Felipe VI and Letizia, she has not lost her dedication to the crown and its duties. It is a voice that has defended the interests of the royal family and shown its concern for the future of the Spanish monarchy.
