Welcome to the World Infanta Sofia!
9 Comments Published by Alexandria on Sunday, April 29, 2007 at 1:56 p.m..
The royal baby boom wrapped up this month with the arrival of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia's little girl, Infanta Sofia born today at Madrid's Ruber Internacional Hospital at 16:50 p.m. The little girl, who is named for her maternal grandmother, Queen Sofia (born Princess Sophie of Greece) weighed 3.310 grams and 50 centimeters.
The Prince of Asturias's first phone call was to his father, King Juan Carlos, to announce the arrival of the King's eighth grandchild. Queen Sofia was in the air, flying from Moscow (returning from the funeral of Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich) to Madrid, but congratulated her son via a text message (how thoroughly modern!). Infanta Cristina, who was with her husband Inaki Urdangarin attending a tennis match received a call on her cell phone during the middle of the game. Infanta Elena was also contacted about the arrival of her niece.
Princess Letizia's mother, Paloma Rocasolano, was present at the hospital when her granddaughter was born.
Tomorrow, Infanta Leonor will meet her baby sister.
The Prince of Asturias's first phone call was to his father, King Juan Carlos, to announce the arrival of the King's eighth grandchild. Queen Sofia was in the air, flying from Moscow (returning from the funeral of Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich) to Madrid, but congratulated her son via a text message (how thoroughly modern!). Infanta Cristina, who was with her husband Inaki Urdangarin attending a tennis match received a call on her cell phone during the middle of the game. Infanta Elena was also contacted about the arrival of her niece.
Princess Letizia's mother, Paloma Rocasolano, was present at the hospital when her granddaughter was born.
Tomorrow, Infanta Leonor will meet her baby sister.
Spanish State Visit to Luxembourg
0 Comments Published by Alexandria on Saturday, April 21, 2007 at 3:17 p.m..
On the invitation of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain made a visit to Luxembourg this week, from April 16 to 18. Their last visit to Luxembourg was in July 1990. Among the activities were a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, Betzdorf's Castle, a concert by the Luxembourg Philharmonic, a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, and a visit to the University of Luxembourg.
Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa donned some beautiful outfits as hostess of this visit. Her daytime wear was particularly lovely, especially the turquoise suite she donned on the first day of the visit and the fuschia suit on the second day of the visit. A highlight: the Grand Duchess donned the late Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte's favourite tiara for the first time.
Grand Duchess Maria-Teresa donned some beautiful outfits as hostess of this visit. Her daytime wear was particularly lovely, especially the turquoise suite she donned on the first day of the visit and the fuschia suit on the second day of the visit. A highlight: the Grand Duchess donned the late Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte's favourite tiara for the first time.
Labels: Luxembourg, Royalty, Spanish
Spanish Royals Celebrate Easter
0 Comments Published by Alexandria on Sunday, April 8, 2007 at 9:48 a.m..
As is tradition, the entire Spanish royal family celebrates the Easter holidays in Palma Mallorca. This year however, Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia and Infanta Leonor will not make the trip due to the advanced state of Princess Letizia's pregnancy she has been advised against flying. The Prince and Princess of Asturias will be spending Easter in Madrid instead, hopefully with Princess Letizia's family as it is the first holiday without her sister Erika, and it would be nice for Erika's daughter Carla to be surrounded by her family.
Here, the family poses in front of the Cathedral in Palma de Mallorca before the traditional Mass of the Resurrection. (Simoneta Gomez-Acebo's (the niece of the King) daughter Maria Fernanda, seems to have joined the family, too, finding a spot for between Infanta Cristina's two youngest sons, Miguel and Pablo Urdangarin.) It seems that new hairdos were the order of the day for the Infantas. Infanta Cristina got bangs and Infanta Elena wore her hair down instead of the usual braid (and occasionally ponytail) she usually has. Victoria de Marichalar looks adorable in her green skirt and white sweater with matching stockings.
As the King and Queen and members of the family arrived a few days earlier, they participated in various Easter processions and enjoyed some time at the park and around Palma Mallorca. Little Irene Urdangarin especially had fun at the park with her mom.
Leonor's Big Zoo Adventure
Published by Alexandria on Wednesday, April 4, 2007 at 6:47 p.m..
Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia surprised royalwatchers with a special appearance at the Faunia Wildlife Park, just outside of Madrid today. With them, adorable little Infanta Leonor in a furry white coat, pink(!) pants and shoes and little pigtails -- but because of her curls she looked a bit like Princess Leia!
Can you see the difference? (Alternatively, if Felipe and Letizia ever need a costume idea for Leonor at Halloween time ...)
Today is the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Madrid, which took the lives of 191 people and wounded more than 1,800 people who were on a morning train going about their lives on March 11, 2004, when a series of bombs went off at Atocha rail station in central Madrid.
King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia attended a memorial service where a towering 10-storey glass cylinder etched with grief-stricken condolences and messages were left at the time for the victims. (In 2005, on the first anniversary of the attack, a Forest of Remembrance was unveiled, which bears a grove of olive and cypress trees in a park in Madrid.)
King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia attended a memorial service where a towering 10-storey glass cylinder etched with grief-stricken condolences and messages were left at the time for the victims. (In 2005, on the first anniversary of the attack, a Forest of Remembrance was unveiled, which bears a grove of olive and cypress trees in a park in Madrid.)
New (Sort of) Portraits of the Spanish King and Queen
0 Comments Published by Alexandria on at 8:57 a.m..
New, well, what I thought were new portraits of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain, but in fact are not. They are at least new to me.
The Queen looks so elegant in this purple gala gown. It's one of her best and one of my favourites, and I'm glad that she chose it for her official portrait. The King also looks very handsome in his uniform, so regal and dignified. And together they are a very handsome couple. Thumbs up all around for this set of pictures!
And now here is where I do a bit of griping. For these "business/professional" portraits of the King and Queen, we get the King in a very nice blue suit and bright blue tie. He looks handsome again and very much a professional. Then we get the Queen in a blue/grey/green smock of some sort that is something in between daytime wear and evening wear, but is a bit confused about its identity and doesn't know which one it is. The jewellery she's accented it with hasn't helped the identity issues. The Queen has so many nice suits, why did she choose this creation, which also, I might add, does nothing to reveal her figure, which is quite lovely for a 60+ year old woman who is a grandmother. Note that the colour of the Queen's outfit is a near perfect match for the curtains! Then in their joint picture, why can't the King muster up a smile and get his hands out of his pockets? Hands in your pockets is something I would expect from one of his grandsons, not from him!
The Queen looks so elegant in this purple gala gown. It's one of her best and one of my favourites, and I'm glad that she chose it for her official portrait. The King also looks very handsome in his uniform, so regal and dignified. And together they are a very handsome couple. Thumbs up all around for this set of pictures!
And now here is where I do a bit of griping. For these "business/professional" portraits of the King and Queen, we get the King in a very nice blue suit and bright blue tie. He looks handsome again and very much a professional. Then we get the Queen in a blue/grey/green smock of some sort that is something in between daytime wear and evening wear, but is a bit confused about its identity and doesn't know which one it is. The jewellery she's accented it with hasn't helped the identity issues. The Queen has so many nice suits, why did she choose this creation, which also, I might add, does nothing to reveal her figure, which is quite lovely for a 60+ year old woman who is a grandmother. Note that the colour of the Queen's outfit is a near perfect match for the curtains! Then in their joint picture, why can't the King muster up a smile and get his hands out of his pockets? Hands in your pockets is something I would expect from one of his grandsons, not from him!
Death of Erika Ortiz
0 Comments Published by Alexandria on Saturday, February 10, 2007 at 10:20 a.m..
On Wednesday morning, the body of Princess Letizia's younger sister Erika Ortiz was found in her home. She was 31 and is survived by a six-year-old daughter, Carla.
Her former boyfriend, and Carla's father, António Vigo, found the body. He apparently went to her apartment after trying unsuccessfully to reach her via phone.
At this time, no cause of death has been revealed. I actually hope that the cause of death is never revealed. I think it's a private matter what Erika died of. She was not a public figure although she is the sister of a public figure. In death, her life should be treated with some respect and courtesy. If not for her, then for the sake of her daughter who will now have to live the rest of her life without her mother who would have told her all sorts of things that all moms tell their daughters, like about boys.
I am also really bothered by all the articles that speculate about Erika's cause of death, especially those that hint that as she was known to have been battling depression the last few years that she somehow overdosed on medication and committed suicide. To me this just leads to further misconceptions about mental illness. There could have been many possibilities for Erika's death, some of which are related to depression and some which are not -- what's the point of endless speculating what she died of?
On Thursday, Erika's body was cremated. The pictures and the video of Letizia at this occasion were heartbreaking. Six months pregnant and experiencing such immense tragedy and grief; it was very overwhelming to see her so emotional. Then there were pictures of her greeting members of the royal family: practically leaning on Inaki and Cristina as if she couldn't bear it anymore on her own two feet or of her curtsying to the king -- despite all her grief and pain, she was ever so mindful of protocol.
Sofia, unfortunately was not at the cremation. She was on an official visit to Indonesia when the news of Erika's death was relayed to her. The queen immediately cancelled the rest of her trip to return to Madrid to be with her family.
Letizia and Erika's other sister, Telma, was also unable to attend the cremation. Telma was out of the country and was not able to make it back in time but did arrive afterwards to be with her family.
Erika in happier times, at her sister's wedding to Felipe in May 2004.
Letizia at the cremation of her sister.
Her former boyfriend, and Carla's father, António Vigo, found the body. He apparently went to her apartment after trying unsuccessfully to reach her via phone.
At this time, no cause of death has been revealed. I actually hope that the cause of death is never revealed. I think it's a private matter what Erika died of. She was not a public figure although she is the sister of a public figure. In death, her life should be treated with some respect and courtesy. If not for her, then for the sake of her daughter who will now have to live the rest of her life without her mother who would have told her all sorts of things that all moms tell their daughters, like about boys.
I am also really bothered by all the articles that speculate about Erika's cause of death, especially those that hint that as she was known to have been battling depression the last few years that she somehow overdosed on medication and committed suicide. To me this just leads to further misconceptions about mental illness. There could have been many possibilities for Erika's death, some of which are related to depression and some which are not -- what's the point of endless speculating what she died of?
On Thursday, Erika's body was cremated. The pictures and the video of Letizia at this occasion were heartbreaking. Six months pregnant and experiencing such immense tragedy and grief; it was very overwhelming to see her so emotional. Then there were pictures of her greeting members of the royal family: practically leaning on Inaki and Cristina as if she couldn't bear it anymore on her own two feet or of her curtsying to the king -- despite all her grief and pain, she was ever so mindful of protocol.
Sofia, unfortunately was not at the cremation. She was on an official visit to Indonesia when the news of Erika's death was relayed to her. The queen immediately cancelled the rest of her trip to return to Madrid to be with her family.
Letizia and Erika's other sister, Telma, was also unable to attend the cremation. Telma was out of the country and was not able to make it back in time but did arrive afterwards to be with her family.
Erika in happier times, at her sister's wedding to Felipe in May 2004.
Letizia at the cremation of her sister.
