Christmas has always been a spectacle that combines tradition, commitments and family emotions. In the case of the Bourbons, this festival becomes a curious balance between institutional pomp and domestic intimacy, between the tradition of a centuries-old monarchy and the modernity of a family marked by the imprint of the Queen Letizia. On these dates, except for the private vacations that are hidden from us, every decision, every gesture and every word is scrutinized, amplified and analyzed by a society that observes with fascination and, sometimes, with skepticism.
Chapter 1: The royal family in front of the Christmas mirror
The Christmas lights are already shining in the shop windows and on the streets of Spain, but in Zarzuela decisions are not made with the spontaneity of ordinary mortals. The Borbón Ortiz family must plan these dates with millimetric precision, between official events, family gatherings and the expectations of public opinion. For them, the line between private and public is so thin that it is often blurred.
The previous reign was more relaxed in this sense. Juan Carlos would disappear for weeks without anyone asking. Today, with Felipe VI and Letizia, everything is analyzed: if they walk through a Christmas market, if they attend a living Nativity scene or if they simply do not appear in public.
Chapter 2: A relevant year for the Borbón Ortiz
2024 has been an especially significant year for the royal family. Felipe VI celebrated the tenth anniversary of his proclamation as king, a milestone that has consolidated his role as a symbol of stability in an often divided country. In addition, the Kings celebrated 20 years of marriage, an anniversary that recalled that wedding in the Almudena Cathedral that marked a before and after in the Spanish monarchy.
In the family sphere, the protagonists have been his daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía, who already live their own lives away from the Zarzuela Palace. Leonor, at the Naval Academy in Marín, and Sofía, at the UWC Atlantic College in Wales, return home for Christmas as two key pieces of a family puzzle that seeks to fit in the midst of commitments and expectations.
Chapter 3: The daughters who return home
The first to return was Sofía, who arrived on December 12 after finishing her exams in Wales. His return was marked by a very special commitment: the presidency of the Objective Heritage photography awards, his first solo act. Leonor, on the other hand, will not return until December 22, the day she will finish her classes in Marín and will be able to reunite with her family. Christmas is always a long-awaited moment for the Borbón Ortiz family. Although they see each other often throughout the year, these days together have a special meaning, especially now that the girls are away.
Chapter 4: The distribution of the holidays
If there is something that characterizes the current Bourbons, it is their particular way of organizing parties. Unlike previous times, when celebrations were massive and noisy, today Christmas is experienced in a more intimate way. Queen Letizia has imposed her own style and this includes spending most of the holidays with her mother, Paloma Rocasolano, and other members of her maternal family.
The contrast with Juan Carlos and Sofía’s Christmases is notable. During the reign of the emeritus, the gatherings included dozens of family members, with massive dinners where English was spoken and the menu followed a strict tradition. For Letizia, on the other hand, Christmas has become a space of simplicity and tranquility, far from the pomp of yesteryear.
Chapter 5: Christmas Eve in Zarzuela
The Christmas Eve dinner takes place in the Prince’s Pavilion, the residence of the Kings. Felipe, Letizia, Leonor, Sofía and Paloma Rocasolano sit at the table. Before the King’s Christmas speech begins, the Borbón Ortiz family go on to wish Happy Holidays to Queen Sofía and Irene of Greece, who have dinner with the Infantas Elena and Cristina and their children. On New Year’s Eve, as anticipated Informaliathe infantas will be with Don Juan Carlos and it is foreseeable that they will be there until his birthday, on January 5.
At the Kings’ table, the menu has changed. Although Letizia is known for her strict healthy diet, that night she allows herself to include some ‘whims’ such as turkey stuffed with vegetables, foie and Christmas sweets. Everything must be ready before seven in the evening so that the Royal Family staff can retire to enjoy dinner with their families. That night, the royal family serves themselves.
Chapter 6: The King’s Speech
Felipe VI’s Christmas speech is one of the most emblematic moments of the holidays. This year, the monarch is expected to address key topics such as the consequences of the DANA that devastated Valencia and reflect on family achievements, such as Leonor’s military training and Sofía’s educational advances. The speech is recorded in advance and Letizia is always the most critical behind the cameras. The message, brief but loaded with meaning, marks the official start of Christmas celebrations both for the family and for millions of Spaniards.
Chapter 7: New Year’s Eve and the new year
The last night of the year is usually more private for the Borbón Ortiz. In the past, the family used to travel to ski resorts abroad, but now, with Leonor and Sofía in Madrid, the dynamic has changed. The young women take the opportunity to go out with their friends, while Felipe and Letizia prefer a quiet dinner at home.
The new year begins with Military Easter, a solemn event that interrupts the morning of Three Kings. This tradition, which marked the childhood of Leonor and Sofía, is now seen more naturally by the family, who compensates for the lost time by celebrating the afternoon at the home of Jesús Ortiz, Letizia’s father.
Epilogue: Christmas as a reflection of the royal family
In the privacy of Zarzuela, between family dinners and institutional speeches, the Borbón Ortiz family navigate Christmas like any family, but with the added weight of the public eye. If anything is clear, it is that, under the glow of the lights and the echo of the Christmas carols, the royal family is as complex and peculiar as any other, with its own rituals, tensions and joys.
In its apparent normality, this Christmas reveals something essential about the Spanish monarchy: its ability to adapt and reinvent itself, always faithful to tradition, but also open to new times. A perfect reflection of what it means to be Borbón Ortiz in the 21st century.
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