For years now, Queen Letizia has been “above” reproach and above the chattering gossip of the Spanish royal court. She got a lot of sh-t before her father-in-law Juan Carlos abdicated, but there’s been a lot of time and energy put into presenting Letizia and Felipe as a modern golden couple now that he’s king and she’s consort. This story has the power to knock Letizia off that pedestal, although it will be interesting to watch this play out in the Spanish and European media. So, Letizia’s former brother-in-law Jaime del Burgo – who was married to her sister – claims that he had an affair with Letizia before and after she married Felipe. Holy sh-t.
Spain’s Queen Letizia had an affair during the early years of her marriage to King Felipe, it has been claimed. Jaime del Burgo, a longtime friend of the queen who went on to marry her sister, has alleged that he was in a romantic relationship with Letizia, before she was married in 2004 and at another point after her wedding.
Mr Del Burgo shared an image of Letizia on social media in which she is visibly pregnant. King Felipe and Queen Letizia’s daughters were born in 2005 and 2007. He claimed that Letizia sent him the photo while they were conducting the affair along with the message: “Love. I am wearing your pashmina. It is like feeling you by my side. It looks after me. Protects me. I am counting the hours until we see each other again, love you, get out of here. Yours.”
Speculation over the Spanish queen’s relationship with Mr Del Burgo emerged after the 53-year-old businessman was interviewed by the author of a new book about his relationship with the royal. In Letizia y yo (Letizia and I), by royal reporter Jaime Peñafiel, Mr Del Burgo claimed Queen Letizia told him that she loved him as they lay in hammocks by the pool at her and Felipe’s royal residence, La Zarzuela. This prompted him to write an unpublished play in English, entitled The Hammock.
He is also quoted as saying that Spain’s CNI secret service placed him under surveillance for five years and even broke into his home in Switzerland. Mr Del Burgo said the alleged operation did not achieve its presumed objectives as he had placed everything to do with his relationship with Letizia – “photographs, videos, mobile phones, text messages” – in a bank vault.
Spain’s royal household declined to comment on Mr Del Burgo’s claims.
Mr Del Burgo claims in the book that he had been poised to propose to Letizia – then an anchor on Spanish state television news shows – and had a ring in his pocket on the night she first told him about her relationship with Felipe. The book does not allege that any affair was conducted during Letizia’s marriage to Felipe. However, he has now claimed that it did.
Mr Del Burgo, who was a witness at the wedding of Felipe and Letizia, claimed that the future queen begged him to “never leave her” the night before she was married. He went on in 2012 to marry the queen’s sister, Telma Ortiz, before the couple divorced two years later.
On his account on X, formerly known as Twitter, which was deleted on Monday, Mr Del Burgo said that the book had not told the whole truth, and made the claim that he and Letizia had been lovers during her marriage to King Felipe.Some social media users posted messages of support for Queen Letizia. Carolina Alonso, spokeswoman of the Left-wing and anti-monarchist Unidas Podemos group in Madrid’s regional parliament, said Mr Del Burgo’s messages were a “sexist attack on her privacy”.
Wow. Even if Jaime’s account is true – and that’s a big if – this is incredibly indiscreet more than anything else. I guess there’s an element of “what were the Spanish taxpayers paying for” when it comes to the question of whether Jaime was really being spied on. The idea that the Spanish intelligence agency was surveilling him in Switzerland? Over an affair?? I don’t know. Like, I’m more likely to believe that Letizia had a sidepiece more than “the Spanish government surveilled Letizia’s former brother-in-law for years.” This is also giving me vibes of Colin Firth, Livia Giuggioli and that Italian guy she was banging. That’s the feeling here – like Jaime got way too attached and Letizia thought it was something a lot less complicated.
Queen Letizia’s ex-brother-in-law claims he had a romantic relationship with her before marrying her sister https://t.co/9emWSqsZcR pic.twitter.com/MydVHyLuVT
— Page Six (@PageSix) December 4, 2023
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- The King of Spain Felipe VI and the Queen of Spain Letizia during XXV anniversary of ‘La Razon’ newspaper in Madrid, November 21, 2023.,Image: 823580981, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Not to be resold by any non direct partner of ALTERPHOTOS, Model Release: no, Credit line: David Cruz Sanz / Alter Photos / Avalon
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- König Felipe von Spanien und Königin Letizia von Spaninen bei der feierlichen Eröffnung der XV. Legislatur des Congreso de los Diputados, des Unterhauses des spanischen Parlamentes, vor dem Palacio de las Cortes. Madrid, 29.11.2023 *** King Felipe from Spain and Queen Letizia from spaninen at the festive Opening the XV Legislation of Congreso de Los Diputados, of House of Commons of Spanish Parliament, before the Palacio de Las Cortes Madrid, 29 11 2023 Foto:xDyDxFotografosx/xFuturexImagex congreso_3114,Image: 825448105, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/DyD Fotografos / Avalon
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- Königin Letizia von Spanien bei der feierlichen Eröffnung der XV. Legislatur des Congreso de los Diputados, des Unterhauses des spanischen Parlamentes, vor dem Palacio de las Cortes. Madrid, 29.11.2023 *** Queen Letizia from Spain at the festive Opening the XV Legislation of Congreso de Los Diputados, of House of Commons of Spanish Parliament, before the Palacio de Las Cortes Madrid, 29 11 2023 Foto:xDyDxFotografosx/xFuturexImagex congreso_3113,Image: 825448179, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/DyD Fotografos / Avalon
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- Kornprinzessin Leonor von Spanien, König Felipe von Spanien und Königin Letizia von Spaninen bei der feierlichen Eröffnung der XV. Legislatur des Congreso de los Diputados, des Unterhauses des spanischen Parlamentes, vor dem Palacio de las Cortes. Madrid, 29.11.2023 *** Grain princess Leonor from Spain, King Felipe from Spain and Queen Letizia from spaninen at the festive Opening the XV Legislation of Congreso de Los Diputados, of House of Commons of Spanish Parliament, before the Palacio de Las Cortes Madrid, 29 11 2023 Foto:xDyDxFotografosx/xFuturexImagex congreso_3110,Image: 825448220, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/DyD Fotografos / Avalon
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- Madrid, SPAIN – King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain attend the Reception of Foreign Ambassadors at the Royal Palace. Pictured: King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letizia of Spain BACKGRID USA 25 JANUARY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Madrid, SPAIN – Queen Letizia of Spain attends the commemorative act of the World Red Cross Day at Circulo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, Spain. Pictured: Queen Letizia BACKGRID USA 30 MAY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Madrid, SPAIN – Kings of Spain inaugurate the ‘Gallery of the Royal Collections’ atin the Royal Palace Madrid Queen Letizia Ortiz, King Felipe VI Pictured: Queen Letizia, King Felipe VI BACKGRID USA 25 JULY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Madrid, SPAIN – Princess Leonor of Asturias swears into the constitution on the day she comes of age. Pictured: Queen Letitzia, King Felipe, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, Infanta Sofia BACKGRID USA 31 OCTOBER 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
This sounds iffy. He sounds like a creep who was/is obsessed with her. let’s say they did have an affair, then married her sister? That’s creepy AF. I’m leaning toward BS stalker.
What I find interesting is that I read this in Dutch last night, that article said that the alleged affair continued for a while after this guy married her own sister, and now the article is gone.
That had multiple levels of ickiness, but learning that if all true, this guy also archived proof in a bank vault to make money on later is even worse.
Wow there seems to be an outbreak of hidden affairs coming out in Spain.
Wow, the Spanish media are really into reporting on royal shenanigans lately. This is incredibly indiscreet but if Latezia did send those messages during her marriage, the risk was always there that they could come out. If she didn’t send them during her marriage, I expect the palace will push back hard. I feel for her sister being dragged into this by her ex.
As much as I’d like this to not be true, Letizia is my posture and fashion guru, I just don’t know what to believe. If true, I hope that her and Felipe are able to work through it and come out stronger than ever.
I don’t believe it’s true simply because I think she is too smart to jeopardize her life and being royal. I would believe this more if it was Felipe because he came from a family/lifestyle that affairs were normalized. Anyway it seems to suck to be a royal these days.
I don’t believe for a minute that she was texting this guy the night before her wedding. As for him, he’s a sh*theel along the lines of the scammy Markels & is trying to make $$ off a very tenuous relationship to a famous/royal person. He wrote a play that didn’t get produced, now he’s found a ghostwriter for a book about his supposed affair/relationship? What a buffoon.
I guess the old rules about “gentlemen” never kissing and telling don’t apply anymore. But what is probably more concerning for the Spanish monarchy is the implication that one or both daughters might not be Felipe’s.
Since the eldest looks just like Felipe now and the younger is a spitting image of Felipe’s aunt Irene – I don’t think this is really an issue, beyond people trying to make trouble
In this day and age, I find the idea that any royal children aren’t immediately DNA tested completely unbelievable. And those girls look like Borbones in any case.
How gross! He goes on to marry her sister after his affair with her? That sounds like someone who refuses to accept that it’s over and is determined to stay in your life. I hope he’s lying because it sounds like she was being harassed by a vengeful ex-lover. That must have been awful. But that could explain why Spanish intelligence was watching him, though. If he seemed to give off stalker vibes they may have felt they had to keep watch.
Maybe there was an affair, maybe there wasn’t, but this guy seems……extreme about it. He has things locked in a vault relating to the affair? that seems like either a veiled threat or an invitation to the tabloids to pay for those things. And then he married her sister?
I wonder if there was an affair and then he got a little too Fatal Attraction about it and Letizia cut him off?
The Hammock?
No wonder she didn’t want you.
He was about to propose, ring in his pocket, when she told him about Felipe? That doesn’t sound like a significant, steady relationship. And that text? Maybe something is lost in translation because it seems caring and loving, but not sexual to me.
exactly that!
there are so many possible interpretations – so who (but Letizia and that creep) knows what the truth is.
I hope she and Felipe and their daughters get through this.
He has creepy stalker vibes written all over him and this story – sounds to me like there was a close friendship where the ‘relationship’ was one sided. Plus the other claims he is making about paying for the clothes for her family is also really really creepy.
Sounds like he’s acting out like this to get her attention and money. Something is just odd about this whole story.
Yes, those quotes could be viewed as desperately try to manage a creepy clinging guy who won’t take a no, and that fits with surveillance later as well. This reeks of distortion.
*I see someone made exactly the same observation in the comments above.
If the Spanish media had information about Letizia, they would have revealed it during the scandals of Juan Carlos & Felipe’s brother in law. The guy sounds creepy and obsessed. Not sure I believe there was an affair.
The ex b-i-l is a major tool, even if he might not be a liar.
LOL a book by Jaime Peñafiel? This dude is the worst type of courtier (he used to work for Juan Carlos) and has hated Letizia since there were rumours about her and Felipe. She was a commoner, she had been divorced, and she had opinions and that shouldn’t be allowed.
I’m not a monarchist by any means and I don’t like Letizia (or anyone in that family), but believing anything Peñafiel says or writes is like believing Dickie Arbiter. He might have hit on something true but it’s for sure distorted, or he might have just pushed for what he wanted to hear.
The spanish media is not even covering this since the person who wrote that book has always despised Letizia. Even extreme republicans in Spain are backing up Letizia. They have tested the photo Del Burgo posted and it’s been proven that it was altered and there are lots of incongruences. Jaime Peñafiel hates that Letizia wasn’t even from high society before marrying Felipe. It’s like our Piers Morgan.
Regardless of whether the allegations are true or not, everybody knows in Spain that this is a politically motivated attack by far-right groups. These groups have been taking the streets lately to protest against the passing of an amnesty law benefiting Catalonian politicians. In those protests and in the media they have been demanding the King to refuse to sanction the law and to command the army against the government. Yep, demanding a coup d’etat. Since he will not abide to that they started calling him Felpudo VI (Doormat VI) at the service of the left-wing government. And to try to twist the King’s arm they are going after the Queen, as she is the weakest link. In fact, Jaime del Burgo deleted all the tweets against Letizia and posted one addressing the King and the Spanish PM basically demanding the explained above.
As for Peñafiel, he has been slagging Letizia off since day 1. He thought he would be the royal courtier as he was with Juan Carlos, but she decided to keep him at bay. And for good reason.
These are the comments everyone should be reading.
thank you, both, for really great background. like cee says, these are the comments.
Ahhhhh…that explains a lot. Thanks!
It sounds to me like they either dated before her marriage or were close friends. She gets married, he goes nuts and stalks her. That would give the Spanish intelligence agency a credible reason to investigate him. What a great guy, right? Putting all that stuff in a bank vault is the move of a user and abuser.r
Tin-foil hat theory: The British Royal Family knows about all of this and leaked this “affair” to the Spanish press, as well as the Prince Frederick affair to pull attention off of Willie’s Rose pruning.
LOL
I am not sure they can pull their heads out of their asses long enough to pull off something so reprehensible but brilliant.
Extortion. Felipe refused to pay up and this is the revenge. Lies.
I remember when it was announced that Felipe and Letizia were engaged (I was in high school and we talked about the big royal Spanish wedding in my Spanish class because my teacher thought it would be a fun current event to discuss), it was a huge story because no one had any idea they were dating in the first place. To this day, I don’t think we have any details on how they actually met, for how long they dated, etc. Just out of the blue the royal family was like “Felipe is engaged and will be married to Letizia next year” and everyone was like what?????
So this is another huge shock if true. I find it hard to believe it would have taken this long to know she had dated this guy prior to Felipe? Surely someone would have talked about it when the surprise royal engagement was announced? Anyways I hope it’s not true but if it is… how icky he then went to marry her own sister! If her sister had known he had dated Letizia/had been carrying on an affair, why would she have agreed to marry this guy? So many questions!
Letizia gave an interview yrs ago, where she explained the relationship’s timeline in detail and how they kept it a secret for a whole year. Spanish gossip news speculated on them for some time, bc someone from tv studios had spoken anonimously about expensive flowers sent to Letizia, together with Felipe’s very hush-hush set visits; which added to sighting reports of them together. Tbh the rumours didn’t get much of a traction because Felipe was regarded as an airhead who went for the blond, model-looking type. Letizia was brunette and a no-nonsense accomplished professional who used to report from war and disaster zones. Rumours hightened because of a few blurry pics, followed by Letizia’s quitting her anchor job. This happened just a day before the engagement announcement. Only those following Spanish press were not fully taken by surprise.
It’s a political ploy to discredit Letizia, whom has always been hated by extreme far right bc she is a commoner, a critical thinker, feminist, (and it’s even said she was a republican) bc they blame her for influencing Felipe to accept the actual PM and not rejecting him (he can’t reject him!!). The far right being sexist pigs use her as a tool.
I’ve read here it’s embarrassing for Letizia, it shouldn’t be bc we know the real reason. If this was remotely true, the Spanish media would had dug it out before she married Felipe. They dug out all the dirt they could back then and this would had been so juicy back then! It’s embarrassing for Del Burgo and Peñafiel. The last one is such a horrible sexist, snobby caveman!
No matter what actually happened, I feel so sorry for Letitia’s husband, with all of this gossip being discussed by the public
He was married to her sister Telma indeed from 2012 through 2014 but it is documented that they never lived together and when he visited Barcelona for work (where Telma lived), he stayed at a hotel.
The media also documented along the years the frequent trips Letizia did to see her brother in law around the world during 2013 and 2014. Telma asked for a divorce in 2014.
And, do you know who is Telma’s new baby daddy? Remember the Irish band The Corrs?
So he claims they had an affair before she met Felipe. Letizia marries Felipe and Jaime proceeds to date her sister and later marry and divorce her, all in the span of 2 years. And because this wasn’t causing waves, he decided to alter the story told to the journalist, and suddenly their affaid continued during part of her marriage?
Yeah, seems full of shit, sorry. Letizia had a full life before Felipe, she’s even a divorcee! Who cares if they had some sort of relationship before meeting Felipe?
He’s the one who then pursued her sister.
According to the book and his testimony in twitter, the romantic relationship was from 2002 until the wedding in 2004, then from july 2010 until november 2011 and then while he was married (but not living together) with her sister, 2012-2014.
Twitter isn’t testimony. Nor is his book.
I’m not a fan of monarchy in general but let’s be honest , any married-in would be fully vetted and investigated. This story sounds wild.
I agree. This would have been sniffed out long ago. The Spanish media is about as relentless as the British , I have read. Best guess? Someone wants to call into question whether Leonor is the rightful heir.
This guy seems like an unreliable narrator at best and a fame- hungry extortionist at worst, but the fact that he was married to her sister makes it so much worse. Yes, it’s embarrassing enough for Letiza and her family, but can you imagine how the sister must feel???