Amid severe wildfires sweeping across Spain, King Felipe VI was forced to interrupt his summer vacation and urgently return to Madrid. The monarch was spotted at the Torrejón de Ardoz air base, where he met with representatives of the Military Emergency Unit (Unidad Militar de Emergencias, UME) to assess the situation. However, following the king’s emergency return, Spanish society is once again asking: where are Queen Letizia and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía?
Every summer, the whereabouts of the royal family during their private holiday become one of the most discussed secrets in the country. Unlike many other European monarchies, which inform the public about their vacation plans, the Spanish royal court chooses to remain completely silent. This secrecy inevitably creates an information vacuum, quickly filled with rumors and speculation, fueling public and media interest.
The lack of official information gives rise to various theories. Some respected journalists specializing in royal affairs, such as Pilar Eyre, suggest that the king and queen may spend part of their holiday separately. This version is widely discussed in society, though there are other, more compelling reasons for such secrecy.
A key factor is Queen Letizia’s persistent desire to preserve her right to privacy. Since her time as Princess of Asturias, Letizia has consistently defended her right to have personal space, free from constant media attention. She aims to live as normal a life as possible: going to the cinema, sometimes even alone, meeting with her old circle of friends, and spending time with family away from the cameras.
However, behind this desire lies not just a pursuit of “normality,” but a deep personal trauma. The queen’s relationship with the press was overshadowed by a tragic event in 2007—the suicide of her younger sister, Erika. Many link this tragedy to the tremendous pressure and excessive media attention the entire Ortiz family faced after Letizia’s engagement to the heir to the throne. This experience likely shaped the queen’s strong resolve to protect her daughters, Leonor and Sofia, from similar psychological pressure.
The queen’s determination to shield her children from intrusive attention is also evident in recent actions. The Royal Household has launched proceedings against a Chilean shopping center that distributed private photographs of Princess Leonor. Although prosecutors found no grounds for criminal charges, the very act of taking the matter to court demonstrates how seriously the palace regards the heiress’s right to privacy. Thus, the annual ‘disappearance’ of the queen and the princesses is more likely not a sign of family problems, but rather a carefully planned operation to protect their privacy, shaped by the hard lessons of the past.
