Queen Letizia’s birthday traditionally marks the beginning of the official autumn season at the Zarzuela Palace. However, it would be wrong to suggest that the royal family was idle over the summer. The devastating wildfires that swept through Galicia, León, and Extremadura forced the monarchs to interrupt their vacation. Still, the full return to public duties this year was marked not only by Her Majesty’s 53rd birthday, but also by significant staff changes and preparations for a state visit to Egypt.
This year’s start to the working season at the palace was indeed special. Two key figures have joined the team that supports the royal couple’s work: Rosa Lercundi has taken up the post of communications director, and Marta Carazo now heads the queen’s secretariat. Both women are known for their discretion and commitment to modernization. Thus, Letizia’s 53rd birthday coincided, in essence, with her second attempt to find the perfect assistant—her ‘right hand.’
After María Dolores Ocaña left her position as head of the secretariat, there was some public concern: how would journalist Marta Carazo handle such a complex role? In short, she acts as an intermediary between the queen and the outside world. Her duties include analyzing and filtering all requests, documents, and proposals addressed to Letizia, as well as coordinating her activities both within Spain and abroad.
The first events attended by the new head of the Secretariat were undoubtedly planned many months in advance. Yet, by coincidence, they turned out to be so symbolic that they sparked talk of a “Caraso era.” Evidently, the rapport between the two journalists—now on opposite sides of protocol—has proved excellent. Their acquaintance dates back a quarter of a century to their time working together at TVE. Both graduated from the Faculty of Information Sciences at Complutense University and, after working in other media outlets, joined public television: Marta Caraso in 1999 and Letizia Ortiz a year later.
The first distinctive touch of the new era appeared on Caraso’s very debut day. Last Wednesday, at a colloquium dedicated to combating violence against women, she did not shy away from the press. “Here we go,” she shared with reporters, adding that she felt “good and happy” in her new role. Before the event began, the queen warmly embraced Marta, showcasing their close relationship. The gesture did not escape the cameras.
Can a background in journalism influence the work of a queen? One would like to believe so. And it seems the first signs of this are already surfacing. During her second official engagement, marking the start of the academic year in La Rioja, Letizia visited a school cafeteria. There, she addressed third-grade students about the benefits of reading. “Did you know that by reading books, you can learn so much? I try to read whatever I can get my hands on,” she remarked. The queen advised the children to devote at least fifteen minutes to reading before bedtime. This topic is hardly new for Letizia, who is known for her love of literature. However, neither she nor Marta Carazo could have missed the fact that the ongoing debate about reading, sparked by a well-known influencer, was widely discussed across society all week. Letizia stayed within the bounds of her role, but such a dynamic engagement with current affairs—addressing what people are talking about on the streets—is journalism in its truest sense. If this becomes the norm in the “Carazo era,” such changes are to be welcomed.
