The new working season at the Palacio de la Zarzuela has begun with significant staffing changes in the team of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. Two key new employees have started their roles—journalists Marta Carazo and Rosa Lercudi—who will oversee the coordination of the Queen’s activities and the monarchy’s communications policy.
Marta Carazo (Marta Carazo) has taken over as head of the Queen’s Secretariat, replacing María Dolores Ocaña in this position. Carazo’s predecessor, a lawyer with extensive experience in the ministries, left after just one year in office, citing personal and family reasons. Her departure went unaccompanied by official comments or farewell photographs, which came as a surprise to many.
The appointment of Marta Carazo (born 1973, Madrid) appears to be a logical step. She brings over twenty years of experience at Televisión Española, progressing from national news reporting to anchoring the evening news. Notably, in 2009 she covered the royal family’s activities, giving her a deep understanding of the institute’s specifics. Additionally, Carazo and Letizia have known each other since the days when the Queen herself worked as a journalist, indicating a high level of personal trust.
The second new appointee is Rosa Lerchundi (Rosa Lerchundi, born 1965, San Sebastián), who has been named Director of Communications for the Royal Household. She faces an equally ambitious task: to update and make the monarchy’s information policy more transparent. This appointment, like the arrival of Caraso, highlights the King and Queen’s intention to strengthen control over their public image and establish more effective cooperation with the media.
Lerchundi’s task is complicated by the fact that the Spanish Royal Household is traditionally considered one of the most closed in Europe, with a strict separation between public and private life. However, modern media demand greater transparency and personal engagement. Lerchundi’s experience at Telecinco, a channel known for blurring the line between official and personal matters, may prove especially useful. She will have to strike a balance between tradition and new expectations.
In the near future, the new team will face difficult tasks, including preparations for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of King Juan Carlos’s proclamation, organizing state visits to Egypt and China, and responding to unforeseen events, including those related to climate challenges.
