For the first time in a long while, Thelma Ortiz—known primarily for being related to Queen Letizia—has broken her prolonged silence. Her appearance was not at a social event, but at a significant business gathering in Madrid: the 11th session of the “Dialogues on Water.” As a senior advisor at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), Ortiz appeared focused and professional. She participated in a discussion on water security issues and even had a brief conversation with Deputy Prime Minister Sara Aagesen Muñoz. She opted for a strict grey pantsuit, paired with a striped sweater and classic black pumps. This businesslike image stood in stark contrast to the swirl of rumors about her personal life that have circulated in the press over the past month.
Behind the impeccable facade lies the story of a difficult period. Although news of the end of her six-year relationship with Irish writer Robert Gavin Bonar became public only at the end of September, the actual split happened much earlier. According to sources close to the couple, they parted ways more than a year ago. The rift began in the summer of 2024, with the point of no return reportedly a public argument at a literary evening in Madrid in June. From that moment, their life together began to crack. Ongoing personal disagreements, compounded by the challenges of raising children from previous relationships, ultimately brought their union to an end.
Material hardships soon accompanied the emotional turmoil. The couple was renting a house in the prestigious La Moraleja district, paying around five thousand euros per month. This spring, the payments stopped, shortly before Thelma and Robert moved out. Unaware of their departure, the property owners initiated eviction proceedings. Sources close to the family report that Ortiz quickly found another home nearby, aiming to maintain a sense of normalcy and avoid changing schools for their daughters. The couple’s financial situation appears to have deteriorated after Bonnar lost stable income following the end of his collaboration with the band The Corrs, which became the catalyst for the crisis.
