At the presentation of her memoirsYo, Bárbara, the vedette has sparked headlines with a phrase that has set off popular rumors. Was that barb aimed at Queen Emerita Sofía? What began as a cryptic fragment in the book has gained traction thanks to social media and public statements.
a powerful simile
During the May release, the media reported that Bárbara heard a source say: “I know courts and circuses and they're the same. You believe the tamer is the star and the star is the lion.” The comparison was clear: implying that the spotlight rarely falls where it should, and, according to speculation, pointing toward Queen Sofía.
This kind of metaphor caused an immediate stir: is it a veiled reproach? The journalist from the show "La Familia de la Tele" highlighted that Sofía Cristo wanted to clarify that phrase in front of the cameras: “I don't think it's about Queen Sofía... but she has to say that herself.”
With those words, she defuses the most controversial interpretation. According to Sofía herself, the phrase could refer to the way certain truths are spread, or to how the elites operate, not to the monarch specifically.
Invited to the set of “¡De Viernes!” on June 13, Bárbara was also asked directly what she would do if she met Queen Sofía. Her answer was clear and respectful: “If I met the queen, I'd avoid her, I'd be very embarrassed... I wouldn't say anything at all.” This gesture distances her from any intention of public confrontation and points more to complex feelings or empathy, rather than a personal attack.
a book that doesn't hold back
Yo, Bárbara has been described as brave and sincere. Presented on June 12 at a hotel in Madrid, with her daughter Sofía Cristo and journalist Chelo García Cortés in attendance, the book has unleashed a flood of criticism but also praise. Bárbara disproved past accusations, including having received reserved funds, publicly criticized Juan Carlos I and other historical figures, and recounted painful episodes, including gender-based violence.
The book was an intimate project that, at first, she planned to publish after her death, but she moved up its release to reclaim her truth and counter leaks and statements from her son Ángel Cristo Jr. Meanwhile, it seems she has succeeded: she has made a splash in both celebrity and royal circles.
The question remains: the phrase about “the tamer and the lion” sounds loaded with symbolism, but the nuances provided by her daughter and her own lack of direct comments about the Royal Family soften the impact. It seems more like a play of analogies than an explicit criticism of Queen Sofía. Although Bárbara doesn't name names, she doesn't hide it in her writing either.
sows curiosity
The most suggestive moment may be the one that prompted that uncomfortable question. Was that venomous barb serious? Her daughter denies it.
What is clear is that the Murcian remains a survivor, ready to tell her version. Bárbara Rey has achieved what few have: not making a direct accusation, but leaving a trail that keeps curiosity alive.