There is always much talk about the relationships between European monarchs. Every time there is an official visit, a state trip, or a meeting between kings and queens from different royal houses, headlines multiply in the press. Now, information has come to light about infanta Cristina that has confirmed what her relationship is like with one of the most important monarchs in the international press.
Gestures, looks, greetings, or even words that are barely heard in public become the subject of debate when these royal meetings take place. However, people rarely get to know the true nature of the bonds that unite or separate the protagonists of these monarchies. The secrecy surrounding these institutions is usually at its highest, and that lack of transparency opens the door to conjectures, rumors, and speculation.
One of the most recurring examples is the relationship between Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and Queen Letizia of Spain. Are they really friends or, on the contrary, are they more distant than the official images show?
Nobody expected what the royal house expert has revealed
The specialized outlet Royalty has insisted that, at certain times, the tension between them is palpable. However, there are also snapshots that tell a different story, like the one in which they were seen laughing together during a meeting at the UN.
However, according to journalist and royal house expert Pilar Eyre, the key is not in them, but in a third person: infanta Cristina.
"Although people usually compare Máxima with Letizia, the reality is that they don't seem to be great friends. The reason is that the queen of the Netherlands was very close to Cristina de Borbón. When the infanta lived in Barcelona, Máxima visited her frequently. I think that's where the reason for the distance with the current queen of Spain lies," the journalist explained.
Surprise over what has been uncovered about infanta Cristina
The detail is not minor. Even though Princess Amalia, daughter of Máxima and Willem-Alexander, had to live in Madrid for a while, there was never a meeting with Felipe VI and Letizia. "We have no record that during those stays in the capital they coincided with the Spanish monarchs, at least I don't remember it," Eyre emphasized.
This way, the journalist has uncovered what until now seemed to be a well-kept secret by infanta Cristina herself. Her close relationship with Máxima would have silently shaped the dynamic between the Dutch queen and Letizia.
A past friendship that, far from disappearing, continues to cast its shadow over the current relationships between both consorts. This suggests that in royalty, as in any family, personal bonds can influence official diplomacy more than we might imagine.