Last summer, Queen Letizia had a private vacation that cost around half a million euros in just three weeks. These figures haven't gone unnoticed and fuel the debate about the boundaries between public and private life in the Royal Household. With expenses covering transportation, security, and accommodations, the profile of a relaxed yet costly break emerges.
The major logistical operation behind an unofficial trip
Although it wasn't on the official agenda, the queen's trip included high-end transportation — such as Falcon and private jets —, a security team from the Ministry of the Interior, support staff, and specialized technical services. All of this, according to royal experts, translates into figures around half a million euros for short periods, like the three weeks last summer.
Details about destinations or the exact duration aren't published, justified by security or privacy reasons. However, it is known that the queen decided not to share this getaway with King Felipe VI, highlighting its personal nature.
Among exclusive mansions: from Mallorca... to Greece
According to sources linked to the Royal Household, Letizia and her daughters spent a few days at Marivent, in Mallorca. They were seen enjoying peaceful walks through squares and gardens — accompanied by vigilant security — and wearing carefully chosen summer outfits, such as the pink tie-dye ensemble the queen wore without a public escort.
The most surprising part of the summer was the choice of a luxurious mansion in Greece. Reports reveal that the monarch chose to stay at Queen Máxima of the Netherlands's villa, on the island of Spetses, valued at four and a half million euros. It is an exclusive place, which she reportedly visited by invitation and where she enjoyed maximum discretion without the presence of Felipe VI.
This residence was already the focus of controversy due to alleged urban planning irregularities and restrictions on access to the local beach. According to specialized publications, that setting would have been the ideal scene for a summer of extended privacy.
Official reactions and budgetary reasons
The Royal Household has avoided giving specific figures, citing security and protocol confidentiality reasons. However, from a budgetary analysis, experts point out that these items are included in the Royal Household's annual budget of 8.43 million euros, which covers salaries, management, trips, and communications. In fact, the allocation for goods and services amounts to €671,558.
The Court of Auditors closely supervises these accounts, although the high degree of opacity of unofficial expenses remains a recurring subject of public discussion.
Public perspective: luxury or excess
On one hand, there are those who argue that the queen and her family's security justifies a significant investment in logistics and protection. Others, however, consider it excessive for public money to fund such costly and private vacations, especially without official breakdowns.
Journalists such as Pilar Eyre have criticized this lack of transparency. Meanwhile, royal analysis media state that these stays also aim to establish private alliances, such as with the House of Orange, strengthening diplomatic networks outside the official sphere.
Will we repeat this summer?
A similar arrangement is expected for 2025. Letizia is planning several weeks of summer rest with a significant operation at her expense. Although no dates or locations have been leaked, everything points to a combination of the Balearic Islands and a confidential destination. Felipe wouldn't go either, which underscores the private nature of the trip.
A delicate line between privacy and royal duty
The future of this issue seems to depend on the balance between the queen's privacy and the public's demand for transparency. Does security justify budgetary silence? Where does the institutional end and the personal begin?
Knowing the details of these trips is key to assessing whether they are justified actions or wasteful spending. Maybe this summer we'll discover more information about destinations, duration, and costs. Will the official silence continue, or will there be a shift toward transparency?
In the end, what seemed like a high-level secret has become a mirror where public opinion demands clarity about where the queen ends and the institution begins.