Summer at Marivent no longer resembles what it was a decade ago. Fewer posed photos, more protocol, and silences that speak volumes. This year, in addition, there has been a gesture that has set off internal and external alarms.
While the official narrative showed a photo of unity, the reality has been different. Significant absences, compressed schedules, and an unusually brief stay by Queen Sofía have revealed a family rift that can no longer be covered up with smiles alone.
A gesture with a recipient: Infanta Elena's snub at Marivent
Infanta Elena hasn't set foot in Marivent this summer. According to those close to her, she didn't want her children to go either. Elena is tired of Letizia Ortiz's impositions, since the queen has forbidden them from being together. The interpretation is not innocent: it is seen as a response to the role that, in practice, her mother, Queen Sofía, has had in the summer schedule.
Various reports place that discomfort in the way the official summer has been organized, in addition to Sofía's appearance at Marivent even though her wish was to stay and care for her sister Irene, who is seriously ill. Meanwhile, Infanta Cristina has also chosen discretion and did not appear at the Balearic residence. There is no statement from Zarzuela explaining these absences, but the pattern repeats itself and becomes visible.
The official photo, August 4: Leonor and Sofía's debut and a staged Sofía
The Royal Household released the canonical image on August 4: reception for authorities and Balearic society at Marivent Palace, with Felipe VI and Letizia accompanied by the Princess of Asturias, Infanta Sofía, and Queen Sofía.
It was the debut of the king and queen's daughters at that reception, a relevant fact for the institution's image strategy. The emerita's presence, on the other hand, was brief and strictly protocolary, with no personal schedule beyond the greeting. The official images and reports confirm this division of roles and reinforce the idea of a summer dictated by a script.
The other perspective: Marivent, restricted use and growing noise
The fact that the schedule has been compressed and the emerita has shortened her stay fuels another debate: the use of Marivent. Outside of the designated days, the public residence remains empty and its cost is once again in question.
This discussion, which resurfaces every summer, returns strongly amid the sense that the palace serves more as a showcase than as a place for family life. Added to this reality is Zarzuela's strategy, focused on a spotless image and limited events, which leaves loose ends when it comes to explaining absences and decisions.
Reactions and silences: what is said and what is not
From Zarzuela, silence. The only signals have been the photographs and videos from the event on the 4th, where everything proceeds according to the manual. On social media and in opinion columns, however, the critical perspective prevails: Leonor and her sister's step forward is valued, but what happened with Queen Sofía is questioned. Pilar Eyre has been the most critical in this regard.