Queen Letizia has made a strong statement this summer that hasn't gone unnoticed. While staying in Mallorca, she has disproved with actions an old strategy of Juan Carlos I to discredit her. The Queen has turned the narrative around and has made it clear that she's not only comfortable on the island, but that she has enjoyed her days there.
For years, the emeritus claimed that Doña Letizia didn't like going to Mallorca. He himself fueled that supposed dislike for the island, intending to weaken her image before public opinion. However, the Queen's recent actions have made it clear that all of that was a lie.
Letizia arrived in Palma even before fulfilling her official agenda in Tenerife. She spent the weekend at Marivent with Felipe, Leonor, and Sofía, then flew directly from the island to her institutional commitment. After fulfilling her duty at the Instituto Cervantes, she returned to Mallorca that same day, proving with actions that she enjoys her vacation there.
Queen Letizia strengthens her prominence in the absence of King Juan Carlos
What was once used to turn people against her has now been disproved naturally. The Queen has shown interest, presence, and closeness, without prolonged absences or gestures of rejection. Far from avoiding exposure, she has faced the public, fulfilled her duties, and accompanied the King and her daughters at every appearance.
The version King Juan Carlos built no longer holds up. He said Letizia was distant with the Balearic Islands, that she wanted nothing to do with the Mallorcan summer, and that she preferred to stay in Madrid. But it's clear that this narrative was part of a personal campaign to wear her down that has now backfired on him.
Paradoxically, now he's the one who hasn't set foot on the island. Mallorca no longer waits for him, doesn't need him, and neither the Royal Family nor the public seem to miss him. What was once his public stronghold is now completely off-limits to him.
Mallorca, the setting for the change in the dynamic between Letizia and Juan Carlos
Doña Letizia has used time, consistency, and calm as her response. She has been in the place where they said she didn't want to be, and she has done so with normalcy and commitment. Instead of denying words, she has shown actions.
The Queen has shown that she doesn't need to raise her voice for her message to be heard. She has been present, kept her agenda, and spent time with her family on the island that once seemed uncomfortable. Now, Mallorca has become the setting for a personal vindication that completely disproves the attacks of the past.
The emeritus has lost the place from which he used to project his public image. He has had to watch from a distance as Letizia occupies that space with determination. With precise gestures and without the need for grand feats, she has carried out her revenge.