A young man with curly hair and a serious expression is in the foreground while a young woman with her blonde hair tied back watches him with a slight smile.

Decisive move by Froilán and Victoria Federica against Leonor of Borbón

The Marichalar family's decision regarding their cousin shakes the Spanish monarchy

The Spanish Royal Family is going through a silent storm. Although people always talked about emotional distance, now the cracks between two branches of the Bourbons have become public. A family-based decision, driven by Queen Letizia, would have sealed the end of the bond between Froilán, Victoria Federica, and those who are seen as royal heirs: Leonor and Sofía. However, what has really changed and how has each side reacted?

The breakup: a firm and definitive gesture

For months, people sensed a certain coldness, but according to sources from the specialized press, the relationship has completely broken down.

There are no more greetings, messages, or shared photos. Even Victoria Federica's attempts to "pretend" closeness on her social media—congratulations on special dates, stories on the day of the Constitution swearing-in—lack credibility. Although they tried to appear normal, the silence in person proves the opposite: she has cut all real contact with Leonor and Sofía.

A man in a dark suit and white jersey is standing in front of a modern glass building under a blue sky.
Montage showing an unspecified company and Froilan Marichalar | Casa Real, youngju

Letizia, key in the disconnection strategy

People close to the family indicate that the queen has driven a protective bubble around her daughters. The goal: to preserve the institutional image in the face of scandals linked to the Borbón surname, especially after episodes like the opaque cards or Juan Carlos I's distance. That strategy has not only left Elena, Cristina, and their children in a secondary position, but also paved the way for a radical personal distancing.

Other bonds that survive

Curiously, Victoria Federica does keep a relationship with the Urdangarin branch, especially with Irene, who is the same age as Leonor. This breaks her previous argument about "age difference" as a reason for the family distance.

The cousins share similar environments, even celebrations and outings, without this contact having reactivated the bond with the princess. Meanwhile, Froilán hasn't had to pretend anything on social media: he has simply disconnected, without making public statements or worrying about them.

A woman with long dark hair, wearing a headset microphone, is wearing a burgundy shirt with a collar decorated with silver studs, and is in an environment with a blue background and blurred figures.
Victoria Federica de Marichalar y Borbón | YouTube: Antena 3

Reactions: silence and muteness

Neither the main figures nor the Royal Family have released statements about it. Instead, the press has turned to analyzing gestures and absences. The only voice that has given minimal signs of reaction has been Victoria Federica's, by defending her brother and dissociating him from the image of a "problematic partygoer." However, she hasn't addressed the tension with Leonor. A muteness that speaks louder than a thousand words.

What does it mean for the present and future of the Crown?

This distancing leaves Leonor and Sofía in a very limited family environment: only with their parents and their grandmother Sofía. The rest of the Bourbons—Elena, Cristina, Froilán, and Victoria Federica—seem destined to be relegated in private. It is clear that the Spanish Royal Family is increasingly unstructured.