It is common for Queen Letizia to focus many of her activities on cultural plans. Over the years we have seen how the former journalist attends literary festivals, events related to cinema or exhibitions even without being on the official agenda. The same thing happens with the concerts, although lately they have been more due to the efforts of her daughters Leonor and Sofía than due to her musical tastes. The queen is a lover of culture and wherever she goes she wants to see it first-hand.
It seems that the same thing happened during his visit to the Netherlands. With a millimetric and perfectly designed agenda, there is little room for improvisation that the kings have. Felipe and Letizia were divided so that each one attended a series of commitments, coinciding only at the gala dinners and receptions with King William and King Maxima of the Netherlands. It was precisely with the latter that we were able to see the queen at almost all times.
The demand of Queen Letizia during her visit to Holland
Queens Letizia and Máxima went to the facilities of the LAB6 organization where they visited their headquarters and some of the projects they are carrying out. A social aspect that, apparently, was not enough for the wife of Felipe VI. According to ‘Digital Monarchy’, Queen Letizia would have insisted on also attending the colloquium on the ten years of the ASFF Amsterdam Spanish Film Festival, which was taking place precisely on those dates at the Real Teatro Tuschinski.
According to sources consulted by the aforementioned media, the queen would have been very determined to prioritize that visit since she is a declared lover of cinema and it is one of her main hobbies. The queens were then able to chat with students and members of the educational community who learn Spanish through cinema. Later they would recover their agenda and continue with the activities that were part of the programming of the state visit. An encounter between two ‘royal’ couples who have much more in common than it seems.
The relationship between Queen Letizia and cinema
It is common to see Queen Letizia enjoying the seventh art. This hobby, which she has managed to instill in her husband, has always been one of her great passions. The kings regularly visit some of the most central theaters in Madrid to attend premieres and showings. Like two other citizens, Felipe and Letizia queue to buy tickets and enjoy the movies. Of course, they are always the last to enter the room to avoid causing too much commotion among the attendees. In addition, they come with their own security team.
The kings usually frequent both the Ideal and Princesa cinemas, both in the center of Madrid. We were also able to see them recently at the Spanish Film Archive. There, in addition to attending one of the screenings, they visited the bookstore and were interested in some of the publications. Small gestures that the queen has managed to impose in the routines of the Royal House. Until Letizia’s arrival, it was not common for any member of the Royal Family to be interested in activities such as cinema or literature. The tradition was based on sport, especially skiing and sailing, activities that the queen abhors and to which she has not devoted any attention. That is Felipe’s land.
The influence of Queen Letizia on the Royal Family
Although her arrival in Zarzuela was not easy, over the years, Queen Letizia has managed to mold everything to her liking. The queen is very attentive to the education of her daughters, the diet followed in the palace and the hobbies developed by each of the members of the king’s family. She controls the wardrobe and styling of her daughters – before, of course, more than now -, she prepares the cultural plans they attend and tries to draw the moments of leisure and intimacy in her image and likeness. We have been able to see the kings, both with their daughters and alone, in plans that seem designed directly by the queen. And cinema is one of them, of course.
