The Royalist - The House of Bourbon: A Crown In Crisis?

The House of Bourbon: A Crown In Crisis?

Written by Joanne Leyland

Sunday, 07 October 2007

Page 2 of 2

Such anti-monarchist sentiment and barely hidden lack of reference in sections of the media has erupted despite King Juan Carlos having been voted the greatest Spaniard of all-time in a national TV poll.

Meanwhile, for some months now the media has been increasingly interested in the apparent lack of warmth that exists between Juan Carlos and his daughter-in-law, Letizia.

Media representatives reporting on public events involving the royal family have noted that the King rarely speaks to the divorcee TV news presenter and journalist who married his only son amid great national celebrations in May 2004.

But it is the apparent increase in the public's hostility towards the monarchy, rather than relations within his immediate family, which are preying on the minds of the King and his advisers.

The very public sight of effigies of himself and his wife being openly burned in the streets prompted the King to defend the institution over which he has ruled since taking over from the dictator General Franco, who died in 1975. Franco's chosen successor, Juan Carlos was duly installed as Head of State with the full restoration of the monarchy in 1978.

Speaking last week, the King told his subjects that the monarchy "has provided the longest period of stability and prosperity that Spain has ever experienced under democracy".

Offering support to the King in light of a growing spate of attacks on the Crown, former Prime Minister Aznar made an equally stringent speech in support of the monarchy, the main essence of his message being: "Spain is suited to a constitutional monarchy."

According to Aznar, if the current Prime Minister fails to stop the increased number of attacks on the King and his family Spain will ultimately face a "national crisis".

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Name: M-M	Comment: Monika , I hope so too as I think the Spanish RF do empathize with the Spanish people . Deffinitely agree about the C/H spin

Name: Monika	Comment: M-M, I hope you are correct. Percentages can be played with...as in the public warming to Camilla. Down right heated is more like it.

Name: Pamela

Comment:
The problem here in Spain is that some, with nothing to offer of their own, are using attacks on the current government, in a pathetic attempt to brainwash people into thinking that there is something they are doing wrong, or something they are not doing that they should be doing, etc.

Recent polls indicate that 85% of the population are perfectly happy with the King and the Royal family in general. The other 15% aren't exactly drooling to see Royal blood spilled either, so here there is a small minority, as you would expect anywhere, who aren't exactly Royal fans.

I'm absolutely certain that the government's apparent lack of action (that Aznar is getting his undies in a bunch over) is because there is nothing here that even requires any comment, let alone action and the only "national crisis" I see in this is the (bitter) former leader tilting at windmills that are no longer of his concern.

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Name: M-M	Comment: I think this will prove to be a lot of fuss about nothing . There is a vocal minority in Spain not getting very far with their opposition . The latest polls in Spain show 85%in favour of the Spanish RF Doesn't sound like a worry .

Name: Monika	Comment: This is worrisome news, to say the least.

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