 |
Letitsiya AsturiyskayaWife of Prince Felipe of Asturias, heir to the Spanish throne.
Date of Birth: 15.09.1972
Country:  Spain |
Content:
- Queen Letizia: A Royal Life
- Career in Journalism
- Personal Life: First Marriage and Divorce
- Engagement to Crown Prince Felipe
- Royal Wedding and Children
Queen Letizia: A Royal Life
Early Life and EducationLetizia Ortiz Rocasolano was born on September 15, 1972, in Oviedo, Spain. She is the eldest daughter of Jesús Ortiz Álvarez and Paloma Rocasolano. Letizia was baptized on September 29, 1972, and has two younger sisters, Telma and Érika. Her parents divorced in 1987. Letizia initially attended La Gesta 1 public school in Oviedo, but when her family moved to Madrid, she entered Ramiro de Maeztu secondary school.
Letizia later pursued a Bachelor's and Master's degree in journalism at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, one of the oldest universities in the world. During her university years, she gained practical experience as an intern at various media organizations, including La Nueva España newspaper, ABC newspaper, and EFE news agency. After graduating, she worked at Siglo XXI newspaper in Mexico and later joined Bloomberg TV and CNN Plus in Spain.
Career in Journalism
Letizia's journalism career flourished, earning her the Larra Award from the Madrid Press Association in 2000. The award recognizes outstanding achievements among young journalists under 30. In 2003, she became the anchor of the popular daily news program "Telediario" on TVE, where she had served as a reporter since 2000.
Personal Life: First Marriage and Divorce
In 1999, Letizia married her high school literature teacher, Alonso Guerrero Pérez, after dating for 10 years. Their marriage, which was only registered in a civil ceremony, lasted only one year, ending in divorce in 2000.
Engagement to Crown Prince Felipe
On November 1, 2003, the Spanish royal palace surprisingly announced the engagement of Crown Prince Felipe to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano. The official engagement ceremony took place on November 6, 2003, where Felipe presented Letizia with a white gold engagement ring, while she gifted him with white gold cufflinks adorned with sapphires and a book by Spanish classicist Mariano José de Larra.
Royal Wedding and Children
Letizia officially joined the royal family after her marriage to Crown Prince Felipe on May 22, 2004, at the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. The wedding was televised worldwide, reaching an audience of approximately 1.5 billion people. The couple welcomed their first child, Princess Leonor, on October 31, 2005, followed by their second child, Princess Sofia, on April 29, 2007. Both princesses were christened with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain as their godparents.
