The Borbón and Ortiz family's summer, which had always found Mallorca to be the perfect setting, is going through an unexpected moment. King Felipe is facing a delicate family situation, as his daughters have expressed a discontent that, until now, only Queen Letizia had shared.
Behind the images and smiles at Marivent Palace, there is a tension that could change the royal family's vacation. The question that echoes is clear: what has led Leonor and Sofía to join this unexpected request?
Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía ask King Felipe to stop going to Marivent
Every year, the royal family poses for the cameras in Marivent's gardens. It is a ritual that seeks to show unity, continuity, and tradition. However, behind this display, living together on the island has become increasingly complicated.
Queen Letizia has never felt comfortable in Mallorca, where the schedule is filled with institutional commitments and little privacy. Until recently, this resistance seemed like a personal matter, but now it has found an echo in her two daughters.
Leonor and Sofía have shown their weariness with summer in Mallorca. Felipe VI, who insists on keeping the Marivent tradition, now faces direct opposition from his wife and daughters. The argument from both young women is clear: the Mallorcan routine no longer offers them anything.
According to Pilar Eyre, the princesses are "bored" of Mallorca. Neither cultural visits, such as the recent exhibition dedicated to Miró, nor walks make up for the lack of friends and the monotony of the activities. The absence of a social life suited to their age turns summer into an uncomfortable obligation.
While the king enjoys the regattas in Palma Bay, Letizia is becoming increasingly impatient. Now, Leonor and Sofía, who want a freer and more dynamic environment, away from constant scrutiny, share that impatience. For Felipe, keeping Marivent as a family destination has become an increasingly complex challenge.
Marivent, symbol of an uncomfortable past
The resistance to Marivent goes beyond youthful boredom. The palace is linked to the era of Juan Carlos I, with whom Queen Letizia has never wanted to be associated. Breaking with Mallorca would mean sending a symbolic message: the family led by Felipe and Letizia represents a new and different era.
In fact, in the past, Letizia distanced herself from historical symbols by choosing to live in the Prince's Pavilion instead of Zarzuela. That gesture was interpreted as an attempt at independence. Now, the debate over Marivent seems to follow the same line.
For King Felipe, meanwhile, the palace represents continuity and tradition. Giving it up would mean breaking with an image that the institution has spent decades cultivating. Between tradition and change, he is trapped in a dilemma that is wearing him down personally.
The alternatives that divide the royal family
In response to this discomfort, Queen Letizia and her daughters have put new options on the table for spending the summer. The first is Santander, with the Magdalena Palace, the former royal refuge of Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia. This choice would keep a monarchical link and, at the same time, provide a less stifling environment.
The second alternative is Galicia, which offers discretion and very attractive natural beauty. However, this idea faces an obvious obstacle: the presence of Juan Carlos I in Sanxenxo. Running into the emeritus, who attracts media attention every year, would be a risk that Zarzuela tries to avoid.
King Felipe is at a crossroads, as his desire to keep Marivent clashes with the weariness of Leonor, Sofía, and Letizia. The family pressure has turned a preference into a concrete request that could change the course of their summers. The future will tell whether the monarch gives in to change or if tradition once again prevails in the lives of the Borbón and Ortiz family.