Queen Letizia of Spain romanced ex-brother-in-law before he married her sister: report

Publish date: 2024-07-06

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It’s a royal affair. 

The British royal family has been enmeshed in drama over King Charles and Kate Middleton getting outed as the royals who allegedly questioned what baby Archie’s “skin color” would be – but, not to be outdone, now the Spanish royal family is having their own drama. 

Queen Letizia’s ex-brother-in-law has claimed that he had a relationship with the 51-year-old royal before he married her sister, Telma Ortiz, 50. 

Jaime Del Burgo, 53, who is currently based in the UK, recently contributed to a tell-all book about Queen Letizia, “Letizia & I,” by journalist Jaime Peñafiel.

Del Burgo, who is an entrepreneur and the son of former politician Jaime Ignacio del Burgo, was married to Letizia’s sister Telma from 2012 to 2014. (After that, Telma married Irish lawyer Gavin Bonnar, who used to be married to musician Sharon Corr, and Telma had their first child at age 47). 

Del Burgo’s photo “proof” of the affair with Queen Letizia, which he has since deleted. JaimeDelBurgo/Twitter
Jaime Del Burgo is stirring up drama for the Spanish royal family.
Jaime Del Burgo/X
Telma Ortiz, with her then-husband Jaime del Burgo and her daughter Amanda Martin, in 2014. Europa Press via Getty Images

In the book, Del Burgo claimed that the two were still romantically involved after Letizia tied the knot with King Felipe, 55, in 2004. 

Before she married Felipe, Letizia previously married literature teacher Alonso Guerrero Perez from 1998 to 1999. 

Crown Princess Leonor of Spain, King Felipe VI of Spain and Queen Letizia of Spain. Getty Images

Jaime Del Burgo claims that he was dating Letizia when she met King Felipe, and that he was planning to propose to Letizia when she announced that she was dating a mysterious “diplomat” over dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Ritz hotel in Madrid in 2002.

As “proof” to support his claim, in a since-deleted post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he shared a selfie that Letizia took in a bathroom mirror. The photo was not dated.

Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia visit the Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen, Denmark, November 8, 2023. via REUTERS
The Spanish royal family pose for a family picture after Crown Prince Felipe de Bourbon married Princess Letizia Ortiz in 2004. Getty Images

In the selfie, Letizia is wearing a black pashmina, which Jaime claims belonged to him. He claims that the queen sent him a message with the selfie that read, “Love. I wear your pashmina. It’s like feeling you by my side. It takes care of me. It protects me. I count the hours until we see each other again. Love you.”

According to the Daily Mail, Del Burgo also claimed in the book that the queen asked to see him the night before the wedding at the exclusive El Latigazo restaurant in Madrid.

“When we met, she took hold of my hand and asked me why I had never asked her to marry me. Obviously I didn’t reply. I encouraged her as best I could. The last thing she said to me before we said goodbye to each other in that restaurant was a request: ‘Never leave me,’ ” he alleged.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia during a recent public appearance. Shutterstock

He also claimed that he has other “photographs, videos” and “mobile phones” stemming from their alleged romance.

A spokesperson for the Spanish Royal Family told the Daily Mail: “We have no comment to make about this.”

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