Former Journalist Trades Reporting For Royalty

By Aimee Speight.

From the compromising photographs of Prince Harry in Las Vegas, to Queen Elizabeth II participating in a James Bond-related gag during the Opening Ceremony for the London 2012 Olympic Games, it seems that the somewhat outdated ideology of an elite, high-brow monarchy could be edging further and further away from modern history.

In a surprise turn of events for the Spanish Royal Family, King Felipe VI ascended to the throne yesterday, June 19, after his father unexpectedly abdicated. Joining the King, into her own ascension as Queen, stands Letizia Ortiz, a former journalist from a working class background. Debates have sparked country-wide, some proclaiming the lack of nobility in Queen Letizia’s family to be detrimental to the monarchy and a threat to preserving the traditional ways of the crown. Others see promise in a new era for the Spanish Royal Family; a down-to-earth beacon in what is in some cases viewed as an archaic social construct. Could it be that a more relatable ‘monarchy of the people’ is the future?

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge is another recent example of an addition to royalty coming from a regular background. Yet whilst every effort appears to be made to market Middleton as the nation’s very own Cinderella, in reality it is widely-known that Middleton grew up comfortably nestled in a middle-class family in suburban England, receiving an education perhaps not as readily obtainable for someone from a less fortunate background. This in turn begs the question of how much realism and welfare knowledge the Duchess can bring to the future of royalty, despite her ‘just like you’ persona.

Staged efforts to humanise figures of authority appear to be rapidly growing in volume; wealthy politicians riding bikes around London, King Felipe dressed in a day suit, photographed with his daughters clambering around his shoulders; even the First Lady of the United States of America has made cameo appearances on television sitcoms. As much as we can take pleasure in the idea of a person of social stature taking a humorous, informal stand every once in a while, many are acutely aware of the falsifications and pretences behind these well-crafted publicity stunts.

In turn, perhaps we can deem it promising for a Queen to ascend from a working-class background and a career as a journalist; no stranger to hardship, hard work and hard news, to a figure of authority and example. Whilst the recently crowned King talks of a renewed Spain built together, there is a pressing urgency for people to feel the physical benefits of the King’s contemporary vision for this country. It is now that we await to see what their combined influences of working-class roots and nobility unveil during this new and dynamic chapter for Spanish history.