Spanish royals rocked by claims by Queen Letizia's
ex-brother-in-law that he had a romantic relationship with her before
marrying her sister - as he shares selfie where she 'confesses her love'- Jaime Del Burgo claims he has multiple texts from his relationship with Queen
The Spanish Royal Family
have been rocked by outlandish claims from Queen Letizia's
ex-brother-in-law that he had a relationship with the royal before he
married her sister Telma - as he shared a never-before-seen image as
'proof' of their romance.
Jaime
Del Burgo, 53, who is currently based in the UK, has recently
contributed to a tell-all book about the Spanish royal, where he makes
the far-fetched claim they were still romantically involved after
Letizia's 2004 wedding to King Felipe.
The
entrepreneur - who claims he was dating Letizia when she met King
Felipe - shared an undated selfie the Queen, 51, took in a bathroom
mirror during one of her pregnancies as 'evidence' of their relationship
on X, formerly known as Twitter, last night.
In
the selfie, the royal can be seen wearing a black pashmina - which
Jaime claims belonged to him - and he also typed out a message,
supposedly sent to him by the Spanish Queen.
It read: 'Love. I wear your pashmina. It's like feeling you by my side. It takes care of me.
Last night, businessman Jaime Del
Burgo shared this unseen selfie of Queen Letizia with his X followers.
He claimed that the royal was wearing his pashmina and said it 'took
care of her'
'It protects me. I count the hours until we see each other again. Love you. Get out of here. Yours,'
After
sharing the image, other X users questioned the validity of Jaime's
claims - given there is no evidence that Letizia sent him the photo or
accompanying message. The businessman has since deleted his X account.
A spokesperson for the Spanish Royal Family told FEMAIL: 'We have no comment to make about this.'
It
comes just weeks after Jaime - who was married to Letizia's sister
Telma from 2012-2014 - made a series of shocking allegations about his
relationship with the Queen in the new book 'Letizia & I' by
journalist Jaime Peñafiel.
Speaking to El Cierre Digitial, the
author, 91, said Letizia was Jaime del Burgo's 'great love' and the
pair's relationship turned into a 'great friendship' after she became
romantically involved with King Felipe.
The
businessman told the author that he met Letizia before 2000 and their
relationship began on a romantic trip to Venice, years before she met
King Felipe.
Jaime - who is the son of
the former politician Jaime Ignacio del Burgo - claims he was planning
to propose to Letizia when she announced that she was dating a
mysterious 'diplomat' over dinner at the Ritz hotel in Madrid in 2002.
Describing
how 'serious and significant' their relationship was, the author made
the unlikely claim that Jaime was 'carrying an engagement ring his his
pocket' that evening.
Pictured: Jaime Del Burgo and his ex-wife Telma Oritz seen in 2012 before their wedding. The couple divorced in 2014
King Felipe and Queen Letizia put
on a united front today as they attended the Annual Meeting of the
Cervantes Institute held at the Royal Palace of Aranjuez
The couple (pictured in Madrid
today) married in 2004. Jaime Del Burgo claims he was going to propose
to Letizia when she first told him about meeting King Felipe
Pictured: King Felipe and Queen
Letizia in Madrid last month. The Queen's ex-brother-in-law alleges in a
new book that the royal suggested they have a baby together via a US
surrogate
Letizia reportedly told
him that she had 'met someone who would oblige her to quit her
profession', which Jaime said led him to deduce her mystery partner was
Felipe.
After the pair reportedly
decided to just be friends, Jaime is said to have advised Letizia:
'Don't announce the romance, just the wedding.'
Following
their engagement announcement in 2003, Letizia - who had divorced her
first husband in 1999 - asked Jaime to be a witness at their wedding.
What's
more, the royal's ex-brother-in-law also made the far-fetched claim
that he 'dealt' with Letizia's pre-nuptial agreement and helped to front
the cost of the Queen's family's wedding outfits.
He
is quoted as saying: 'When the wedding with Felipe came round, I dealt
with the pre-nuptial agreement as you know, amongst other things.
'I
also had to pay Letizia's family's expenses because [former King] Juan
Carlos refused to pay or even go halves with me. So with the help of my
friend Felipe Varela, I dressed her mum, grandmother and her sisters.
And with the help of Jaime Jason, her father, grandparents and a
cousin.'
Jaime also makes the
incredible claim that the Queen asked to see him the night before the
wedding at the exclusive El Latigazo restaurant in Madrid - where she
asked him to 'never leave' her.
He
sensationally claimed: '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.''
Queen Letizia (far right) pictured in Rome in July 2012 ahead of her sister Telma's (centre) wedding to Jaime del Burgo (left)
In the new book 'Letizia and I',
her former brother-in-law makes the outlandish claim that he contributed
towards the Queen's family's wedding outfits
In
the book, Letizia's alleged ex-lover describes Felipe as a
'kind-hearted man' and even goes on to say that he had a 'great
friendship' with the royal. He told the author: 'I told him my problems
and he told [me] his.'
The businessman
even claims that Felipe 'uses [him] as a good man because he felt
incapable of calming [Letizia] down' on occasions.
Following the wedding, Jaime described how Letizia was like a 'fox in a chicken coop' as she was 'cleverer than any of them'.
Jaime
- who says the Queen nicknamed him her 'yogi pal' - claims he still had
a romantic relationship with Letizia even after the wedding in 2004. He
also claims he has kept 'photographs, videos, mobile phones' and text
messages as evidence.
The businessman
claimed that 'love was always there' in their relationship since they
travelled to Venice together. The photograph Jaime shared on Twitter
last night was taken during one of Letizia's pregnancies between
2005-2007.
In the book, Jaime
sensationally claims that Letizia whispered that she loved him when they
were lying in a hammock by a pool at her home following Princess
Leonor's birth.
Jaime - who joked that
Letizia's alleged ex-lover should have been his co-author - is quoted as
saying in the book: 'Lying in the same hammock, under the pool porch,
facing each other, Letizia told me 'I love you' and I responded 'I love
you'.'
Jaime Penafiel goes on to write
that Jaime del Burgo subsequently wrote a play called 'La Hamaca, which
in English is 'The Hammock', and edited it but never distributed it.
Following
this, Jaime alleges they 'took steps forward with the goal of being
free' - which involved seeking legal advice and looking at properties in
the US.
Queen Letizia's sister Telma Oritz with her second husband Robert Gavin at the Princess of Asturias Awards in 2019
Pictured: King Felipe and Queen
Letizia on their wedding day in Madrid in May 2004. Jaime Del Burgo
claims he was going to propose to the newsreader until she announced she
had met King Felipe
One of the
most damaging claims Jaime reportedly makes is that Queen Letizia
suggested they have a child together using a surrogate in Los Angeles.
Around
this time, Jaime claims that he confronted Letizia after photos of her
kissing Felipe appeared on the covers of Spanish magazines.
He claims the Queen told him: 'I had to do it to protect us.'
He
says in the book Jaime del Burgo told him Felipe and Letizia had a
'difficult relationship' and told him: 'Felipe uses me as a good man
because he felt incapable of calming her down.'
Jaime Penafiel goes on to write that when Sofia was born, Jaime del Burgo became uncle to both of the girls.
It
then quotes him as saying: 'It was a beautiful period. I didn't have
children, and those girls made me so happy. I was working in Brazil and
suffered a pulmonary embolism.
'I was
in intensive care for a fortnight. I managed to get the Albert Einstein
Hospital to give me a telephone Letizia and I spoke to each other every
day on [the phone].
'During my visits
to Madrid I would often go to the cinema with Felipe, Letizia and some
friends. Letizia and I would always sit together, holding hands. They
were moments of happiness.'
However in
August 2011, Jaime alleges Letizia abruptly ended their relationship
when she called him and said: 'We can't continue seeing each other.'
Following
this, Jaime alleges that a female friend told him to get in touch with
Telma - who he had met when he first started dating Letizia.
Pictured: Telma Oritz and Jaime del Burgo seen in December 2014, before their split was announced
The couple (pictured with Telma's daughter Amanda) relocated to New York after their wedding in 2012 before returning to Spain
The
following year, the pair got engaged after just two months of dating.
The Queen's sister already had her daughter Amanda from her relationship
with ex-partner Enrique Martin Llop.
At
this time, Jaime claims he was still close to Letizia and Felipe and he
claimed he bonded with his future wife after the four of them went to
the cinema in Madrid one day.
He told
the author: 'When we left it was pouring down and instead of returning
in the car with Letizia and Felipe, I got a lift with Telma. When we
arrived at the Pabellon del Principe where Felipe lived, it was raining
so hard we couldn’t leave the car.
'And
we spent nearly an hour talking. Telma asked me to go to visit her one
day in Barcelona where she was living at the time. And that’s what I
did. I rang her and went.'
In the book, Jaime outlandishly claims that Letizia had previously 'banned' Jaime and her sister from speaking to one another.
Author
Jaime Peñafiel wrote: 'When [Jaime del Burgo] is going to marry Telma,
it is Felipe who advises him on the marriage agreements and, over the
years, they have maintained a great friendship.'
After
tying the knot in an intimate ceremony, the couple celebrated their
marriage with a larger reception in Italy - which was attended by their
family.
Jaime del Burgo is quoted in
the book as saying: 'When the guests congratulated us, Letizia’s turn
came and kissing me on the cheek, she whispered into my ear, "We’ll be
together again."'
In 2012, the pair
relocated to New York to start their married life - but Telma returned
to Barcelona the same year before announcing their permanent separation
in 2014.
Pictured: King Felipe and Queen Letizia with their eldest daughter Princess Leonor of Spain last month
He
then goes on to outrageously claim that Letizia 'didn't stop until she
managed to make [Jaime's marriage fail' - citing it as the 'only battle
he'd lost in his life'.
The couple's
first attempts at divorce had been squashed by the groom's father Jaime
Ignacio del Burgo, who told a court that his son and Telma repented and
wanted to give their marriage another go.
Telma
is now with Irish lawyer Gavin Bonnar and the couple welcomed their
first child together in October 2021. Gavin shares two children with his
first wife musician Sharon Corr.
In
her recent album The Fool & The Scorpion, Sharon wrote lyrics
included 'the queen's twisted sister' - which fans speculated were
inspired by her children's new step-mother.
Meanwhile, Jaime remarried Swedish lawyer Lucía Díaz Liljestrom and the couple share their daughter Ulla.
TIMELINE OF JAIME'S CLAIMS ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SPAIN'S ROYAL FAMILY
- Pre-2000 - Letizia Oritz, who was a newsreader at the time, meets Jaime del Burgo - the son of a politician - and the pair start dating
- 2001
- Letizia and King Felipe meet on the site of a oil spillage. Jaime
claims he was planning to propose when she told him about her new royal
romance
- 2003 - Letizia and Felipe announce engagement.
- 2004 - the couple marry at Almudena Cathedral in Madrid. Jaime claims he was asked to be a witness during the ceremony
- 2005 - the couple welcome Princess Leonor
- February 2007 - Letizia's sister Erika suddenly passes away
- April 2007 - Princess Sofia is born. During one of her pregnancies, Jaime claims Letizia sends him a selfie confessing her love.
- 2010 -
the couple reportedly profess their love for one another and allegedly
meet with lawyers. Jaime claims they looked at properties in the US to
move to. He also claims Letizia suggested they use a surrogate in LA to
have a baby
- 2011 - Jaime claims Letizia ends their relationship over the phone
- 2012 - Jaime marries Letizia's sister Telma. The couple relocate to New York
- 2014 - Telma and Jaime announce their separation
Letizia
and Telma tragically lost their younger sister Erika in February 2007
when she passed away following a deliberate drug overdose.
Queen Letizia's younger sister was only 31 years old and left behind her six-year-old daughter Carla.
At the time, the Spanish royal was six months pregnant with her second daughter - Princess Sofia.
This
afternoon, King Felipe and Queen Letizia put on a united front as they
were pictured for the first time since Jaime's bombshell claims at the
Annual Meeting of the Cervantes Institute held at the Royal Palace of
Aranjuez.
Letizia studied her Masters
in broadcast journalism and after a stint at Asturian daily paper, La
Nueva España, she went on to work for ABC, a popular national newspaper
that enjoys the third largest circulation in Spain.
King Felie and Queen Letizia present the annual event'a award to erman professor Dieter Ingenschayv (pictured, centre)
Despite the annual event coming at a time of great stress for the Spanish royals, they appeared composed during the meeting
Next
came a stint at Spanish news agency EFE before a move to Guadalajara in
Mexico saw her take on a role on local paper, Siglo 21.
Back
in Spain a year later, she worked for the Spanish version of Bloomberg,
a news channel and agency specialising in economics, before moving to
CNN+.
Before she met Felipe of Spain,
Letizia was married to high school literature teacher Alonso Guerrero
Perez, who was nine years her senior.
The couple wed in 1998 following a ten-year romance, with the pair meeting when the future Spanish queen was just 16.
They tied the knot in a civil ceremony in the town of Almendralejo, Badajoz, but divorced the following year.
By
the time she met her husband-to-be, Felipe, in 2002, Letizia was
working for popular TV channel 24 Horas, where along with anchoring the
popular Telediario 2 evening news bulletin she reported on a wide range
of breaking news event.
As a news anchor, she reported live from Ground Zero after the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
She
met Prince Felipe the following year – at the site of an oil spillage
in Northern Spain. The year after first meeting Felipe, Letizia quit her
job and a few days later their engagement was announced.
Letizia
and Felipe's marriage in Madrid in 2004 prompted an upswing in support
for the royal family, and her habit of championing High Street brands
like Zara proved popular. She and Felipe had two daughters, Leonor in
2005 and Sofia in 2007.
Queen Letizia's relationship with her sister Telma Ortiz
Queen
Letizia's sister Telma Ortiz prefers to stay out of the limelight - but
it's thought she still has a close relationship with her family.
For
instance, Telma has previously been seen stepping out at special family
occasions, including the Princess of Asturias Awards in 2019.
Letizia
and Telma grew up in a middle-class family and attended a public
school. Their mother Maria Rodriguez, was a nurse. Their father Jesús
José Ortiz Álvarez, and stepmother Ana Togores, are both journalists.
Telma, who
used to work in Barcelona's City Council, became engaged to Jaime Del
Burgo in 2012, after just two months of dating.
The Queen's sister already had her daughter Amanda from her relationship with ex-partner Enrique Martin Llop.
Telma Ortiz is seen leaving the EDP Gran Via Theater after attending the 'We Choose Earth Tour' on June 22, 2023 in Madrid
Pictured: Queen Letizia during her time as a newsreader for Television Espanola before her wedding to King Felipe
In
2012, the pair relocated to New York to start their married life - but
Telma returned to Barcelona the same year before announcing their
permanent separation in 2014.
The
couple's first attempts at divorce had been squashed by the groom's
father Jaime Ignacio del Burgo, who told a court that his son and Telma
repented and wanted to give their marriage another go.
Telma
has since married Irish lawyer Gavin Bonnar and the couple welcomed
their first child together in October 2021. Gavin shares two children
with his first wife musician Sharon Corr.
In
her recent album The Fool & The Scorpion, Sharon wrote lyrics
included 'the queen's twisted sister' - which fans speculated were
inspired by her children's new step-mother.
Meanwhile, Jaime remarried Swedish lawyer Lucía Díaz Liljestrom.
Letizia
and Telma tragically lost their younger sister Erika in February 2007
when she passed away following a deliberate drug overdose.
Queen Letizia's younger sister was only 31 years old and left behind her six-year-old daughter Carla.
At the time, the Spanish royal was six months pregnant with her second daughter - Princess Sofia.
