“Felipe de Borbón was prepared not to marry Letizia, to become a “bachelor King”, because he had decided that he would not marry anyone if he was forbidden to do so”. This is what the journalist José Apezarena, the King’s biographer, says in the new book that has just been published by the publishing house Almuzara: “Los hombres de Felipe VI” (The men of Felipe VI).
An intimate account of the life of Felipe VI which, based on the testimonies of those who have accompanied and helped him throughout his life, reveals facts, stories, moments and situations, many of them unknown, which he had to face on many occasions.
“Felipe VI has acted as a king, before acting as a son and as a brother”, says this specialist in the life of the monarch, who seeks, with this complete account, to reveal the whole truth about him; where he comes from and where he has travelled, what he thinks, what he wants, but, above all, what his project is as King of Spain, aware that the future is uncertain, as is clear from the words of his mother: “If we do badly, they’ll throw us out”.
According to Apezarena, the image of the Crown has gradually deteriorated, largely due to the undesirable behaviour of some members of the Royal Household, such as his own father, who almost did not make it to his last Military Easter in January 2013, because he was in London celebrating his birthday with Corinna, and a storm put his plane at risk of leaving for Spain; Or that of his brother-in-law, Iñaki Urdangarín, about whom he commented “Let him pay for it”, after the economic scandals in which he was involved were uncovered.
But not all the problems Felipe VI has had to face have been of a family nature. Some were markedly political, such as the one he experienced, after the 2016 elections, with Mariano Rajoy, who tried to stop the King from nominating a candidate for president and for the elections to be repeated; or with the independentistas whom, after the attempt in Catalonia, he harshly condemned in the speech of October 2017, “his 23-F”, a gesture that has cost him the affection of a good part of the Catalans.
“The monarchy in Spain needs to promote the brand “La Corona, S.A.”, to show that it is useful, very useful, to this country. It is one of its unfinished business”, says Apezarena, who also makes Letizia part of the common goal of consolidating the monarchy and that one day Leonor will end up reigning in Spain. “She has become a decisive support for the king. Despite the incident she was involved in when she confronted Doña Sofía in the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca. A “fight of queens” that provoked voices in the streets of Spain of “Queen Sofía, yes; Letizia, no”.
Felipe VI has consolidated his figure, but it has not been easy, due to the vicissitudes in his family, in politics, with a divided country… That is why the years are now showing.
In short, “Los hombres de Felipe VI” is a biographical chronicle of Felipe VI, a story in which educators, teachers, advisors (most of whom are little known), school and university classmates, members of the army, close friends and also some cronies, politicians, journalists, relatives and officials of La Zarzuela have all played a part.
José Apezarena, a journalist with a PhD in Communication, has held management positions at Europa Press, Ya, Antena 3 Radio, Cadena COPE and Expansión, and is currently editor of El Confidencial Digital. He has directed and presented the radio programme La Linterna, and has published articles in dozens of newspapers. Professor at Villanueva University, talk show host on La Sexta, Cuatro, TRECE, Telemadrid and La 1 de TVE.
Biographer and specialist on Felipe VI, he is the author of books such as “Así es el príncipe” (with Carmen Castilla), “Todos los hombres del rey”, “La Reina” (with other authors), “El Príncipe”, “Boda real” and “Felipe y Letizia. La conquista del trono”. He has directed and presented an 18-episode series on Felipe de Borbón and a biographical documentary on the Prince of Asturias, both broadcast by Telecinco.
