Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano grew up in a middle-class family with her parents – a journalist and a nurse – and her two sisters. Letizia studied journalism at university and went on to follow in her father Jesús José Ortiz Álvarez’s footsteps.

She scored jobs at popular TV station 24 Horas and even worked for CNN+ before reporting on massive events such as September 11 and the US presidential elections for Spanish agency news. Little did she know at the time that one day, as queen, she’d be hosted at the White House by former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump …

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Letizia’s first husband

Letizia and Meghan Markle have more in common than just being pictured outside some of the world’s most famous houses (such as Buckingham Palace and the White House) and being wined and dined inside them after marrying into some of the most powerful families on the planet. They both have ex-husbands who have interesting stories to tell about their former spouses, too.

Meghan’s ex, producer Trevor Engelson, signed on for a Fox pilot comedy show about a man whose ex-wife is now married to a British prince. Letizia’s ex-husband, meanwhile, high school literature teacher Alonso Guerrero Pérez, wrote El Amor de Penny Robinson (The Love of Penny Robinson) and has admitted that it’s based on their marriage, split and Letizia’s second marriage. However, both projects are classed as fiction.

From designer to high street: the British royals’ unlikely favourite shoes

Princess Letizia

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Royal scandals

In 2014, a series of scandals ended the 40-year reign of Juan Carlos I, who abdicated the throne. Felipe became the new king, making Letizia the new queen – and the first commoner to take on the role.

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A common queen?

Despite her royal status, the 2015 book The Court of Felipe VI claims that the former king Juan Carlos wasn’t keen on having her around due to her past as a journalist. His aristocratic friends would even apparently refer to her as “the maid” when joking about her commoner roots. He said his soon-to-be daughter-in-law at the time was “the worst thing to happen” to the royal family, according to The Daily Mail.

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However, for much of the Spanish public, the high street brand-wearing monarch and her laid-back king have been a breath of fresh air that have reignited the country’s love for the public figureheads.