Queen Letizia of Spain steps out solo at awards ceremony in Madrid

Queen Letizia of Spain has stepped out solo at an awards ceremony Madrid this evening – amid claims her husband King Felipe was left ‘crushed and destroyed’ by her alleged infidelity.

The mother-of-two, 51, dressed in a chic white blouse and matching trousers combo, appeared to put on a brave face as she attended the Solo de Ciencia Awards in the Spanish capital.

Honouring scientific excellence and innovation, the annual event celebrates the achievements of leading scientists and researchers.

But the occasion – which Letizia also attended last year without her husband – comes after journalist Jaime Peñafiel, 91, launched a fresh attack on the European Queen with his new book ‘Letizia’s Silences’, which was was published in Spain today.

In January, the veteran royal reporter was sacked by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo after 20 years following a series of damaging allegations made in his first book ‘Letizia & I’.

His best-selling book alleged that Queen Letizia had an affair with her ex-brother-in-law Jamie del Burgo. The Spanish Royal Household refused to comment on the claims at the time.

In his latest work, Jamie claims that Felipe was ‘aware that Letizia was cheating on him in real time’ as her bodyguards have an obligation to report on her whereabouts.

The author alleges that bodyguards joined Queen Letizia on a trip she took to New York in 2011 with her ‘lover’ Jaime del Burgo, whom she had dated before meeting Felipe. 

The author wrote: ‘That day [in New York], she was accompanied by her faithful escorts, who, without a doubt, any, they would pass a report to the Ministry of the Interior or [the Palace of] Zarzuela.’

Following this, Jaime claims that Felipe has been left ‘crushed and destroyed’ by his wife’s alleged cheating.

The royal reporter – who worked for Hola! magazine for 20 years – claims that Felipe has been ‘plunged into hell’ by his wife’s supposed ‘betrayal’ and ‘wants to get out’. 

Elsewhere in the book, Jamie labels Queen Letizia ‘cold, emotionally immature and passive aggressive’ and claims she is ‘hated’ by King Felipe’s family.

Jaime Peñafiel, 91, was sacked by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo after 20 years earlier this year following the publication of first book on the Queen called ‘Letizia & I’. 

The book sent shockwaves through the Spanish Royal Family after the author alleged that the Queen had a romantic relationship with her ex-brother-in-law Jaime del Burgo. The Spanish Royal Household refused to comment on the claims at the time.

Following his dismissal, the veteran journalist has now written another book – called ‘Letizia’s Silences’ – which begins by delving into her early romance with King Felipe. 

In the opening chapter, the author sensationally claims that ‘everything in Letizia’s world has been broken’ as a result of alleged ‘deceit, adultery and betrayals’. 

The author goes on to say Queen Letizia has a ‘cold, indestructible and determined’ aura about her and that the royal’s silence on the recent allegations signify her ’emotional immaturity’.

Jaime claims the royal ‘resorts to silence as a way of controlling and punishing other people’. 

He then goes on to claim that Letizia’s ‘passive aggressive’ behaviour towards King Felipe is the reason her ‘mother-in-law [Queen Sofia] and sisters-in-laws [Infanta Cristina and the Duchess of Lugo] hate her so much’.

In the following chapter, Jaime alleges that King Felipe fell in love with his future wife while watching her present the news. 

Reports on how the royal couple got together have varied over the years – with some claiming they were introduced at dinner party while others allege they first met when Felipe visited an oil spillage site in Northern Spain.

When they began dating, Jaime claims Letizia would ‘test’ Felipe’s feelings for her by travelling frequently.

In 2002, the future Queen flew to Santo Domingo to report on the annual Ibero-American Summit – which Jaime describes as Letizia putting Felipe’s intentions ‘to the test’.

Weeks later, the author claims Letizia flew to Costa Rica as a ‘strategy’ to secure the future King of Spain.

He explained: ‘It was a strategy, because that absence was a real torment for the very much in love Felipe, who conceived distance as the worst of evils, coming to understand [Spanish poet] Lope de Vega when he said that “the beginning of absence is like the end of life.”‘

Following this, Jaime says Letizia was certain of the strength of Felipe’s ‘total love’ for her and returned to Spain ‘bossy and manipulative’. 

What’s more, the author claims that Felipe assured Letizia that he could ‘cut short’ any news outlet reporting on their romance.

During one of Felipe’s visits to Letizia’s Valdebernardo apartment, Jamie alleges that the journalist confided in royal about how she used to work as a cigarette stewardess while living in Mexico.

He also predicted the couple, who have maintained what the mainstream Spanish press have described as a dignified silence in the face of ongoing infidelity claims by Jaime del Burgo, would follow in the footsteps of Felipe’s parents Juan Carlos and Sofia.

Spain’s former king is now living in exile in Abu Dhabi after corruption investigations he was caught up in left his reputation in tatters although he returns to his homeland from time to time.

Later in the book, Jaime alleges that Felipe and Letizia are living separate lives and ‘just keeping up appearances in public’. 

Following its publication today, Spanish publication El Nacional Cat published a review claiming that Jaime Peñafiel is ‘determined to end the Queen’s career’ and described him as ‘one of Letizia’s biggest enemies. 

In ‘Letizia & I’, the Queen’s former brother-in-law Jaime del Burgo makes the unlikely claim that he was planning to propose to Letizia – who was a newsreader at the time – on the night that she told him that she was dating a high-profile man in Spain.

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. 

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.” 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.’

After Letizia allegedly ended the ‘relationship’ in August 2011, Jaime claims that a female friend told him to get in touch with the Queen’s sister Telma.

The following year, the pair got engaged after just two months of dating. However, the couple divorced 2014 following two years of marriage.