Prince Felipe - Marriage and Children

Marriage and Children

The bachelorhood of Felipe was an issue in the Spanish press for several years. His name was linked with several eligible women, but only two with any conviction: Spanish noblewoman Isabel Sartorius, around 1989 to 1991, daughter of Vicente Sartorius y Cabeza de Vaca who was not viewed favorably by the Royal Family due to her mother's cocaine addiction and Norwegian model Eva Sannum, who had modeled underwear, something favored by neither the Spanish people nor the Royal Family. When Felipe finally began a serious relationship, nothing was suspected before the official announcement. On 1 November 2003 the Prince's engagement to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, an award-winning television journalist formerly with CNN, was proclaimed. Despite the fact she had been civilly married and then divorced, the public generally approved of Letizia since she represented the modern woman—independent, cultured, and accomplished in her profession. The couple married on the morning of 22 May 2004 in the Almudena Cathedral in Madrid, with members of several European royal families attending. Ortiz had previously been married to Alonso Guerrero, a teacher and author; they were divorced in 1999. The wedding was watched by more than 25 million television viewers in Spain alone, and was broadcast throughout the world. On 8 May 2005, the Spanish Royal House announced that the Prince and Princess of Asturias were expecting their first child in November.

• HRH Infanta Leonor de Todos los Santos of Spain, was born on 31 October 2005. She is second in the line of succession.