Mary and Letizia:first words

No surprises that Letizia found speaking to the press easier than Mary when they both first appeared on the royal scene.  The future queen of Spain had built a career in communication, much of it with a microphone in her hand, so the sight of hundreds of press all expecting a few words was never going to daunt her.  Mary, on the other hand, was much more shy when it came to chatting in the early days.  How important were those first words for the queens to be?

 

Mary Donaldson during her first interview, October 8th 2003

 

Letizia had two chances to introduce herself to the press following the announcement that she would be marrying the Prince of Asturias.  Firstly, the royal couple held an impromptu chat in the garden of the prince's royal residence on November 1st 2003 when Felipe spoke of his love for Letizia.  It was her second interview that really got noticed.  When the couple met the press after the formal ceremony in which the prince asked for his fiancée's hand in marriage, Letizia was in full flow about how she would cope with royal life when Felipe interrupted and caused her to utter the phrase still best associated with her.  'Dejame terminar'.  He laughed but the interjection to let her finish also marked out a strong willed woman who wasn't going to take a back seat. 

 

 

Felipe and Letizia on the day of the official ceremony that marked their engagement

November 6th 2003

 

Letizia's other great advantage when it came to speaking to the press was that they all spoke the same language.  Mary had to cope with a whole new tongue and one that is notoriously difficult to learn.  Her first words in public were in Danish but she soon excused herself as not having a strong enough command of the language to conduct a full interview and she resorted to English.  But her attempts won a lot of hearts and minds.  Her first interview is remembered for her efforts to adapt, Letizia's for her determination not to.