Queen Letizia of Spain, at 51, is navigating a challenging phase in her life.
Her daughters, Leonor and Sofia, have moved out of the royal palace to pursue their education, marking a significant change for both King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
This transition is particularly tough for Letizia, who has always been deeply involved in her daughters’ lives.
Known as a “helicopter mom,” she closely monitored their studies, friendships, diet, and behavior.
With her daughters now living away, a psychological analysis reveals how she might be coping.
Queen Letizia’s Empty Nest Syndrome
Three years ago, Princess Leonor left Zarzuela Palace to continue her studies.
She spent two years in Wales for her high school education and has now started her military training in Zaragoza.
Similarly, last September, Infanta Sofia followed her sister’s path and began her studies at UWC Atlantic College in Wales.
King Felipe recently joked about feeling lonely during an event, highlighting how the absence of their daughters has impacted their lives.
When children grow up and leave home, it often significantly affects the parents, sometimes even straining the marriage.
The Spanish psychologist Lara Ferreiro explains the stages of Empty Nest Syndrome, which many parents experience when their children move out.
The first stage is a “honeymoon” phase where parents feel a sense of accomplishment and enjoy their newfound freedom.
However, this often leads to a crisis where the couple might struggle to adjust to each other without their parenting duties.
Some couples may even face divorce during this stage.
If they overcome this crisis, parents enter a grieving phase, missing their children and sometimes redecorating or preserving their rooms.
The next stage involves negotiating new routines and reconnecting as a couple, finding new ways to spend time together and enjoy life.
Finally, parents adapt to their new lives, feeling happy for their grown children and appreciating the journey.
Ferreiro notes that the Empty Nest Syndrome can last around nine months to a year.
During this time, parents need to support each other through feelings of sadness, loneliness, and anxiety.
Creating new plans and celebrating their achievements as parents can help combat these feelings.
For King Felipe and Queen Letizia, maintaining their busy lives and staying in touch with their daughters helps mitigate the impact of the Empty Nest Syndrome.
They have regular visits whenever their schedules allow, which strengthens their relationship.
Understanding each other’s emotional stages and not invalidating feelings of sadness or irritation is crucial.
Building new motivations and celebrating successes as parents are key strategies for overcoming this period.
Statistics show that many marriages struggle during this phase, with seven out of ten couples separating.
However, the bond between Felipe and Letizia appears strong. They publicly display affection and support, suggesting they have weathered the challenges well, finding deeper connection and resilience in their relationship.