Princess Leonor is in the center of the media spotlight, after images taken during one of her days off in Montevideo, Uruguay, were published.
The pictures, where she appears in a bikini peacefully enjoying a day off with her colleagues, have traveled around the world and have provoked a wave of comments and questions about the limits of privacy in the life of an heir to the throne.
How were the photos of Leonor in bikini taken?
It all happened on March 5, when the ship docked in Montevideo, Uruguay, in what was the fourth stop of the training tour.
With the commander’s permission, a group of about 30 midshipmen, including Leonor, took the day off and traveled to La Mulata beach, a quiet corner of the Rio de la Plata.
The paparazzi opted to follow the escorts instead of the heiress, a decision that allowed him to track her down on the beach.
There, while relaxing in the water, a Spanish photographer disguised as a tourist managed to capture images of the princess.
According to what is known, the paparazzi took 200 photos of which 60 were left with enough quality to be published.
This quantity of photos was offered to different media in exchange for a considerable amount of money. Negotiations went on for more than three weeks.
The paparazzi set the price for the bikini pictures of Leonor first at 150,000 euros and later at 80,000 euros.
It was known that Hola magazine would have accepted the latter sum, but the photographer decided not to sell them for fear that they would never see the light of day.
Finally, it was the magazine Diez Minutos that got the exclusive, after a negotiation process that lasted weeks.
According to the director of the publication, Vicente Sánchez, the conditions were clear: all the images would be published and none would be reserved.
In the photographs, Leonor appears smiling, chatting in the water with one of her companions and sharing moments with others during the return to the hotel.
The magazine describes a close relationship between the princess and her colleagues, with whom she seems to maintain a bond of trust and camaraderie.
Leonor appears as a normal young woman, well integrated, protected and loved by her environment, according to the magazine.
The day of the images was special for the group. They had lunch at a beach bar and then returned to the hotel, located in Montevideo’s old town, to prepare for a reception at the Spanish Embassy.
In the context of the trip, the free day was an exception: on board the ship, the routine includes between five and eight hours of daily instruction.
Controversy soon erupted. Although the Royal Household has not issued an official response, different media claim that King Felipe and Queen Letizia had already seen the images before their publication.
According to the newspaper El País, they consider that it was a security breach and a clear invasion of their daughter’s privacy, something they have tried to protect since she was a little girl.
To this is added a recent incident in Chile, when images captured by a security camera of the princess strolling through a shopping mall were disseminated.
The Royal House then denounced the leak, which evidences its sensitivity regarding this type of situation.
Faced with the criticism, the director of Diez Minutos defended the publication, assuring that the photos were taken in a public place, legally and without violating any rules.
“He is a character we all wanted to see like this, as a normal person”, he declared. He also assured that so far there has been no communication with the Zarzuela.