In recent months, the relationship between Jaime de Marichalar and his son, Felipe Juan Froilán, has been the subject of speculation and rumors in the media.
A distancing that, according to sources close to the family, has been marked by the behavior of the young man at night in Madrid and his recent move to Abu Dhabi.
Estrangement of Felipe Juan Froilan and his father
Froilán’s name has long been associated with altercations in Madrid’s nightlife.
His defiant attitude, added to his circle of friends and some incidents with the authorities, has generated tension within the family.
For his father, Jaime de Marichalar, his son’s public image is fundamental, and his concern about his behavior has led to multiple family conversations.
“Jaime is very discreet and wants his children to have an exemplary behavior,” sources close to the website Monarquia Confidencial assure.
Despite his attempts to guide his son, Froilán’s behavior seemed to follow a course that made his father uncomfortable.
Even, according to published reports, on his trips to Spain he received direct advice on his dealings with the press and his behavior at social events.
“More kindness and discretion,” his father reportedly told him.
The move to Abu Dhabi and the estrangement
The breaking point in their relationship came with Froilán’s move to Abu Dhabi, a decision that, according to close friends, was not well received by Jaime de Marichalar.
Sources close to him assure that, in the face of the Infanta Elena’s insistence that her son should move to the Emirates, Froilán even called his father in anguish, asking him to intervene to prevent the move.
The situation escalated to the point of deriving in a strong argument between Jaime and his ex-wife.
“Don’t forget that Froilán is the fourth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne,” Marichalar reportedly said in the conversation.
For him, his son’s closeness with King Emeritus Juan Carlos could be counterproductive for his future.
Contradictory versions about the separation
The reasons behind this distance are still a matter of debate.
While some claim that Froilán decided to move to Abu Dhabi in search of a change of air, others claim that it was a measure imposed by the Infanta Elena to keep him away from negative influences.
On the other hand, people close to Jaime de Marichalar maintain that the fracture in their relationship is due to the behavior of the young man, while sources close to Froilán point to the lack of emotional support from his father.
The truth is that, beyond the conflicting versions, this estrangement reflects a complex family relationship, where the weight of the public image and personal decisions have generated a turning point in the relationship between father and son.