An alleged affair with her ex brother-in-law: the Queen of Spain is at the centre of a royal scandal.

Step aside Meghan and Harry, the controversy spotlight is focused on another set of European royals.

For months now there have been growing allegations that Spain's Queen Letizia had an affair during the early years of her marriage to King Felipe.

The cheating claim was made by none other than Queen's former brother-in-law Jaime Del Burgo. In Letizia & I., a tell-all about Queen Letizia by royal reporter Jaime Peñafiel, the Spanish/British businessman says he had an affair with the Spanish royal from 2004 to 2011.

Reporter Peñafiel, also alleges in his latest book that King Felipe was aware that his wife was allegedly cheating, leaving him "crushed and destroyed".

The King reportedly felt "plunged into hell", sources describing the Queen's alleged behaviour as "emotionally immature, cold, indestructible and determined".

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Queen Letizia and King Felipe have been together since 2003, the Queen being a former journalist who came from a middle-class background in Spain. 

The couple wed in 2004, and they have two daughters together – Leonor Princess of Asturias, 18, and Infanta Sofía of Spain, 16. Queen Letizia was previously married for a year to her first husband between 1998 and 1999.

Jaime Del Burgo claims he had a relationship with Queen Letizia frequently in the early 2000s. He says the alleged affair happened before he married the Queen's sister, Telma Ortiz, but during the Queen's marriage. 

Del Burgo claims he was dating Queen Letizia when she met King Felipe, and that he was planning to propose to her when she announced she was dating a mysterious "diplomat". This was in 2002.

As the Queen and King were preparing to marry in 2004, Del Burgo says he was asked to be a witness at the ceremony. He says he dined with Queen Letizia the night before her wedding, at which time she told him: "Never leave me."

Del Burgo said in the book: "When we met, she took hold of my hand and asked me why I had never asked her to marry me. Obviously I didn't reply. I encouraged her as best I could. The last thing she said to me before we said goodbye to each other in that restaurant was a request: 'Never leave me'."

The alleged affair then continued until 2011. 

As "proof" to support his claim, in a since-deleted post on X, Del Burgo shared a selfie that Queen Letizia took in a bathroom mirror. He says the photo was sent to him directly, with the words roughly translated to: "Love. I am wearing your pashmina. It is like feeling you by my side. It looks after me. Protects me. I am counting the hours until we see each other again, love you, get out of here. Yours."

The photo was not dated, but it has been suggested by some news outlets that Queen Letizia was pregnant at the time the photo was taken.

Del Burgo, and Del Burgo's now-deleted X post about Queen Letizia. Image: X.

Del Burgo also alleges that Queen Letizia suggested they have a child together using a surrogate in Los Angeles.

He said that around this time he had "confronted" the Queen after photos of her kissing King Felipe appeared on the covers of Spanish magazines. He claims the Queen said in response: "I had to do it to protect us."

Del Burgo says that Queen Letizia called him in 2011 to tell him: "We can't continue seeing each other."

He soon after began dating his alleged former lover's sister, Telma. They went on to marry in 2012, before divorcing in 2014. He claims that around the time of his wedding, the Queen whispered in his ear: "We'll be together again."

There were death threats against del Burgo as a result of him publicly sharing his claims.

In a follow-up X post, he said: "I appreciate the messages from those who have understood that I would have my reasons. I hold no grudge against those who have threatened to kill me. I don't feel proud. But the truth is what it is."

He finished the statement by saying the only person who can judge him is "Jesus and God".

This isn't the only news story that the Spanish royal family has been swept up in.

King Felipe's father, former King Juan Carlos, is no stranger to controversy. He abdicated in 2014, and has been caught up in a series of corruption investigations. The now 85-year-old fled Spain in disgrace, and has gone to live a life of exiled luxury in Abu Dhabi, leaving his family behind. Meanwhile, his former lover has publicly accused him of hiding millions of euros.

As for how the Spanish royal family has responded to the affair allegations, they released a statement to Daily Mail, saying: "We have no comment to make about this."

Following the reports, King Felipe and Queen Letizia have been putting on a united front, though reporter Peñafiel claims the royal couple now live separate lives.

"They're just keeping up appearances in public. I don't think they even live under the same roof… Felipe is a good person, as I have said already. He's putting on a brave front and Letizia has done him a lot of harm… I don't think there will be a divorce, but there could be an agreement like the one [Felipe's parents] Juan Carlos and Sofia established in which each one leads their own life," he said in an interview with El Cierre Digital as per Tatler.

It appears the adage "don't complain, don't explain", is well used by the Spanish royal family too.

This article was originally published in December 2023, and has since been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Getty.