Queen Letizia's ex-brother-in-law who alleges he had an 'affair' with the royal says they dreamt of 'growing old together and starting a family' - and dismisses King Felipe as just 'her lover' in bombshell interview
- Jaime del Burgo says he continued his romance with Letizia after her wedding
- Read More: Queen Letizia's disgraced biographer Jaime Penafiel sensationally claims Princess Leonor 'sleeps in class' at Zaragoza military academy
Queen Letizia's ex-brother-in-law who alleges he had an 'affair' with the royal says they dreamt of 'growing old together and starting a family' - as he reduces King Felipe to 'her lover'.
Jaime del Burgo, 53, who is based in London, sent shockwaves through the Spanish Royal Family last December when he claimed he was still romantically involved with the Queen following her 2004 wedding to King Felipe.
The businessman - who dated the Queen when she was still a newsreader and was married to her sister Telma from 2012-2014 - has now claimed that he is still in contact with the royal in an interview with Argentinian newspaper Clarín.
He said: 'We have shared many years of our lives together. We have been a family.
'As I have always said, ours was not a relationship of lovers. The lover would be him , in any case. I mean Felipe.'
Pictured: King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain pictured at Zarzuela Palace on June 27, 2024 in Madrid
The father-of-one went on to describe his romance with Letizia as a 'committed, long-lasting, exclusive relationship'.
Jaime claimed Letizia wanted to start a family with him and they shared the dream of 'growing old holding hands'.
Elsewhere in the interview, Jaime said he was trying to expose the 'rottenness of the Crown' but was 'asked to flee' by Queen Letizia.
However, the businessman goes on to claim that he still in contact with Letizia and last spoke to her on May 12.
At the end of last year, Jaime made a series of shocking claims about his relationship in the book 'Letizia & I' by veteran royal journalist Jaime Penafiel. In January, the author was sacked by the newspaper El Mundo after 20 years.
The businessman told the author that he met Letizia before 2000 and their relationship began on a romantic trip to Venice, years before she met King Felipe.
Jaime - who is the son of the former politician Jaime Ignacio del Burgo - claims he was planning to propose to Letizia when she announced that she was dating a mysterious 'diplomat' over dinner at the Ritz hotel in Madrid in 2002.
Describing how 'serious and significant' their relationship was, the author made the unlikely claim that Jaime was 'carrying an engagement ring his his pocket' that evening.
Pictured: Jaime Del Burgo and his ex-wife Telma Oritz seen in 2012 before their wedding. The couple divorced in 2014
Letizia reportedly told him that she had 'met someone who would oblige her to quit her profession', which Jaime said led him to deduce her mystery partner was Felipe.
After the pair reportedly decided to just be friends, Jaime is said to have advised Letizia: 'Don't announce the romance, just the wedding.'
Following their engagement announcement in 2003, Letizia - who had divorced her first husband in 1999 - asked Jaime to be a witness at their wedding.
What's more, the royal's ex-brother-in-law also made the far-fetched claim that he 'dealt' with Letizia's pre-nuptial agreement and helped to front the cost of the Queen's family's wedding outfits.
He is quoted as saying: 'When the wedding with Felipe came round, I dealt with the pre-nuptial agreement as you know, amongst other things.
'I also had to pay Letizia's family's expenses because [former King] Juan Carlos refused to pay or even go halves with me. So with the help of my friend Felipe Varela, I dressed her mum, grandmother and her sisters. And with the help of Jaime Jason, her father, grandparents and a cousin.'
Jaime also makes the incredible claim that the Queen asked to see him the night before the wedding at the exclusive El Latigazo restaurant in Madrid - where she asked him to 'never leave' her.
He sensationally claimed: '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.''
Queen Letizia (far right) pictured in Rome in July 2012 ahead of her sister Telma's (centre) wedding to Jaime del Burgo (left)
In the book 'Letizia and I', her former brother-in-law makes the outlandish claim that he contributed towards the Queen's family's wedding outfits
In the book, Letizia's alleged ex-lover describes Felipe as a 'kind-hearted man' and even goes on to say that he had a 'great friendship' with the royal. He told the author: 'I told him my problems and he told [me] his.'
The businessman even claims that Felipe 'uses [him] as a good man because he felt incapable of calming [Letizia] down' on occasions.
Following the wedding, Jaime described how Letizia was like a 'fox in a chicken coop' as she was 'cleverer than any of them'.
Jaime - who says the Queen nicknamed him her 'yogi pal' - claims he still had a romantic relationship with Letizia even after the wedding in 2004. He also claims he has kept 'photographs, videos, mobile phones' and text messages as evidence.
The businessman claimed that 'love was always there' in their relationship since they travelled to Venice together. The photograph Jaime shared on Twitter last night was taken during one of Letizia's pregnancies between 2005-2007.
Pictured: King Felipe and Queen Letizia with their daughters Princess Leonor (left) and Princess Sofia (right) in June
In the book, Jaime sensationally claims that Letizia whispered that she loved him when they were lying in a hammock by a pool at her home following Princess Leonor's birth.
Jaime - who joked that Letizia's alleged ex-lover should have been his co-author - is quoted as saying in the book: 'Lying in the same hammock, under the pool porch, facing each other, Letizia told me 'I love you' and I responded 'I love you'.'
Jaime Penafiel goes on to write that Jaime del Burgo subsequently wrote a play called 'La Hamaca, which in English is 'The Hammock', and edited it but never distributed it.
Following this, Jaime alleges they 'took steps forward with the goal of being free' - which involved seeking legal advice and looking at properties in the US.
Queen Letizia's sister Telma Oritz with her second husband Robert Gavin at the Princess of Asturias Awards in 2019
Pictured: King Felipe and Queen Letizia on their wedding day in Madrid in May 2004. Jaime Del Burgo claims he was going to propose to the newsreader until she announced she had met King Felipe
One of the most damaging claims Jaime reportedly makes is that Queen Letizia suggested they have a child together using a surrogate in Los Angeles.
Around this time, Jaime claims that he confronted Letizia after photos of her kissing Felipe appeared on the covers of Spanish magazines.
He claims the Queen told him: 'I had to do it to protect us.'
He says in the book Jaime del Burgo told him Felipe and Letizia had a 'difficult relationship' and told him: 'Felipe uses me as a good man because he felt incapable of calming her down.'
In December, businessman Jaime Del Burgo shared this unseen selfie of Queen Letizia with his X followers. He claimed that the royal was wearing his pashmina and said it 'took care of her'
Jaime Penafiel goes on to write that when Sofia was born, Jaime del Burgo became uncle to both of the girls.
It then quotes him as saying: 'It was a beautiful period. I didn't have children, and those girls made me so happy. I was working in Brazil and suffered a pulmonary embolism.
'I was in intensive care for a fortnight. I managed to get the Albert Einstein Hospital to give me a telephone Letizia and I spoke to each other every day on [the phone].
'During my visits to Madrid I would often go to the cinema with Felipe, Letizia and some friends. Letizia and I would always sit together, holding hands. They were moments of happiness.'
However in August 2011, Jaime alleges Letizia abruptly ended their relationship when she called him and said: 'We can't continue seeing each other.'
Following this, Jaime alleges that a female friend told him to get in touch with Telma - who he had met when he first started dating Letizia.
Pictured: Telma Oritz and Jaime del Burgo seen in December 2014, before their split was announced
The couple (pictured with Telma's daughter Amanda) relocated to New York after their wedding in 2012 before returning to Spain
The following year, the pair got engaged after just two months of dating. The Queen's sister already had her daughter Amanda from her relationship with ex-partner Enrique Martin Llop.
At this time, Jaime claims he was still close to Letizia and Felipe and he claimed he bonded with his future wife after the four of them went to the cinema in Madrid one day.
He told the author: 'When we left it was pouring down and instead of returning in the car with Letizia and Felipe, I got a lift with Telma. When we arrived at the Pabellon del Principe where Felipe lived, it was raining so hard we couldn’t leave the car.
'And we spent nearly an hour talking. Telma asked me to go to visit her one day in Barcelona where she was living at the time. And that’s what I did. I rang her and went.'
In the book, Jaime outlandishly claims that Letizia had previously 'banned' Jaime and her sister from speaking to one another.
Author Jaime Peñafiel wrote: 'When [Jaime del Burgo] is going to marry Telma, it is Felipe who advises him on the marriage agreements and, over the years, they have maintained a great friendship.'
After tying the knot in an intimate ceremony, the couple celebrated their marriage with a larger reception in Italy - which was attended by their family.
Jaime del Burgo is quoted in the book as saying: 'When the guests congratulated us, Letizia’s turn came and kissing me on the cheek, she whispered into my ear, "We’ll be together again."'
In 2012, the pair relocated to New York to start their married life - but Telma returned to Barcelona the same year before announcing their permanent separation in 2014.
He then goes on to outrageously claim that Letizia 'didn't stop until she managed to make [Jaime's marriage fail' - citing it as the 'only battle he'd lost in his life'.
The couple's first attempts at divorce had been squashed by the groom's father Jaime Ignacio del Burgo, who told a court that his son and Telma repented and wanted to give their marriage another go.
In December, Jaime posted a selfie of Queen Letizia on X as 'evidence' of their relationship.
In the selfie, the royal can be seen wearing a black pashmina - which Jaime claims belonged to him - and he also typed out a message, supposedly sent to him by the Spanish Queen.
It read: 'Love. I wear your pashmina. It's like feeling you by my side. It takes care of me.
'It protects me. I count the hours until we see each other again. Love you. Get out of here. Yours,'
After sharing the image, other X users questioned the validity of Jaime's claims - given there is no evidence that Letizia sent him the photo or accompanying message. The businessman has since deleted his X account.
A spokesperson for the Spanish Royal Family told FEMAIL: 'We have no comment to make about this.'
