BIOGRAPHY OF LETIZIA ORTIZ ROCASOLANO

Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano was born at the Hospital General de Asturias in Oviedo (in Asturia) on September 15, 1972. She was baptised on September 29, 1972, at the Iglesia Parroquial del Santo Cristo de las Cadenas in Oviedo. She is the eldest daughter of Jesús Ortiz Álvarez (53 years old, son of José Luis Ortiz Velasco and Menchu Álvarez del Valle) and Paloma Rocasolano (51 years old, daughter of Francisco Rocasolano and Enriqueta Rodriguez). Her parents divorced in 1998 and her father is engaged to marry Ana Togores now. Her father founded the tv-channel Antena 3. Letizia's mother is a nurse and union official who works in a clinic in Moratalaz, Madrid. Letizia's paternal grandmother was a well known radio broadcaster in Asturia for over 40 years. Letizia has two sisters: Telma (Oviedo, October 25, 1973) and Erika (28 years old) who is married to Antonio Vigo and has a daughter, Clara.

From her 8th year she went to school at the public Colegio La Gesta I in Oviedo, which she left in 1986. She loved literature, music and ballet. Then she studied at the Instituto Alfonso II and later at the Centre Ramiro de Maeztu in Madrid. After earning a degree in information sciences at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. After receiving a Master's degree in audiovisual journalism she pursued postgraduate studies in Mexico City, where she also worked for the newspaper Siglo XXI.

Letizia started her career at the Asturian daily La Nueva España, ABC and the international editing desk of Agencia EFE, Spain's news agency. Later, she joined the United States' Bloomberg financial TV network, which in Spain is under the supervision of Agencia EFE Television. Following a stint as newscaster, editor and reporter for CNN Plus, in 2000 she joined Televisión Española (TVE), where she has edited news and anchored newscasts, in addition to hosting specials and reporting major news, such as the 2000 election in the USA, the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the situation in Iraq in 2003, as special on-site correspondent. She currently anchors TVE's daily Telediario 2, together with TVE news director Alfredo Urdaci. In 2001, she shared the Larra Award, awarded by the Madrid Press Association to upcoming journalists, with another young reporter. Her last appearance on TVE was on October 31, one day before the announcement of her engagement to the Prince of Asturias.

Letizia married Alonso Guerrero (born 1962) in a civil ceremony on August 7, 1998, in Ayuntamiento de Almendralejo, Badajoz. They divorced one year later. He has since remarried Maria del Carmen Astero. Since no church wedding was held at the time, the Roman Catholic Church is not expected to oppose Letizia remarrying.