Leonor and Sofia's Nannies

[Silver]

I think Sofia does speak Greek. Most in her family do (Prince Philip speaks Greek, so I hear). I remember a speech she gave in Singapore where she spoke in English, then German, then Greek, then French, then Spanish. Her French sounded a bit iffy but everything else seemed to be okay.
I remember hearing Sofia speak Spanish when I was a lot younger (like when I was a child young - she did one of those visit thingees). She spoke it perfectly but she still had the Greek accent. Don't think she speaks Catalan. Actually, I don't really think any of the RF speak Catalan. I've heard Felipe throw in a couple of phrases in Catalan in his speeches in Catalonia (same with Portuguese) but I hardly think that amounts to speaking it.
I also agree with Clara that Letizia, as a reporter, would have had to have spoken at least some English. Perhaps she's gotten better over the last couple of years but I think her basic knowledge of English would have already been there.
Disagree about Spaniards having thick accents. Whilst I agree that there are some who have the kind of accent you refer to, English is not a particularly widely-spoken language in Spain (by my estimation) but most people who speak it well don't have the very noticeable accent. I don't have one like that.

[Cece]

I think Sofia does speak Greek.

She does speak Greek.

Disagree about Spaniards having thick accents. Whilst I agree that there are some who have the kind of accent you refer to, English is not a particularly widely-spoken language in Spain (by my estimation) but most people who speak it well don't have the very noticeable accent. I don't have one like that.

 

If you're answering me, Silver, I wasn't speaking about Spaniards in general. I was speaking about the Infantes who while speaking English very well (we'll disregard the "parents" thing at Georgetown), have what to my ears is a rather heavy accent considering their involvement in the English speaking world from an early age. If they were ordinary Spaniards, it would hardly register.

[Silver]

Was answering dKaren but I know what you mean.

[Silver]

My brain is fuzzified today... don't know why.

[Clara]

Does Letizia speak English?  I've read that that she does and I've also read that she doesn't.  

I have never met her, let alone tested her English level but every time I read she doesn't speak English I can't believe it. First of all, even if she didn't speak a word of English when she got married, she has been married for 6 years. That is more than enough time for her to reach an acceptable level of English as she would have access to the best teachers and her job is representing Spain. We've also seen her conversing with different royals and world leaders and I doubt every single one spoke Spanish. For example, this summer lunch with Michelle Obama. If she can't speak English that must have been a looong lunch.
Second, I can't believe that the most important TV channel in Spain sent a reporter to Iraq and USA who couldn't speak English. Three of my best friends are journalists. All of them speak English and French. One is doing a postgrade in England, the second one is taking some photography classes and the third one is studying in Belgium. The three of them are attractive and have interned in two of the most important newspapers in Spain, a very known radio and a local TV channel. I can't believe they are the only prepared journalists in Spain, some other reporter would have gotten those two jobs if Letizia couldn't hold a basic conversation in, at least, English.
Thank you Odette

Clara, I can't  you yet until another 24 hrs. but thank you...you're just a fount of knowledge!! I didn't know all those things.

Thank you Joys, you are too sweet, and Pixiecat you too
But I'm afraid I'm not a fount of knowldegde, everything I wrote was just my opinion, nothing is known for sure.

[Clara]

If you're answering me, Silver, I wasn't speaking about Spaniards in general. I was speaking about the Infantes who while speaking English very well (we'll disregard the "parents" thing at Georgetown), have what to my ears is a rather heavy accent considering their involvement in the English speaking world from an early age. If they were ordinary Spaniards, it would hardly register.

Sofía probably grew up talking in two(maybe even three) languages, without really having a (only one) mother tongue. The people I've met in this situation can speak a language very well but with an accent. Maybe this is her problem too, and as she was speaking to her children in English and they learnt the language through her they didn't pick up a perfect accent.  They also lived a multi lingual childhood, speaking English with her mother, probably with their grandmother too, Spanish at school and with friends, their parents speaking in French among themselves...

[dKaren]

They also lived a multi lingual childhood, speaking English with her mother, probably with their grandmother too, Spanish at school and with friends, their parents speaking in French among themselves...

JC and Sofia spoke French to each other ? Sofia said she hated French and didn't learn it well. Indeed her French was not good compared to other languages she had learnt. I always heard she spoke both English and Spanish to hubby.

[Clara]

Hahaha, ok, everybody forget I ever wrote it  
I guess they speak in English then, I don't know where I got the idea they spoke in French. I doubt she spoke Spanish with him, she used to be critisized for not speaking Spanish with her family and not being fluent enough.
I also wanted to ask you dKaren, why were the Infantitas speaking English in the soccer reception?

[dKaren]

Clara, here is the article.

http://www.lne.es/asturia...undial-ingles/947971.html

[Clara]

Awww, how cute!
Thank you dKaren!