Baby girl brings joy, and succession headache

Spain's Crown Princess Letizia gave birth to her first child Monday a girl that becomes second in line to the throne after her father Crown Prince Felipe, and may some day become the future queen of Spain.

With Felipe by her side, Letizia gave birth to Leonor at 1:46 am through Caesarean section at Madrid's Ruber International Clinic, three weeks before her scheduled due date. Both mother and child were doing fine, said a visibly moved and happy Felipe accompanied by the team of doctors that assisted at the birth.

"This is the most beautiful thing that can happen in someone's life," Felipe told reporters Monday morning, speaking under a special tent set up in the hospital's car park.

"Both Princess Letizia and myself are absolutely happy and radiant with the birth of our daughter."

Reflecting the view of most first-time fathers, Felipe said: "She's a big girl, she looks strong."

The little princess is 47 centimetres tall and weighs 3.54 kilograms, Doctor Luis Ignacio Recasens said.

Earlier, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in a Royal Palace statement had expressed "their great happiness at this joyful announcement" of the birth of their seventh grandchild.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero also congratulated Letizia and Felipe on their first child.

The new princess Leonor is second in line to the throne after Prince Felipe, who is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos. But her place in the royal succession could drop if Felipe and Letizia have any sons.

Felipe's two sisters, Princesses Elena and Cristina, although older were constitutionally barred from the throne.

The Spanish Constitution allows a female heir to the throne only if she has no brothers.

However, Leonor could become the first Spanish princess to have the same right as a boy to accede to the throne and become queen.

The government is looking into changing the constitutional article under which the eldest male is automatically heir to the throne even if he has an older sister.

Felipe also highlighted the institutional importance of Leonor's birth.

"This birth materializes the succession and is a very important political and constitutional event," said Felipe.

sHe added that for the moment Leonor will be just a princess but if the constitutional changes take place in the near future, he said she will eventually become queen, something for which she will be educated.

"We hope to be able to transmit to the little Leonor all that we've learned in our lives, the education, to help her face the challenges, which I'm sure will be important in her life."

It was not immediately clear whether the government would press on with that constitutional change after the birth of the princess.

Letizia Ortiz, 33, became Spain's crown princess in May 2004 when she married Felipe, 37, in a glamorous royal wedding ceremony.

Letizia and Felipe surprised Spaniards on November 1, 2003, by announcing their engagement. Few knew that the heir to the Spanish throne had been dating a woman that was one of the country's best-known television personalities, a divorcee without royal or aristocratic links.

The tall, dashing prince met Letizia at a dinner party in late 2002 and they started dating secretly the following spring.

Spain is a constitutional monarchy where the royals have only ceremonial functions.

The Spanish royal family enjoys wide respect.

Tight security measures were in place at the maternity clinic, whose staff have signed a confidentiality agreement.

The clinic does not have especially luxurious facilities but is near the couple's home, the Zarzuela Palace, and is where Letizia's gynaecologist works.

Letizia briefly stayed at the clinic on October 18 after early contractions.

Source: China Daily