Podcast Summary: Todo Concostrina – "Acontece que no es poco | El silencio comprado de la amante de Alfonso XII"

Podcast: Todo Concostrina
Host: Nieves Concostrina (with Carla)
Date: January 27, 2025
Episode Theme:
An exploration of the historical parallels between the silencing of royal lovers in Spain—focusing on the case of Alfonso XII and his lover Elena Sanz—and recent events involving the Spanish monarchy and public funds. The episode interweaves historical scandal and current politics, delivered in Concostrina’s distinctive, candid style.

Episode Overview

Nieves Concostrina and Carla revisit the unfinished story of Alfonso XII’s secret relationship with the opera singer Elena Sanz, delving into how her silence was bought—a tale rich in intrigue, hypocrisy, and direct connections to present-day royal scandals. The narrative draws explicit parallels between 19th-century and contemporary efforts to shield royal reputations, discussing how both have involved using public money to buy silence, and reflecting on the recurring patterns of power, secrecy, and gendered morality in Spain’s monarchy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recent Events Mirror the Past

[01:11] Nieves Concostrina quickly connects the historical story to modern events, noting the similarities between the hush money paid to Elena Sanz and current debates about payments to royal lovers:

• Reference to contemporary politics: Congress recently refused to disclose how much public money has been used by the secret service (CNI) to silence Juan Carlos I’s lover, Bárbara Rey.
• Critique: Both major parties (PSOE and PP) are accused of protecting royal secrets, maintaining a tradition of political complicity and lack of transparency.

Quote [01:44]:
"¿Por qué PSOE y PP votan en contra de que se investigue cómo, quiénes y cuándo han malversado nuestro dinero público? Desde mi punto de vista es incalificable, pero bueno, así de cortesanos son."
(Nieves Concostrina)

2. Historical Case: The Silencing of Elena Sanz

[02:34] Nieves Concostrina lays out how, centuries before, similar tactics were used to stifle royal scandals. Elena Sanz received hefty sums to keep quiet about her relationship with the king and the paternity of her children:

• In 1886, Casa Real paid 750,000 pesetas to Elena Sanz—equivalent to a "millonada" at the time.
• Motivation for payment: Prevent publication of intimate letters proving Alfonso XII's affair and the existence of illegitimate children.
• The parallel—then it was love letters; now, it’s compromising photos and videos.

Quote [04:03]:
"Los paga Casa Real para que Elena Sanz no vendiera las cartas de Alfonso XII, donde se demostraba, ahí se demostraba la relación y la paternidad de Alfonso XII."
(Nieves Concostrina)

3. The Relationship’s Genesis and Royal Hypocrisy

[05:39] Carla & Nieves reconstruct the timeline:

• Elena Sanz, a talented contralto, met a young Alfonso XII in Vienna while singing an opera about another king's affair.
• Their relationship continued even after Alfonso’s marriage to María de las Mercedes. Elena gave up her career for the king.
• Alfonso XII sent personal letters offering money and affection; the royal household supported her in secret.

Quote [06:21]:
"Le preguntaba si necesitaba más guita. ¿Guita? Como él era así también muy campechano, guita, dinero. Debería haber puesto también una posdata que dijera pide lo que quieras que pagan los españoles, cariño."
(Nieves Concostrina)

4. Double Standards and Suffering of Royal Wives

[08:00] Carla & Nieves explore the emotional fallout and societal double standards:

• Alfonso XII maintained simultaneous relationships: marrying María Cristina de Austria while Elena Sanz was pregnant with his child.
• The queen endured her husband's public infidelity with great suffering, while insiders (court, politicians) treated the situation with amusement.
• The royals’ “reason of state” consistently protects the king, punishes or erases the women involved, and never recognizes illegitimate offspring.

Quote [09:07]:
"La obligación de los frailes es rezar y la de las reinas parir."
(Nieves Concostrina, quoting Conde Duque de Olivares)

5. The Clampdown and Erased Histories

[10:14] Nieves Concostrina recounts the aftermath of Alfonso’s death:

• The regent, María Cristina, exiled Elena Sanz to Paris, erased her from public record, and cut her pension—leaving her and her children destitute.
• Elena threatened to publish the king’s letters as proof of paternity unless Casa Real supported her children.
• Her lawyer was Nicolás Salmerón, former president of the Republic.

6. Legal Battle for Recognition

[11:42] Nieves Concostrina brings the case full circle:

• Elena’s descendants (her son and granddaughter) repeatedly sued for the Borbón surname and recognition, using the same documentary evidence.
• The case illustrates perennial legal and moral struggles surrounding royal legitimacy and public accountability.

Quote [12:50]:
"Fíjate, las señaladas y condenadas han sido siempre las amantes de los Borbones. Y por esa misma razón de Estado hace 150 años y ahora también los gobiernos han protegido a los Borbones inmorales y corruptos. Y esto a mí, en democracia, me parece una vergüenza."
(Nieves Concostrina)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [01:44] Nieves Concostrina: Critiques political protection of royal misdemeanors:
  "Así de cortesanos son..."
• [06:21] Nieves Concostrina: On king’s personal style:
  "Pide lo que quieras que pagan los españoles, cariño."
• [09:07] Nieves Concostrina: The role of royal wives:
  "La obligación de los frailes es rezar y la de las reinas parir."
• [12:50] Nieves Concostrina: Harsh indictment of double standards:
  "Han protegido a los Borbones inmorales y corruptos. Y esto a mí, en democracia, me parece una vergüenza."

Important Timestamps

• [01:11] – Modern parallels: current scandal involving CNI, Juan Carlos I, and Bárbara Rey
• [02:34] – How Elena Sanz was paid off; public money for royal silence
• [05:39] – The origins of the Alfonso XII and Elena Sanz affair
• [08:07] – Double pregnancy: mistress and queen
• [10:14] – Aparición de la regente María Cristina y la eliminación de Elena Sanz de la historia
• [11:42] – The legal fight for Borbón recognition
• [12:50] – Concostrina’s reflection on historical and modern protection of royal misconduct

Tone & Language

The episode is lively, sharp, and ironic—a hallmark of Concostrina’s historical storytelling. She intermingles wit with acerbic critique, frequently breaking the fourth wall to address contemporary listeners and underscore the cyclical nature of royal hypocrisy and political complicity.

Summary

Through the lens of one 19th-century royal scandal, Nieves Concostrina exposes a powerful historical pattern: how Spanish monarchs have used public funds and political cover to hide private indiscretions, with the burdens and consequences falling on the powerless. The episode juxtaposes past and present, alternately tragic and humorous, with memorable, unvarnished commentary on monarchy, morality, and democracy in Spain.