Why I Am A Monarchist

It takes personal and civic courage to make declarations that don’t jibe with the new political correctness. Even more so when they are made on behalf of an institution passing through its worst moments in this century—not one annus horribilis, but a succession of them—as a result of errors of the royals and others that have called the institution into question for reasons beyond the usual ones. Judging by these pages, Sergio Vila-Sanjuán has plenty of courage.

The prestigious Catalan journalist examines four generations of Spanish monarchs—from Alfonso XIII to Felipe VI—against the background of his family’s relationship with them (his father and grandfather were committed monarchists). Taking both a broad and an intimate perspective, he looks at the country’s history throughout the twentieth and twenty-first century and justifies his pro-monarchy views “with reasons, some of them objective, some subjective, some pertaining to my family.” Tempting insider views and a gallery of incomparable historic figures are shown here along with the author’s interest in stressing the importance of the monarchy to the cultural world.

This is not a case of defending the lesser of two evils, but of recognizing the need for an institution that has served as the ultimate guarantor of unity, civic peace, and progress in a country like ours, which is prone to hateful divisions, especially in these uncertain times. A brave book meant to spark debate.