King Felipe and Queen Letizia traveled to Rome earlier this month for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV and renew a centuries-old tradition.

His Majesty took on the role of Protocanon of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. He will serve as a patron of the basilica and help with its upkeep.

Saint Mary Major is the basilica where Pope Francis is buried. Their majesties took time to honor the late pontiff.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia met with the current pope and other officials at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City.

Queen Letizia, as a Catholic queen, is able to wear white to meet with the pope, according to centuries-old-protocol. Other women must wear black.

King Felipe caused a stir this month during a visit to a museum exhibit about indigenous Mexican women when he said Spain had committed abuses during centuries ago.

Mexico’s populist leaders have been pressing the King to apologize for Spain’s conquest of the America’s. Spain has repeatedly rejected doing so.

So this month’s comments may have been a calculated way for King Felipe to at least recognize some of the violence of the past without expressing regret for his nation’s imperial legacy.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum went out of her way not to invite King Felipe to her inauguration ceremonies. He has attended Latin American inaugurations for decades.

Latin America trip

His Majesty did get a warm welcome this month during stops in Bolivia and Chile, including meeting Chile’s new president, José Antonio Kast Rist.

The Bolivia trip included a visit to the National Museum of Ethnography and Folklore.

Queen Sofia, King Felipe’s mother, has returned to public duties following the death of her sister Princess Irene and cousin Princess Tatiana Radziwill just weeks apart around the Christmas holidays.

The princesses have been Queen Sofia’s companions for decades. Princess Irene lived at the Zarzuela Royal Palace and Princess Tatiana visited Spain regularly.

Even though their deaths were a major blow for the Spanish Queen Mother, she has retaken her agenda. It doesn’t come as a surprise.

Queen Sofia led an Orthodox memorial for her sister in Madrid last month, 40 days after her death. Her Majesty grew up Greek Orthodox as princess of Greece but converted to Catholicism before marrying King Juan Carlos in the 1960s.

Last week was tough for Spain and the Spanish Royal Family — having to rush from the funeral of beloved Princess Irene, Queen Sofia’s sister, to the site of a deadly train crash.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia were in Greece early last week for Princess Irene’s funeral and then burial at Tatoi Palace following a service in Madrid.

But once the crash happened, Their Majesties told media outlets they would return to Spain earlier than expected to monitor the crash situation.

Princess Irene’s death was not unexpected following a lengthy illness, but she has been Queen Sofia’s constant companion for decades.

Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark never married. She was first companion to her mother, Queen Frederica of Greece, and then to Queen Sofia.

King Felipe this month called for protecting bonds between Europe and the United States as tensions rise between global leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump.

Europe has been critical of Trump’s intervention in Venezuela and his desire to take over Greenland, a Danish territory.

The King, during a meeting of Spanish ambassadors in Madrid, said everyone loses out from the weakening of transatlantic bonds. He also stressed the importance of shared responsibility and loyalty.

The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has been critical of Trump’s comments on Greenland. He has also criticized U.S. policy with respect to Israel and the Palestinians.

Members of the Spanish Royal Family and their relatives gathered at Madrid’s Orthodox Cathedral on Saturday to mourn the death of Queen Sofia’s sister, Princess Irene of Greece and Denmark.

Princess Irene has been Queen Sofia’s closest and most consistent companion for decades, often called her shadow.

Princess Irene never married. She was first a companion to the late Queen Frederika of Greece and then to Queen Sofia.

Spain’s Queen Mother may be feeling lonelier than ever. In December she lost another extremely close relative, Princess Tatiana Radziwill.

King Felipe focused on the 50th anniversary of Spain beginning its transition to democracy during his Christmas Eve address.

The king also marked the anniversary of Spain joining the European Union, speaking at the Madrid Royal Palace’s storied Hall of Columns, where the treaty of adhesion to the European Economic Community was signed.

His Majesty said Spain has gone through a “transformation without precedent” after spending decades as a dictatorship.

Unlike his previous Christmas Eve speeches, King Felipe spoke standing up. But like many previous addresses, the King called for Spaniards to embrace coexistence amid political divisions.

His Majesty is particularly keen on reminding young people about the fragile nature of democracy and how far Spain has come.

King Felipe last week met with Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas as Spain emerges as one of the world’s most outspoken supporters of a Palestinian state.

_{The King with Abbas at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid. Spanish Royal Household}

King Felipe held a state visit for Israel in 2017 but since then, relations between the two nations have soured over the Palestinian issue.

King Juan Carlos, who has been living in the Middle East following a string of controversies, went rogue recently by releasing a video not sanctioned by the Royal Household.

King Felipe’s father — not happy with being left out of official ceremonies marking the 50th anniversary of the monarchy’s restoration — released a video to remind young people about his role in Spain’s transition to democracy.

The video coincides with the release of King Juan Carlos’ memoirs, parts of which have stirred controversy, including expressing respect for the late dictator Francisco Franco.

King Juan Carlos succeeded Franco as Spanish head of state but steered the country towards democracy after decades of authoritarian rule.

Spain is commemorating the 50th anniversary of dictator Francisco Franco’s death and the Bourbon restoration under King Juan Carlos I.

However, Don Juan Carlos — who has been living mostly in exile in the United Arab Emirates — was not invited to the formal events.

Those events included inducting Queen Sofia and other luminaries into the Order of the Golden Fleece with a Madrid

King Felipe, Queen Sofia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia then headed to the Congress building for a discussion on Spain’s transition to democracy.

Dozens of family members of the Royal Family then held a private lunch at the Royal Palace of El Pardo that included King Juan Carlos.

The gathering was tense. King Juan Carlos has lashed out over being excluded from official events and has accused Queen Letizia of fomenting family divisions.

The former head-of-state also recently made positive comments about Franco that have overshadowed his role in leading Spain’s democratic transition.