King Felipe and Queen Letizia were beginning the first state visit of their young reign when a German airliner traveling from Barcelona crashed in France.
As a result, they suspended the state visit and instead focused on responding to the incident.
“We would like to express our most sincere condolences, from the bottom of our hearts, to families that have lost loved ones,” said the King at Elysee Palace in Paris.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia continue marking “firsts” of their young reign. Last week was their first time viewing a performance as monarchs at the Royal Theater.
Rafael Spottorno, former head of the Spanish Royal Household under King Juan Carlos and top adviser under King Felipe, is defending the use of a controversial credit card, which led to his downfall.
Spottorno used a card from the bank Caja Madrid when he was head of the institution’s charitable arm. He is said to have spent more than 200,000 euros with it.
A number of public officials are under investigation for receiving and using cards from the government-owned bank. Spottorno left the Royal Household advisory role because of it.
But in a recent court hearing Spottorno said the card was legitimate and for personal expenses as part of his salary.
Queen Sofia earlier this month continued a Spainish Royal Family tradition, when she kissed the feet of the Christ of Medinaceli at the Medinaceli Basilica in Madrid.
Queen Sofia, even after her husband’s abdication, remains among the most popular members of the Spanish Royal Family, and also deeply committed to promoting the institution.
King Juan Carlos was constitutionally inviolable during his reign. But his abdication last year opened the door to the suits.
The Supreme Court quickly rejected a claim by a Spanish citizen, but agreed to consider one by Sartiau, who.was born in 1966, abut four years after Don Juan Carlos married Queen Sofia.
King Felipe has presided over several high-profile events in Catalonia in recent days, amid ongoing separatist rumblings there.
His Majesty helped launch the large GSMA Mobile World Congress 2015 with a dinner at Pedralbes Palace, once an official residence for the Spanish Royal Family.
He then toured the exhibits at the Fira De Barcelona venue along with national and regional leaders.
The King coincided with Catalonian President Artur Mas, who recently scheduled elections for later this year as a referendum on independence.
As is customary, Their Majesties welcomed the President and his wife during an official ceremony at El Pardo Palace, then a meeting at Zarzuela Palace and then a gathering at the Madrid Royal Palace.
LOS BORBONES 