King Meets With French President Macron

King Felipe met late last week with French President Emmanual Macron at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

macron_escaleras — © Spanish Royal Household

The French leader was in the Spanish capital to also meet with new Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss, among other things, EU immigration policy.

His Majesty this month also met with Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno, whose trip to Europe has sparked debate about the fate of Wikileaks leader Julian Assange, who has been holed up at Ecuador’s British embassy for years.

The King had an audience with the new head of Spain’s conservative Popular Party, Pablo Casado, also in recent days.

The full agenda preceded vacation season in Spain. Members of the Royal Family will spent at least some time at Marivent Palace in Mallorca.

However, scandal surrounding King Juan Carlos and a former friend, has upended plans for a unified getaway.

The Royal Household is blaming a minor health problem for King Felipe’s father staying away from Mallorca and planned sailing.

The Meaning Of A Picture

The Spanish Royal Household released the first images earlier this month of King Felipe meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in the monarch’s office.

As Spanish media outlets often do, they talked to experts to figure out hidden meanings.

For one, the King and the prime minister appear to have a good and comfortable relationship, one expert said.

Some media outlets also noticed an absence of pictures of the King’s parents — King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.

Perhaps, they thought, the Royal Household wanted to distance the King from his father’s ongoing controversies.

The King and the prime minister meet weekly, and the images came from a gathering that coincided with a meeting of the National Security Council.

seguridad

The King and Queen have been extremely active ahead of the summer vacation season.

Obama Meets With King Felipe

President Obama, during a visit to Spain, spent time with King Felipe at the fames Reina Sofía museum last week.

The King and the former U.S. president toured the complex, including Picasso’s Guernica masterpiece.

Obama_Guernica — ©Spanish Royal Household

King Felipe also gifted Obama a book about Guernica.

Corinna Is Back

Several Spanish news outlets have in recent days released leaked recordings from a German aristocrat who was friends with King Juan Carlos.

Corinna Larsen Adkins, also known as Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, has for years caused controversy in Spain and helped lead to Don Juan Carlos’ abdication.

Now, recordings from 2015 leaked by a disgraced businessman and former commissar, suggest the King used her as a figurehead for properties.

Leftist parties have called for an investigation of King Juan Carlos, but so far major parties and news outlets have given the issue scant or no attention.

The recordings also suggest Don Juan Carlos may have had money or properties hidden abroad, and may have taken advantage of an amnesty with tax authorities.

King In Russia For Spanish Loss

King Felipe was in Russia today for the World Cup game between Spain and Russia.

The King worked to comfort the Spanish team after a lackluster showing and elimination.

King Felipe also took the opportunity to meet with Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev.

King Wants ‘Catalonia For All’

King Felipe and Queen Letizia went into what has become hostile territory late last week to hand out the Princess of Girona Awards.

Girona is a region is Spain, in Catalonia, with a relatively high rate of pro-independence sentiment.

Girona officials denied the King and Queen use of an arena there, citing repairs, and Catalan officials did not attend.

Still, the ceremony, organized by the Princess of Girona Foundation, appeared to be a success.

The King, during his remarks, called for a Catalonia “by all and for all.”

The King and Queen, the day after the awards, also met with participants of a program to encourage young professionals.

Demonstrators for and against the Crown meant increased security surrounding the royal visit.

The King’s daughter, as heir to the Spanish throne, is Princess of Asturias and Girona, among other titles.

The title dates back to when the prince or princes of Girona was the hair to the Crown of Aragon.