King Felipe and Queen Letizia awarded Chef José Andrés Spain’s gold medal for the arts.

Their Majesties handed out the awards to several luminaries at the Merced Palace in Córdoba.

The chef is well known around the world for his restaurants, focused on the Washington, D.C., area and his charitable activities, including following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.

King Felipe today once again slammed Catalan separatists who claim to be acting in the name of Democracy.

The King said it was inconsistent for people to invoke Democracy while at the same time breaking the law.

“Without respect for the law there is no coexistence or Democracy,” said His Majesty.

The King spoke at the Royal Opera building for the closing of the World Law Congress. He won the World Peace and Liberty Award.

The Spanish Supreme Court is currently trying several Catalan separatists for planning an illegal referendum on independence and also declaring a separate state.

Barcelona’s left-wing Mayor Ada Colau said she would not attend a welcoming ceremony for the King at the upcoming Mobile World Congress because of her republican values and his role against the separatists, which she calls unhelpful.

Spain’s King Felipe pressed Morocco’s King Mohammed on curbing immigration into Europe during a state visit last week.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia’s visit to the North African kingdom is their second in recent years, showing an effort among both countries to keep close ties.

Immigration is always a point of contention between Spain and Morocco. Related to that issue is Spain’s two enclaves in North Africa — Melilla and Ceuta.

Notably accent from the receptions, gatherings and official dinner was the King Mohammed’s wife. The two may have separated of divorced.

King Felipe met with the Prime Minister of Luxembourg soon after returning from Morocco, as part of a crowded agenda.

That includes overseeing increased political instability in Spain, with the prime minister calling early elections.

King Felipe visited Iraq last week to coincide with his 51st birthday.

The King met with Iraqi president Barham Salih and Spanish forces serving in the country.

King Felipe’s visit was the first by a Spanish monarch to Iraq in four decades, media outlets said.