King Felipe and Queen Letizia hosted Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his wife, Rosângela Lula da Silva, for a lunch at the Madrid Royal Palace last week.

Their Majesties welcomed the Brazilian leader to an official visit to Spain after a stop in Portugal. Brazil is a former Portuguese colony.

Later in the week, King Felipe held an event at the Royal Palace of El Pardo outside Madrid to celebrate the 10th anniversary of a foundation dedicated to promoting closer ties between Spain and Brazil.

The Spanish Royal Family broke with tradition again this year by skipping Easter services at the Palma Cathedral in the island of Mallorca.

Royal attendance at the mass has shrunk over the years and generated controversy in 2018, when Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia appeared to get into an argument.

The royals returned in 2019 but suspended attendance during the pandemic in 2020 and have not been back since. Media outlets this month were quick to note the absence.

King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia did attend a religious procession in the Madrid area and suspended their agenda for private vacations.

Queen Sofia and her sister, Princess Irene, were at a charity concert in the Palma Cathedral ahead of Easter. Both are loyal visitors to the Balearic Islands for vacations.

King Felipe did make a quick visit to his mother, media outlets reported, and was seen at an Italian restaurant with friends.