King Felipe and Queen Letizia hosted Colombia’s new leftist president, Gustavo Petro, and his wife, Verónica Alcocer, for a state visit this week.

The visit included a welcoming ceremony at the Royal Palace in Madrid, meetings at Zarzuela Palace and then a dinner at the Royal Palace. Colombia also hosted a reception at the Royal Palace of El Pardo, as is tradition for some state visits.

Petro’s election generated headlines around the world. He’s an economist but also a former guerilla fighter.

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.

The Spanish government’s plan for training Princess Leonor in all branches of the military has caused a fight between King Felipe and Queen Letizia, according to media reports.

Journalist and royal chronicler Pilar Eyre wrote that the issue has caused a violent argument between Their Majesties. It included slammed doors.

The Spanish and international media have repeated the claims, going as far as to suggest the King and Queen are near the breaking point.

Queen Letizia has long been committed to Princess Leonor’s preparation to take on the Spanish throne. However, the Queen has also long been wary of the Royal Household’s close ties to the military. The King is the head of the armed forces.

Also, the military training regime the government prepared for the Princess of Asturias is tougher than what the King and his father, King Juan Carlos, had to go through.

Still, it’s unlikely the fighting — if true — would lead to a divorce. Both the King and Queen know breaking up would imperil the Crown and their daughter’s future.

Their Majesties were seen together during events in the Andalusian city of Cadiz on the Spanish language. Their moment interacting with musicians received widespread attention.

Princess Leonor will begin three years of military training later this year, the Spanish government has announced.

The Princess of Asturias and heir to the Spanish throne, will train in all branches of the armed forces in preparation to become head of state and commander in chief.

Princess Leonor will begin her training once she graduates from UWC Atlantic College in Wales, where she has been completing high school.

The Council of Ministers approved a decree creating a legal framework for the princess’ military work, said Defense Minister Margarita Robles.

King Felipe, Princess Leonor’s father, also completed years of military training. He then went to college in Spain and Georgetown University in Washington.

Queen Letizia attended a meeting of UNICEF’s leadership in Spain last week to discuss the global response to the earthquake in Turkey.

Queen Letizia is president of honor of UNICEF Spain. The earthquake in Turkey and Syria killed tens of thousands of people.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia traveled to Angola earlier this month for a state visit that included meetings with business and civil society leaders.

During remarks, His Majesty discussed “plans and programs that have been put in motion to increase our presence and cooperation with African countries and to establish a strategic association that would allow us to address together numerous global challenges.”

Officials from Spain and Angola, a former Portuguese colony, signed memorandums of understanding on sports, the economy and diplomacy.

Angola’s former president, José Eduardo dos Santos, who served almost 40 years, died in Spain last year.

Senior members of the Spanish Royal Family and beyond were in Greece earlier this week for the funeral of King Constantine of Greece, Queen Sofia’s brother.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia were there, along with King Juan Carlos, Infanta Cristina and Infanta Elena, who was accompanied by son and daughter Victoria Federica and Felipe Juan Froilán. Also there was Queen Sofia’s sister, Princess Irene.

During their time in Greece, Queen Letizia was seen walking arm-in-arm with Princess Maria-Chantal, King Constantine’s daughter-in-law. Marie-Chantal once fired off a tweet that was interpreted as targeting Queen Letizia.

Greece abolished its monarchy in the 1970’s but the public has softened to those who claim royal titles. The Greek Royal Family is intertwined with the Danish Royal Family, along with German and British royal houses.

King Constantine of Greece, Queen Sofia’s brother and King Felipe’s uncle, died yesterday, according to the media outlets. He was 82.

Constantine was king from 1946 to 1973, when Greeks abolished the monarchy and sent their royals into exile. He had since returned to live in Greece.

Some historians say Greeks were angry about Queen Sofia’s dowry to then-Prince Juan Carlos of Spain. The two were married in Athens.

King Constantine’s downfall, however, stemmed from the country’s political turmoil, and a fight between the military and democratic forces.

Queen Frederica, King Constantine and Queen Sofia’s mother, fled to India with her daughter Irene, who now lives in Spain.

Pope’s funeral

Queen Sofia traveled often to be with her brother in Greece. The Spanish Royal Household has yet to comment.

Her Majesty was in Rome this week for Pope Benedict’s funeral, where she met with Pope Francis.

When Queen Frederica died, Queen Sofia insisted she be buried in Greece over the government’s objections.

King Felipe kicked off his traditional Christmas Eve address discussing the war in Ukraine and its impact on the Spanish economy.

His Majesty, like in previous years, also touched on the threats to democracy and urged Spaniards to coalesce around their freedoms.

King Felipe, speaking from Zarzuela Palace, expressed the government’s belief in the European Union as one of the essential aspects of the country’s future.