Royals Start Mallorca Vacations

Members of the Spanish Royal Family are at Marivent Palace in Mallorca for their public summer vacations, as is tradition.

King Felipe earlier this week held a meeting with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez at the palace to get an update on political events.

King Felipe also held a meeting with Balearic Island authorities at Almudaina Palace, a centuries old fortress near downtown Palma.

_{King Felipe with Palma Mayor José Francisco Hila Vargas. Spanish Royal Household}

The King and Queen, and Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia have made other public appearances since arriving on the islands.

Mallorca is a favorite vacation destination for Queen Sofia, the King’s mother. Media outlets report she’s already there as well.

Royals Support Spanish Olympians

King Felipe, Queen Letizia and the Spanish Royal Household have been vocal in their support of athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics.

The Royal Household Twitter page has been active with numerous posts celebrating medals and showcasing different members of the team.

The King and Queen also held a departure ceremony for the athletes at the Royal Palace of El Pardo in the outskirts of Madrid.

King Felipe carried the Spanish flag during the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 when he was still Prince of Asturias.

King Travels To Peru For Inauguration

King Felipe traveled to Peru this week for the inauguration of the country’s new president, leftist Pedro Castillo.

King Felipe also met with Colombian President Iván Duque, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera and outgoing Peruvian leader Francisco Sagasti.

King Felipe has been attending presidential inaugurations in Spain’s former colonies for decades. He began doing so as Prince of Asturias.

Royals Hold State Memorial For COVID-19 Victims

King Felipe and Queen Letizia this month led the country’s second state ceremony for victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and those continuing to suffer and sacrifice because of the disease.

Their Majesties presided over the ceremony at the Madrid Royal Palace and awarded four posthumous Grand Crosses of Civil Merit to health workers who died caring for pandemic patients.

Members of Spain’s Royal Family have been active in response to the pandemic following concern King Felipe had been to slow to speak about the crisis. He first delivered televised remarks to the nation in mid-March 2020.

Watch Princess Leonor Speak Catalan

Members of the Spanish Royal Family were in Barcelona earlier this month to hand out the Princess of Girona Foundation Awards to leaders in different fields, like science and business.

The heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor, is not only princess of Asturias but also of Girona. The Principality of Asturias historically belong to the heir to the Castilian throne while the Principality of Girona belonged to the heir of the Aragonese throne. Modern Spain includes both kingdoms.

The princess, who is 15 and still preparing for official duties, delivered remarks in Catalan because of her presence in the capital of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. Girona is also an important Catalan city.

Catalan nationalist leaders have avoided members of the Royal Family since forming a coalition government earlier this year. They also skipped King Felipe’s visit for the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, including a lunch at Albéniz Palace.

Also in recent days, King Felipe and Queen Letizia held a ceremony at the Madrid Royal Palace for United Nations Secretary General António Guterres. His Majesty offered some words in Portuguese.

Royals Honor COVID-19 Heroes

King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia honored a broad collection of Spaniards for their sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The King awarded several Order of Civil Merit medals to coincide with his seventh anniversary on the throne. Recipients included a cashier and a farm worker.

The Royal Family held the ceremony at the Madrid Royal Palace’s Hall of Columns, known for hosting highly important events in Spanish history.

Royals Welcome Korean Leader

King Felipe and Queen Letizia welcomed Korean President Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-sook for a state visit last week.

The agenda included a meeting a the Royal Palace in Madrid, but the gathering was limited in size because of ongoing pandemic concerns.

King Felipe and Moon also attended the opening of a meeting of business leaders in Barcelona, which was focused on post-pandemic recovery.

Leaders of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, still run by nationalist parties, did not attend a dinner with His Majesty.

King Receives Medal From Andalucía

King Felipe today received a Medal of Honor from the Spanish Autonomous Community of Andalucía for his work toward national unity.

His Majesty attended a ceremony at San Telmo Palace in Seville, the seat of the region’s presidency, currently held by conservative Juan Manuel Moreno.

There is generally strong support for the monarchy in Andalucía, which includes also includes the historic cities if Granda, Málaga and Cádiz.

Controversy is once again touching the king this week. The Socialist government is moving forward with pardons for jailed Catalan separatists and Don Felipe would have to ratify them.

King Gets Vaccinated Against COVID-19

King Felipe got vaccinated for COVID-19 over the weekend, the Royal Household told media outlets. There were no photographers and aides did not say which one of the vaccine types he received.

His Majesty got vaccinated at the Wizink Center in Madrid along with other members of the public. He did so according to public health guidelines.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia during Armed Forces Day in May. Spanish Royal Household

Critics expressed concern when the King’s sisters — Infanta Cristina and Infanta Elena — got vaccinated during a trip to the Middle East to see their father, Jung Juan Carlos.

Royals Dedicate New Submarine

King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia dedicated the new submarine Isaac Peral, named after a well-known Spanish engineer and naval officer.

The dedication ceremony was in a shipyard along the southeastern coast of Spain run by Navantia, a state-owned shipbuilding company.