King Felipe opened the Spanish Cortes today with a ceremony and speech at the Congress of Deputies.
The King said Spain cannot survive with factions warring against each other. He said everyone had to support everyone else.
Senior members of left-wing party Podemos applauded the King, but others stayed silent, as is their custom. Podemos is now in a coalition government with the Socialists.
Other republican parties boycotted the speech and the King’s call for unity amid Catalan separatism.
Royals from around the world were in Spain last week to mourn the death of Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz.
The infanta, sister of King Juan Carlos and aunt of King Felipe, died earlier this month.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia attended the ceremony at El Escorial Basilica in Madrid. Royals like Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands were also there.
The infanta could have been buried at the Royal Pantheon at El Escorial monastery and palace, but she chose to lay by her husband at Saint Isidore Cemetery.
Queen Sofia hosted a classical music concert at the Royal Palace in Madrid last week for survivors of the Holocaust.
The ceremony was at the Hall of Columns, which is usually reserved for highly important occasions.
The concert coincided with two trips abroad by King Felipe and Queen Letizia also honor Holocaust victims and survivors.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia are in Poland with other world leaders today to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Their Majesties laid a wreath at the site and made an offering at the Holocaust Memorial.
King Felipe traveled to Israel last week for that country’s Holocaust commemoration.
King Felipe traveled to Israel last week to join world leaders in Holocaust remembrance ceremonies.
The King attended a leaders forum and a dinner hosted by Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. He also met with Spanish Jewish leaders.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia hosted Rivlin and his wife for a state visit in recent months. Their Majesties welcomed the Palestinian leadership soon after, but the events were more muted.
King Felipe is preparing to for the Solemn Opening of the Courts, the opening of parliament, in the coming days.
Earlier this month His Majesty swore in Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who is leading a left-wing coalition government with Podemos.
The King last week swore-in other members of the incoming government at Zarzuela Palace.
Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias and Alberto Garzón wore pins to protest fascism. Both are considered anti-monarchists.
Sánchez’s Socialist Party is also nominally republican in nature but many of its members have come to appreciate the King’s role.
King Felipe traveled to Oman last week to mourn the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
The King met with the country’s new sultan, Haitham bin Tariq, and delivered official condolences from Span.
The Spanish Royal Family has always looked to keep good relations with rulers in the Arab world.
Infanta Pilar, the Duchess of Badajoz and King Felipe’s aunt, has died, media outlets reporter this morning. She was 83.
The infanta was daighter of Infante Juan, who went by the title of Count of Barcelona, even though he was never officially Spain’s king and lived in exile.
Infanta Pilar’s mother was Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.
King Felipe this morning swore in Spain’s new prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, during a brief ceremony at Zarzuela Palace.
Sánchez took the oath to the King and the Constitution without a Bible of crucifix, as used to be customary.
Don Felipe joked Sánchez getting the premiership was easy but more difficulties were yet to come.
King Felipe this afternoon appointed Pedro Sánchez to be Spain’s new prime minister.
The president signed a royal decree after Sánchez won a vote in the Congress of Deputies following months of political stalemate.
Congress President Meritxell Batet met with the King in his office at Zarzuela Palace to formalize the appointment.
LOS BORBONES 