King Felipe welcomed a sizable U.S. congressional delegation to Zarzuela Palace on Friday.
The Royal Household did not release details of the encounter, which included U.S. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
All is well in the Spanish Royal Household. That’s the message from King Felipe after visiting his father at the hospital following an operation this weekend.
A supposed spat between Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia made international news soon after Easter.
On Saturday, they were both all smiles as their went into the La Moraleja Hospital in Madrid.
The controversy was over images appearing to show Queen Letizia blocking Queen Sofia from posing for pictures with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
Notably, on Saturday Queen Sofia walked holding both her young granddaughters’ hands. Other members of King Juan Carlos and King Felipe’s family also showed up.
Queen Letizia today made her first public appearance since controversy erupted over an apparent spat with Queen Sofia.
On Eastern Sunday, Queen Letizia apparently prevented Queen Sofia from posing for pictures with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
Spanish society and royal watchers have been divided in their response, many condemning Queen Letizia as mean, inflexible, petty and un-royal.
During an event on disabilities today, the queen greeted the public but did face at least one heckler.
A friend of the queen told media outlets Her Majesty was concerned, surprised and hurt about the controversy.
An apparent Easter spat between Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia has caught fire and generated more family bickering.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia attended Easter services over the weekend with Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia.
Videos have been circulating online showing Queen Letizia attempting to block her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia, from posing with photographers alone with her granddaughters, Infanta Sofia and Princess Leonor.
Queen Letizia, who tries to manage her daughters’ public appearances, apparently only wanted one photo of the entire family outside the church, as is custom.
Still, media outlets and critics are repeating claims of the Queen’s bad temper and strained relations with her mother-in-law.
As if all that wasn’t tough enough, Greek Princess Marie-Chantal — wife of Queen Sofia’s nephew — weighed in on social media.
Marie-Chantal criticized Queen Letizia’s actions and said Her Majesty had shown her “true colours.”
Whatever many European royals feel about Queen Letizia, they are also not likely to take well a princess in exile openly criticizing a reigning queen.
Media outlets often cite sources saying Queen Letizia doesn’t get along with Queen Sofia’s extended family, but they also talk about Queen Letizia’s efforts to encourage an active and exemplary monarchy in Spain. Marie-Chantal, an heiress, is known for her lavish lifestyle.
Members of the Spanish Royal Family today honored the death of His Royal Highness Juan, the late Count of Barcelona.
The mass was at the royal palace, monastery and pantheon of San Lorenzo del Escorial outside Madrid.
Don Juan, King Felipe’s grandfather and King Juan Carlos’ father, never got to reign over Spain. Still, he used the title of Count of Barcelona, which is generally attached to Spanish monarchs.
Events leading to the Spanish Civil War forced his abdication along with Queen Victoria Eugenie. He remained in exile for much of his life but died in Spain in 1993.
After King Juan Carlos succeeded dictator Francisco Franco in 1975, he held a ceremony at Zarzuela Palace for his father, Juan, to officially renounce his claim to the throne.
Infanta Cristina
A significant occurrence at the event was that Infanta Cristina, King Felipe’s sister, attended the services.
She has kept a distance from other members of the Royal Family and King’s Family amid controversy surrounding her husband’s business dealings.
The Spanish government is working on coordinating a meeting between King Felipe and U.S. President Donald Trump, news outlets reported.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy met with the American president at the White House last year.
Now he is working on the King meeting trump during an upcoming visit to the U.S., outlets reported.
King Juan Carlos was the first head of state to meet with President Obama. Spain has been slower to arrange gatherings with Trump.
Members of the Spanish Royal Family were in Palma de Mallorca today for Easter services at the cathedral there.
It’s the first time in several years that King Juan Carlos, who turned 80 earlier this year, attended the services.
In the coming days, the family will commemorate the anniversary of the death of Infante Juan, Don Juan Carlos’ father.
The focus continues on King Juan Carlos, King Felipe’s father, following his 80th birthday this year.
Galician leaders have made His Majesty ambassador for life for the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage route for Christians worldwide.
A Saudi news outlet revealed Don Juan Carlos traveled to that country, where he keeps close ties with its rulers.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia are also vacationing for Easter, first in a secret location and soon will be seen in Mallorca as is custom.
The Spanish government, via royal decree, has granted Princess Irene, Queen Sofia’s sister, citizenship in recent days.
Princes Irene of Greece and Denmark has long lived by her sister’s side at Zarzuela Palace outside Madrid.
The princes often stays outside the public eye, in her sister’s shadow, but is a key member of the family.
This week both women attended an event in Mallorca for Holy Week. The sisters are fond of vacationing in Marivent Palace in the city of Palma.
Both Queen Sofia and Princess Irene — daughters of late Greek king and queen Paul and Frderica — are said to enjoy Mayan culture and UFOs.
Critics and supporters both said Queen Letizia took part of today’s strike among women in Spain.
Because Her Majesty did not have any public events, they assumed that was the case. And they said it showed a contrast to Queen Sofia, her mother in law, who was out in public today.
The Royal Household, media outlets reported, said that the absence of public events didn’t mean an absence of work for Queen Letizia.
LOS BORBONES 