A U.S. university has nominated Queen Sofia to receive the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize, according to a Spanish scientist.

Jesús Ávila, scientific director for a neurological disease research foundation, made the comments during a gathering in the southern Spanish city of Málaga.

Backers point to Queen Sofia’s work for people with diseases or disabilities, including Alzheimer’s.

Spanish newspaper ABC noted that Queen Sofia’s father, King Paul of Greece, was also nominated for his role in helping end the Greek Civil War.

Former Spanish King Alfonso XIII, King Felipe’s great grandfather, was also a nominee. Neither won.

Queen Sofia has led several charity or solidarity events in recent weeks, including some with her daughter-in-law, Queen Letizia.

Queen Sofia remains very popular with Spaniards.

Members of the Spanish Royal Family have been continuing business as usual during this weekend’s landmark vote in Catalonia, where pro-independence parties won a majority of seats in parliament but not a majority of votes cast.

King Felipe was back in the U.S. this week to attend the Pope’s speech at the United Nations. His Majesty also addressed the General Assembly, focusing on sustainable growth.

Years ago, when Catalan President Artur Mas first started flirting with joining the pro-independence movement, King Juan Carlos said it was not the time for chimeras.

Now, King Felipe has called for national unity and respect for the rule of law, but has stayed away from the acrimonious campaign process.

Even though the King has high approval ratings around Spain, many pro-independence politicians in Catalonia are openly hostile to the monarchy.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia have returned from vacation and retaken the royal agenda with a roster of meetings at Zarzuela Palace.

The press noted the King had shaved his beard. The cultural industry asked for help lowering taxes.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia are scheduled to make a trip to the U.S. in the coming days. A meeting with President Obama is on the schedule.

King Juan Carlos phoned in to Spanish radio station Cadena Cope for a brief interview in recent days.

The interview was notable because members of the Royal Family don’t often grant formal interviews.

Don Juan Carlos did not make much news, according to media outlets. His Majesty did say his son, King Felipe, had earned the respect of Spaniards.

King Juan Carlos also said he was getting used to a more quiet life, but said he remained open to serving Spain under his son’s leadership.

Separately, a French television station is getting ready to air a documentary on King Juan Carlos produced with Televisión Española.

TVE, however, had declined to air the production in Spain, calling it outdated because of King Juan Carlos’ abdication.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia, as other members of the Royal Family, have dramatically cut down on their public appearances for summer vacation.

Their Majesties, along with Queen Sofia, have spent time at Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca plus hosted a dinner for the Balearic Islands community at nearby Almudaina Palace.

Spending time in Mallorca is a decades-old tradition for the Spanish royals. Queen Sofia is particularly fond of her stays and likes to interact with her grandkids.

King Felipe also kept with tradition by handing out awards for the King’s Cup regatta.

Earlier this month the King hosted his weekly meeting with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy at Marivent.

It has also become a tradition for the King and Queen, and their daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, to greet members of the press during a photo-op.

Media outlets say King Juan Carlos did not spend time in Mallorca. Instead he was spotted in Saint Tropez.

Don Juan Carlos was also seen at a bullfight in San Sebastian with Infanta Elena, who was spotted in Mallorca in recent weeks.

Queen Letizia’s grandfather, Francisco Rocasolano Camacho, died in a Salamanca hospital in recent hours, media outlets reported.

The Queen is not close to all members of her family, but was said to be closed to her grandfather, who worked as a taxi driver.

Her Majesty has cancelled engagements to be with family. He was 98.

Spanish media outlets gasped in recent days after Barcelona’s new mayor, Ada Colau, removed a bust of King Juan Carlos from City Hall.

Even though Catalonia tends to be more republican than other Spanish regions, Colau said the move was not necessarily against the Monarchy.

Instead, the left-wind leader said royal symbolism is over-represented around Barcelona. She promised more changes, including renaming some streets.

Barcelona City Hall includes busts of King Juan Carlos’ parents, and a painting of Queen Regent Maria Cristina and King Alfonso XIII.

Colau also pointed out that Don Juan Carlos is no longer Spain’s head of state, following his abdication.

A community elsewhere in Spain, media outlets reported, is asking for the bust so they can display it.

Conservatives promptly moved to replace the bust with a picture of Spain’s new King, Felipe VI. It did not last long.

The central government in Madrid and mainstream parties are now pressing Barcelona to put up an image of King Felipe at City Hall, as required by Spanish law.

In recent years politicians in the Basque city of San Sebastian removed the King’s picture from their City Hall in a move directly against the monarchy.

It’s that time of the year again.

As many Spaniards get ready for extended summer vacations, the media focuses on where members of the Royal Family will be gathering to relax.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, when they were younger, created a tradition of vacationing at Marivent Palace in Mallorca.

Now King Felipe and Queen Letizia have seen the need to spend at least some time there.

Queen Sofia, who is deeply fond of Mallorca, has already been installed at Marivent with her sister and loyal companion Princess Irene, according to media outlets.

They took a break from the sun to attend a gathering in Belgrade with the Yugoslav Royal Family.

King Juan Carlos has been elsewhere, in Saint-Tropez. Newspaper El Mundo said the different vacation destinations were evidence of his estrangement from Queen Sofia.

Separately, the magazine Hola captured pictures of Infanta Elena and her daughter packing up for vacation, and said she too may drop by Marivent.