In Catalonia, King Urges Coexistence

King Felipe repeated his call for dialogue, understanding and coexistence when visiting the restive autonomous community of Catalonia.

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Their Majesties with Catalan President Carles Puidgemont. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

Many Catalans have been calling for independence from Spain, particularly since the financial crisis and amid corruption scandals.

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“The young people who join us on stage know one cannot build a better world from egoism, fear or confrontation, and that the world of today requires collaboration and cooperation, learning to coexist, understand each other and respect each other, in increasingly diverse societies, more plural, more complex, less unanimous, but also more enriching,” the King said.

King Felipe spoke during the Princess of Girona Foundation Awards.

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The heiress to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor, who is still too young to preside over such events, is not only Princess of Asturias, but also of Girona, among numerous other titles.

Girona is a city and province near the French border, and a hotbed of pro-independence sentiment.

Queen Welcomes Michelle Obama

Queen Letizia welcomed U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama to Madrid last week.

Mrs. Obama was on a tour of several countries to promote her Let Girls Learn initiative.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

Queen Letizia, who has met Mrs. Obama several times before, spoke at the event, and then welcomed the first lady at the Zarzuela Palace complex.

It is notable that Queen Letizia did not take Mrs.Obama to the more formal areas of the sprawling complex.

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Instead, the two walked the gardens of the secluded residence where the Queen and King Felipe live.

The Obamas are scheduled to visit Spain in the coming weeks.

 

King Promotes Dialogue

King Felipe called for dialogue during a conference on sustainable architecture in Pamplona today.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

King Felipe’s words come after another inconclusive parliamentary election in Spain and after the British vote to leave the European Union.

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King Felipe and Queen Letizia also visited a VW car factory in Pamplona. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

The Spanish Crown and government have been deeply supportive of increased EU integration.

King Felipe will soon begin talks with political leaders to help forge a new governing coalition.

Queen Letizia Honors Queen Sofia

Queen Letizia helped honor Queen Sofia, her mother-in-law, for work preventing drug addiction.

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Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia arrive at the Royal Post Office building in Madrid. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

Queen Sofia has taken more of a back seat since her husband, King Juan Carlos, abdicated the Spanish throne.

But Queen Sofia remains active with royal events and shepherding her foundation. Groups have been awarding her for her help.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia have always seemed to have a close relationship.

Queen Letizia knows she doesn’t have her mother-in-law’s blue blood, but has the life experience and speaking abilities necessary to complement her.

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© Real Casa de Correos. Madrid

Queen Letizia is not as close to her father-in-law, King Juan Carlos, who has never fully warmed up to her.

King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia Seem Closer

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, long known to be a distant couple, have taken part in a series of events together.

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© Casa S.M. el Rey

Last week, Their Majesties attended a ceremony for the publication of Bulgarian King Simeon’s memoirs.

The Bulgarian royals in exile have set roots in Spain and created close ties with Spain’s monarchs.

Separately, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia recently visited an art exhibit at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

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King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were also together during a visit to Spain by former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Royalty On Stage And Film

Madrid’s Teatro Español this month opened a long-awaited play about Queen Sofia.

The work, written by Ignacio García May, focuses on Queen Sofia’s long life as one of Europe’s foremost royals.

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Queen Sofia with her daughter, Infanta Elena.

Her Majesty has lived through wars, in exile, and has had complicated relationships with her mother, the late Greek Queen Frederica, and her husband, King Juan Carlos I.

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King Juan Carlos and Queen Letizia reviewing an art exhibit at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

Separately, Queen Letizia dropped in on Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, who is filming a movie called “The Queen of Spain.”

The drama and comedy is about the production of a movie about Queen Isabella.

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Media outlets have been keen on reporting about the Queen’s meeting with Cruz.

Royal Events Sweep Madrid

Madrid and its surrounding have been host to several high profile royal events in recent days.

Beatrix of the Netherlands, who abdicated in favor of her son in 2013, was in the city yesterday to celebrate Dutch artist Hieronymus Bosch, known in Spain as El Bosco.

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Princess Beatrix greets King Felipe and Queen Letizia at the National Museum of El Prado. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

Queen Beatrix also spent time with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia during a lunch at the Palace of Zarzuela outside Madrid.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

Over the weekend King Felipe and Queen Letizia presided over ceremonies for Armed Forces Day.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

The King also escaped to Milan over the weekend for the final of UEFA Champions League 2016 game between Madrid’s two football clubs.

A Royal Family Close To Its People

Members of the modern Spanish Royal Family have always been said to be close to their people.

Their agenda in recent weeks has been evidence of that.

Last week King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited communities located to the south of Madrid — Villanueva de los Infantes, Tomelloso and Talavera de la Reina.

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@ Agencia EFE

Their Majesties greeted large crowds and made balcony appearances, as is the custom in large parts of Spain.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

The King and Queen also attended a mass at the Almudena Cathedral adjacent to the Madrid Royal Palace for the victims of the recent earthquake in Ecuador.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

King Juan Carlos was in Switzerland last week to support Seville in its game against Liverpool for the UEFA final.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

And Queen Sofia attended a concert in the community of El Escorial, site of a large royal palace and pantheon, to commemorate the 300th anniversary of Charles III’s birth.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

Earlier this month King Felipe, news outlets reported, made a spontaneous stop at a roadside restaurant for lunch. It seems bad weather affected his itinerary.

Two Kings For Innovation

King Felipe and King Juan Carlos both celebrated the COTEC Foundation for Spanish innovation.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

That both Kings attended the Madrid ceremony underlines the importance of promoting innovation and economic recovery to the Spanish government.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

In recent days, Queen Letizia presided over a ceremony in Albacete for the Red Cross.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey

Queen Sofia has also been busy, including with a flag ceremony at Royal Guard headquarters near the Palace of El Pardo outside Madrid.

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© Casa de S.M. el Rey