King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, plus Infanta Elena and Princes Letizia attended services today at Almudena Cathedral in Madrid to remember the 10th anniversary of the Madrid train bombings.
Members of the Royal Family met with government officials, first responders, victims and their families.
Foreign observers have expressed interest at how willing the Spanish Royal Family is to break protocol to comfort grieving families.
Prince Felipe was not at the ceremonies today. He was instead meeting with Chile’s outgoing President Sebastián Piñera and helping inaugurate new President Michelle Bachelet.
Prince Felipe has for year’s been the King’s representatives at presidential inaugurations throughout Latin America.
Queen Sofia gathered with members of the Spanish, Greek and Danish Royal Families last week to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the death of her father, King Paul I of Greece.
Members of the Greek Royal Family, including King Constantine II of Greece, Queen Sofia’s brother, hold deep ties to the Danish Royal Family.
King Constantine’s wife Anne-Marie, for example, was born Princess of Denmark.
The Danish Royal Family remains in power while Greece abolished its monarchy in the 1970’s.
The Royals and nobles held a small ceremony at the Tatoi Royal Palace outside of Athens, where Queen Sofia spent much of her childhood.
They also watched a new documentary about King Paul.
Queen Sofia speaking with her sister, Princess Irene, and sitting next to King Constantine.
Media outlets took note of Infanta Cristina attending the events even amid the corruption investigation involving her husband. Queen Sofia, it is said, is insisting in family unity.
For 300 years members of the Royal Family have visited the church to venerate the Christ of Medinaceli.
Back in Madrid, Infanta Elena represented the Spanish Royal Family at the Medinaceli Basilica.
Amid pro-independence rumblings in the Spanish Autonomous Community of Catalonia, Prince Felipe of Asturias over the weekend presided over a dinner with business and regional leaders at Albéniz Palace in Barcelona, the King’s official residence in the city.
His Royal Highness also met with Catalan President Artur Mas, who is calling for a referendum on independence and, during his own remarks, highlighted Catalonia’s own strengths.
On Monday Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia walked the convention floor. One of their meetings was with Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg.
Things got tougher later in the week when a Catalan businessman refused to shake the Prince’s hand.
Don Felipe pressed the issue with Alex Fenoll, who kept refusing. A video of the incident has gone viral.
Media reports also indicate that other business leaders in Catalonia expressed concerns about the lack of dialogue between Barcelona and Madrid during what has become a political stalemate.
Other Agenda Items
Among numerous royal agenda items in recent weeks, today Queen Sofia visited the Spanish National Ballet and the National Dance Company. Her Majesty is known for her attachment to classical arts.
Earlier this month King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were in Portugal meeting with Portuguese and Italian leaders in Lisbon to promote regional economic development.
Infanta Cristina, King Juan Carlos’ youngest daughter, testified yesterday for several hours before a Balearic Islands judge in connection with her husband’s corruption investigation.
Infanta Cristina, according to media reports, said she trusted her husband and also appeared to vouch for his innocence.
Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma. Photo courtesy Organization of American States via Flickr.
Anti-corruption investigators believe the the infanta’s husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, used a sports related foundation to funnel public funds for personal use.
Even though prosecutors did not want to involve the King’s daughter in the formal investigation, Judge José Castro called her to testify over whether she had any knowledge or played a part in any crimes.
About 200 agents were at the courthouse for security, said media reports. There were also numerous supporters and anti-monarchy protesters. She smiled and greeted the crowd.
Officials allowed Infanta Cristina’s drivers to drop her off near the courthouse door but they denied any special treatment.
Queen Sofia will receive about 132,000 euros a year in salary and expenses for representing the Crown. Princess Letizia will receive a little more than 100,000 euros.
Queen Sofia and Princess Letizia have already been receiving similar amounts, but calling their compensation a salary means they become professional workers in service of the the Head of State, the King.
The move has become common among European monarchies and is part of the Spanish Royal Household’s effort at becoming more transparent.
The Spanish Royal Household often boasts at being among the cheapest in Europe, costing taxpayers less than 8 million euros a year. Critics, however, say there are other expenses in sustaining the Crown that are not part of the official budget.
King Juan Carlos makes almost 300,000 euros for being Head of State. Prince Felipe, his son, makes about 146,000.
Infanta Elana, who often represents the Royal Family at official events, gets up to 25,000 euro.
Infanta Cristina, whose husband is being investigated for corruption, has not been representing the Crown at official events and is therefore not on payroll.
The Prince went to Honduras to meet with outgoing President Porfirio Lobo and attend the swearing-in ceremony for new President Juan Orlando Hernández Alvarado.
The Prince’s airplane problems have caused a stir in the Spanish media because the A310s were a controversial purchase.
Spain’s Defense Minister sent a different one for Don Felipe’s return, just in case.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia receiving Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his wife María Clemencia Rodríguez Múnera at Zarzuela Palace this month.
Beyond that, Spaniards are wondering how Infanta Cristina’s upcoming testimony will go before a Balearic Islands judge in connection with the corruption investigation of her husband.
Queen Sofia presiding over an event at the Royal Theater in Madrid Monday.
Media reports say the Princess’ testimony will not be recoded to prevent leaks. There has also been discussion about how she will arrive because of concerns about giving her proper security but also not offering her special treatment.
King Juan Carlos was hoping for this year to be better than the last. But the first week of 2014 is already giving him major headaches.
His Majesty made his first public Monday appearance outside his home, Zarzuela Palace, since his last hip surgery for the annual “Pascua Militar” event at the Royal Palace.
However, Don Juan Carlos still had trouble walking, relied on crutches and fumbled through parts of his speech.
The King’s physical weakness has led some officials to press him to consider abdication. He has declined to do so.
The Royal Household instead highlighted the austerity surrounding the ceremonies and said the King, who blamed low light in the palace’s Throne Room, was just as disappointed in himself.
But then came news that Judge José Castro had decided to subpoena the King’s daughter, Infanta Cristina, in the corruption investigation involving her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin.
An appeals court had thrown out a previous call for the Infanta to testify. The prosecutor in the case has expressed disagreement with involving her.
Still, she is due to appear in a Palma de Mallorca courtroom in March, according to various news sources.
Royal Household chief Rafael Spottorno has called for a swift resolution of the investigation. The King has said he respects judicial decisions.
King Juan Carlos and Prince Felipe meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida at Zarzuela Palace today.
While the Royal Household is looking to recover its eroded popularity — which it surveys regularly — this week’s events has led to more bad press.
The ongoing tough economy plus the loud calls for independence from at least some sectors of Catalan society are also a concern.
Media outlets reported that protestors jeered Queen Sofia and a number of public officials during a public event in Madrid this evening.
King Juan Carlos called for unity during his customary Christmas message amid efforts by Catalan separatists to increase the region’s autonomy or become independent.
The King said the Constitution of 1978 has provided the country with its most stable period of liberty, something citizens must recognize.
At the same time, he appeared to empathize with those who believe more changes are necessary.
“I am convinced that all these questions can be resolved with realism, effort, the rule of law and the generosity of political and social forces,” said the King.
Talking about the restoration of Democracy and the current Constitutional order, His Majesty said, “Highlighting this historical achievement is not incompatible with recognizing, as I have just said, with the need to improve many aspects of the quality of our Democracy.”
He went on, “The Crown promotes and welcomes this national model. It believes in a free, fair and united country within its diversity. It believes in an open Spain where we all fit. And it believes in the Spain that we must all continue building.”
Don Juan Carlos also took time to recognize the ongoing economic crisis, note those who have left to work abroad, and the extended families who are pooling their resources to make ends meet.
LOS BORBONES 