King Felipe and Queen Letizia traveled to Valencia this week to meet with people affected by the recent apartment block fire, which killed several people.
Spanish Royal Household
Their Majesties also met with rescue workers. Experts say wind and building materials helped the fire spread quickly.
Services this week at Windsor Castle in the United Kingdom honoring the late Greek King Constantine, Queen Sofia’s brother, reunited members of the Spanish Royal Family.
It was the first time King Felipe has been seen in public together with his father King Juan Carlos. Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia were also there.
Queen Letizia was also seen holding King Felipe’s arm amid rumors about trouble in their marriage. And Queen Letizia was seen chatting with King Juan Carlos. Commentators say the two dislike each other, and that King Juan Carlos has been working to sabotage his son’s marriage.
There are no doubt tensions within the Spanish Royal Family and the King’s broader family, but the royals are committed to projecting normalcy.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia hosted Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo and his wife Lucrecia Peinado for lunch at the Madrid Royal Palace Thursday.
His Majesty also hosted Arévalo for a meeting at the Zaruzela Royal Palace during his official visit to Spain.
Spanish Royal Household
Beyond official business, the lunch was notable because the King and Queen were seen chatting and smiling. Commentators have spent months wondering about the state of their marriage.
The King in recent days visited NATO headquarters in Brussels.
Another high-profile meeting involved Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who visited the King at Zarzuela.
King Felipe has also accepted credentials for numerous new ambassadors to Spain in ceremonies at the Madid Royal Palace.
Crowds cheered King Felipe and Queen Letizia during an event in Barcelona last week.
Their Majesties helped inaugurate a new tower for the Puig fashion and fragrance company. They met with executives and local leaders, including Pere Aragonès, the nationalist and anti-monarchist president of the autonomous community of Catalonia.
Observers are always keen to see how members of the Spanish Royal Family are received in Catalonia. They’re also keeping an eye on Queen Letizia, who has been weathering months of attacks from the political right and claims of infidelity.
The queen’s former brother-in-law has been claiming they had an affair years ago. He’s also accusing her of favoring Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has become a pariah among conservatives because of his amnesty deal with Catalan nationalists.
King Felipe this week signed the third amendment to Spain’s Constitution since its ratification in 1978.
His Majesty, joined by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and other top officials, signed the text at the Royal Palace of Zarzuela outside central Madrid. It updated wording and government responsibilities related to people with disabilities.
Spanish Royal Household
King Felipe’s father, King Juan Carlos, signed the 1978 text after a democratization process following the death of dictator Francisco Franco.
Spain’s Royal Family kicked off the new year’s agenda with the so-called Pascua Militar, a military event at the Madrid Royal Palace that coincides with the Epiphany holiday.
Leonor, the Princess of Asturias, made her first official appearance as heir to the throne after having turned 18 last year. She’s undergoing extensive military training.
This year’s event was most notable because of the princess’ presence. Royal watchers were also keen on observing the Queen’s mood.
Political opponents and other critics of both Their Majesties have been spreading claims of infidelity by the Queen more than a decade ago. Indeed, Queen Letizia was somber when the minister of defense praised her work.
King Felipe used his remarks to highlight the armed forces’ role in defense of democracy.
Spanish Royal Household
The government used the event to reiterate its call for a ceasefire in Israel and the protection of human rights.
King Felipe focused on the Constitution in his traditional Christmas Eve address, perhaps the monarch’s most important of the year.
His Majesty, speaking from the Zarzuela Royal Palace, to the north of central Madrid, discussed broad economic and political issues, but — as years before — went deep on his vision of a Spain in which citizens set aside divisions and work together to solve common problems.
The remarks show Don Felipe’s continued concern about nationalist parties and leaders, particularly in Catalonia and the Basque Country.
The Spanish Constitution turned 45 in 2023. Also last year, Princess Leonor — heir to the throne — swore allegiance to the text upon turning 18. A picture of the event was behind the King during his message.
Later in December, before the new year, King Felipe held a swearing-in ceremony for new government ministers.
Spanish Royal Household
The first major event of the year on the royal calendar is the Pascua Militar, a military event at the Royal Palace in Madrid that coincides with the Epiphany holiday.
King Felipe traveled to Argentina roughly a week ago to attend inauguration ceremonies for the country’s new president, Javier Milei, who’s rise to power has stunned observers.
Milei is an eccentric populist who has promised deep spending cuts and reforms to tackle inflation and make the country more competitive. He has acknowledged a painful transition.
Present at the ceremonies were several world leaders, including the heads of Chile, Ukraine and Hungary.
For decades, a senior member of the Royal Family has attended inauguration ceremonies at former Spanish colonies.