King Felipe and Queen Letizia mobilized to welcome U.S. President Biden and other NATO members for this week’s summit in Madrid.
Their Majesties greeted delegation heads at the Madrid Royal Palace Throne Room and then offered a dinner.
Spanish Royal Household
The King and Queen were particularly focused on President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden.
There was widespread concern in Spain when the U.S. president failed to call or meet with the king or prime minister for weeks after his inauguration last year.
And during the Obama administration, the president delayed and then had to cut short an official visit to Madrid.
Former President Trump invited King Felipe and Queen Letizia for a state dinner at the White House but then the pandemic hit.
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This week King Felipe welcomed President Biden at the airport and then held a brief meeting at the Royal Palace.
Spanish Royal Household
Queen Letizia hosted First Lady Jill Biden ahead of the summit and they toured several spots, including a center for Ukranian refugees.
Spanish Royal Household
Queen Letizia today led a tour of spouses to the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Idelfonso in the Segovia area and the Royal Glassware Factory. They went on high-speed train.
The group also went to the Reina Sofia Museum to see Picasso’s Guernica.
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King Felipe has hosted several meetings at Zarzuela Palace with leaders attending the summit.
King Felipe’s sister, Infanta Cristina, said she was suspending marital relations with her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, media outlets reported today.
Infanta Cristina stuck by her husband through a corruption trial and conviction, which sent him to jail for several years. He was recently photographed holding hands with another woman.
Infanta Cristina and Urdangarin married in 1997 in Barcelona.
King Felipe’s other sister, Infanta Elana, is divorced from her husband, Jaime de Marichalar.
Infanta Cristina and Urdangarin have four children together. They lost their ducal titles during his corruption scandal.
King Felipe was in Paris last week to attend the Paris Peace Forum, where he met with French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron.
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The Paris Peace Forum is an opportunity for world leaders to discuss pressing matters. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris was there, but it’s unclear whether she met with His Majesty.
Queen’s Trip
Earlier this month, Queen Letizia made a quick trip to Paraguay to showcase and review Spanish aid and cooperation efforts.
First Lady Silvana López welcomed Her Majesty at the airport. The Queen then met with local leaders, Spanish diplomats, local artisans and members of the indigenous community.
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This is Queen Letizia’s 6th cooperation trip. She has also traveled to Honduras, El Salvador, Senegal, the Dominican Republic and Mozambique during previous tours.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Infanta Sofia presided over a military parade in Madrid last week for Spanish National Day or Dia de la Hispanidad.
Members of the Royal Family at the viewing stand as members of the Royal Guard ride on their motorcycles. Spanish Royal Household
The annual event was much smaller last year and confined to the Madrid Royal Palace grounds because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year it returned with some health precautions.
King Felipe inspecting Royal Guard forces. Spanish Royal Household
The Oct. 12 event, which includes military overflights and a reception at the Royal Palace, marks the historical consolidation of the Spanish state and its colonization of the Americas.
An overflight from the Eagle Patrol. Spanish Royal Household
Leonor, the Princess of Asturias, was not present at the event. She’s away at school in Wales.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia return from August vacations to a busy agenda, with numerous important events on the calendar.
King Felipe started the month opening the judicial year with a visit to the Spanish Supreme Court headquarters in Madrid.
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Among his events, His Majesty also handed an award at Zarzuela Palace to Ana Patricia Botín, chair of banking giant Santander, for her promotion of Ibero-American business.
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The King and Queen earlier this month welcomed Chilean President Sebastián Piñera. His tour of Madrid included a lunch at the Royal Palace.
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Queen Letizia went to Zaragoza to launch the 2021-2022 school year. Crowds were there to welcome Her Majesty.
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The Queen on Friday stopped by the Madrid Book Fair, a major event for the Spanish capital.
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Spain’s National Day or Fiesta Nacional in October is among the most important upcoming dates. It’s unclear how big the celebrations will be because of the ongoing pandemic.
King Felipe met over the weekend with Spanish officials who helped evacuate people from Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover of the country.
King Felipe and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez meeting with Gabriel Ferrán, the outgoing Spanish ambassador to Afghanistan, and his deputy, Paula Sánchez Díaz. Spanish Royal Household
His Majesty visited the Torrejón Air Base in Madrid after the last flight landed with Spaniards and Afghans who collaborated with allied forces.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia this month led the country’s second state ceremony for victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and those continuing to suffer and sacrifice because of the disease.
Their Majesties presided over the ceremony at the Madrid Royal Palace and awarded four posthumous Grand Crosses of Civil Merit to health workers who died caring for pandemic patients.
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Members of Spain’s Royal Family have been active in response to the pandemic following concern King Felipe had been to slow to speak about the crisis. He first delivered televised remarks to the nation in mid-March 2020.
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