Biden, NATO Leaders Get Royal Welcome

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.

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.

This week King Felipe welcomed President Biden at the airport and then held a brief meeting at the Royal Palace.

Queen Letizia hosted First Lady Jill Biden ahead of the summit and they toured several spots, including a center for Ukranian refugees.

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.

King Felipe has hosted several meetings at Zarzuela Palace with leaders attending the summit.

King Greets World Leaders For Climate Conference

King Felipe and Queen Letizia welcomed dozens of diplomats and world leaders in Madrid today for this year’s United Nations climate conference.

The King hosted a reception and delivered remarks at the Madrid Royal Palace’s Hall of Columns, which is reserved for deeply important events.

Among the King’s guests was U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The royals greeted her warmly.

The King is also set to attend the conference’s closing ceremonies later this month.

Images: State Visit By Chinese President

Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Spain with his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a state visit before moving on to the G-20 Summit in Argentina.

The Chinese president and first lady met with King Felipe and Queen Letizia at the Royal Palace in Madrid for a welcome ceremony and state dinner, and also at Zarzuela Palace for meetings.

The queen and first lady visited the Royal Theater in Madrid. The following are a collection of images released by the Spanish Royal Household.

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King Meets With French President Macron

King Felipe met late last week with French President Emmanual Macron at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

macron_escaleras — © Spanish Royal Household

The French leader was in the Spanish capital to also meet with new Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to discuss, among other things, EU immigration policy.

His Majesty this month also met with Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno, whose trip to Europe has sparked debate about the fate of Wikileaks leader Julian Assange, who has been holed up at Ecuador’s British embassy for years.

The King had an audience with the new head of Spain’s conservative Popular Party, Pablo Casado, also in recent days.

The full agenda preceded vacation season in Spain. Members of the Royal Family will spent at least some time at Marivent Palace in Mallorca.

However, scandal surrounding King Juan Carlos and a former friend, has upended plans for a unified getaway.

The Royal Household is blaming a minor health problem for King Felipe’s father staying away from Mallorca and planned sailing.

Obama Meets With King Felipe

President Obama, during a visit to Spain, spent time with King Felipe at the fames Reina Sofía museum last week.

The King and the former U.S. president toured the complex, including Picasso’s Guernica masterpiece.

Obama_Guernica — ©Spanish Royal Household

King Felipe also gifted Obama a book about Guernica.

The King And The Bulls

King Felipe won praise but also skepticism earlier this month when he attended a charity bullfight in Madrid.

Aside from people who oppose the activity, aficionados wondered whether the King — who got a standing ovation — really stands with them.

rey_corrida_beneficencia_20170616_01 — King Felipe at the famed Las Ventas bullring in Madrid. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

Don Felipe has not been as keen on attending bullfights compared to his father, King Juan Carlos, and his sister, Infanta Elena.

Both of them were helping open a new winery in the Basque Country during the Madrid bullfight.

rey_juan_carlos_bodega_macan_20170616_07 — King Juan Carlos and Infanta Elena. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

Conventional wisdom says Queen Letizia is not partial to bullfighting. Neither is Queen Sofia, an animal rights advocate.

The late Duchess of Alba was also an animal rights advocate, but an ardent supporter of bullfighting as a Spanish tradition.

Bringing Back The Pomp

King Felipe received another batch of new ambassador credentials at the Royal Palace in Madrid this month.

rey_cartas_credenciales_panama_20170615_00 — Panamanian ambassador to Spain arriving at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

But unlike previous times, the Royal Household released images of a horse-drawn carriage transporting the dignitaries through Madrid to the palace.

rey_cartas_credenciales_nuevazelanda_20170615_01 — The New Zealand ambassador making his way to King Felipe.

The Crown revived the tradition several years ago but it has not gotten too much attention.

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The carriage takes ambassadors from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Royal Palace, where members of the Royal Guard help escort them to His Majesty.

Prince Disappointed By Madrid Loss

Prince Felipe expressed disappointment this weekend over Madrid’s loss to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics.

© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

Don Felipe, and his wife, Princess Letizia, were in Buenos Aires lobbying for the city’s bid, along with other officials, including Government President Mariano Rajoy.

The Prince is said to have impressed delegates with his use of French, English and Spanish to answer questions about Madrid’s preparedness.

In the end, the Prince of Asturias said he understood the “sadness from the people of Madrid and all of Spain.” He said, “This is a competition that we were not able to win.”

Prince Felipe Takes To The Streets

Members of the Royal Family stunned crowds today by deploying at different locations around Madrid.

Queen Sofia, Princess Letizia and Infanta Elena helped take donations for the Spanish Red Cross at various points in the city.

Prince Felipe, in a move that wowed many observers, walked around Madrid visiting his relatives and making a contribution.

The so-called Day of Flags is a top fundraiser for the Spanish Red Cross.

20121010_mesa_cuestacion_rna2 — Queen Sofia and her son Prince Felipe at the head table.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

Princess Letizia Incognito

Princess Letizia took to the streets of Madrid for some below-the-radar shopping while her daughters were in school. Hola magazine took note of her cutting edge fashion.

Meanwhile, her husband, Prince Felipe, yesterday presided over a dinner marking a meeting of the Association of the Councils of State and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union at the Spanish Supreme Court.

20120626_cena_asamblea_tribunales_constitucionales_04 — © Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

In July, Queen Sofia is scheduled to visit the Philippines.