Tag: Prince Felipe

Royal Whirlwind, Prince In New York, King Near Gibraltar

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia arrived in the U.S. yesterday and visited IESE Business School’s campus in New York today.

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

Like his father, Prince Felipe spoke about Spain’s ongoing economic troubles. He touted recent reforms and called for “more Europe” to solve the continental crisis. He said the monetary union was “weak” and suggested the need for a stronger pact.

Their Royal Highnesses participated in a business colloquium and met with students on campus. IESE is an outpost of the University of Navarra and the first European business school to set up a permanent facility in New York.

The Prince and Princess of Asturias are also scheduled to visit Harvard University this week.

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

Just yesterday, Prince Felipe was in Morocco. He met with Prince Moulay Rachid and business leaders from both countries.

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

Meanwhile, King Juan Carlos visited Civil Guard facilities near Gibraltar, as scheduled.

Some critics in that British outpost are calling to Monarch’s visit as a hostile act. Fishermen wanting access to disputed waters are calling on the King to intervene on their behalf. Spanish forces have already escorted them on fishing trips.

Queen Sofia is holding down the fort in Madrid. She presided over a meeting of the Royal Patronage for Disabilities and assisted an event organized by the Indian Embassy. She went with her sister Princess Irene.

Queen Sofia with the Indian ambassador to Spain.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

King Juan Carlos Meets With Saudi Royals

King Juan Carlos met today with Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud to express his condolences for the recent death of Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz.

King Juan Carlos and King Abdullah
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

Don Juan Carlos also met with the new Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. He’s Minister of Defense and was in Madrid earlier this month.

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

Meanwhile, Prince Felipe presided over the 200th anniversary of the Supreme Court, which was created by the Cádiz Cortes as a result of the Cádiz Constitution.

 

Prince, Princess Tour Portugal

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia on Friday finished a three day official visit to Portugal where they met with political, business, scientific and cultural leaders.

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

Their Royal Highnesses arrived on Wednesday and visited Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva and his wife at Belém palace.

Delegations from both countries then worked to strengthen the bilateral relationship between both Iberian countries.

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

Portuguese leaders also hosted an official dinner for Don Felipe and his wife at Quelúz Palace.

Prince and Princess with Portuguese Prime Minister Passos Coelho and his wife.

The Prince called Portugal a “beloved country” and mentioned his family’s ties to the place. His grandfather, Don Juan de Borbón y Battenberg, the Count of Barcelona, lived in exile in Portugal during the Franco years.

Prince, Princess Visit Basque Country

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia visited the Basque Country today to commemorate Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, where leaders handed out gold medals to various groups.

This year’s event was in Álava to mark the 140th anniversary of the Red Cross there. Royal trips to the Basque Country are notable because many residents, particularly nationalists and separatists, having mixed feelings about the Monarchy.

The Prince also traveled to Bucharest for the UEFA Europe League final between Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. He traveled with Basque Autonomous Community President Patxi López.

Prince Felipe Supports Repsol Amid Takeover

Last month Prince Felipe appeared to sound off on Argentina’s nationalization of a subsidiary of Spanish oil giant Repsol.

During the inauguration of the company’s refinery expansion in Cartagena, Spain, the Prince of Asturias thanked Repsol “for all it does and has done — which is a lot — for the welfare of numerous countries.”

He also expressed support for workers in and outside of Spain. The comments came just hours after Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner said her country would take a majority stake in Repsol’s YPF.

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

The refinery project represents the most significant industrial investment in Spanish history. The Prince said the facility would be among Europe’s finest and most technologically advanced.

King Back to Work, Again

After two recent operations, King Juan Carlos is back at work making limited appearances.

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

Today His Majesty met with Pascual Sala, president of Spain’s Constitutional Court. Sala handed the King decisions from 2011.

Members of the FIA automobile association also visited Zarzuela Palace today to present Don Juan Carlos with a gold medal for his support of motor sports.

© Agencia EFE

While the King has other appearances planned, most of them are by other members of the Royal Family. Today Queen Sofia participated in the swearing in of 49 new members of the Royal Guard.

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

And Felipe and Letizia, Prince and Princess of Asturias, participated in the inauguration of new facilities for the National Museum of Science and Technology in A Coruña.

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

Yesterday Infanta Elana, Duchess of Lugo, was on hand at the inauguration of new equestrian facilities for the Civil Guard. The Princess has been making numerous appearances on behalf of the Royal Family recently.

Constitutional Crisis? Newspaper Weighs Situation

El Pais, one of Spain’s leading newspapers and often used as a source for this blog, has published several articles analyzing the Royal Family’s situation in Spain.

Many influential politicians and business leaders, the paper says several factors are affecting the Monarchy’s popularity — King Juan Carlos’ health, his recent trip to Botswana, his son-in-law facing corruption allegations, the economy, leftist movements and the fact that many young people don’t remember the the institution’s importance in establishing democracy.

One article looks at the King’s situation, another reviews Prince Felipe’s role and another reviews the Queen’s recent actions, including only spending a few minutes visiting her husband at the hospital.

King Juan Carlos takes oath. Note the not often seen
"Tumular" Crown of Spain.

Socialist leader Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba said he would have told the King not to go hunting in Africa. The comments come amid a debate over how much control the elected Government should have over the Monarch’s activities.

Still, despite other leftist comments against the Monarchy, the Socialist leadership is staying loyal.

Meanwhile, as planned, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia stepped in for Don Juan Carlos in giving out this year’s Cervantes prize at the University of Alcalá. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born in Alcalá in the 1500’s.

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

Royal Highnesses Step In for Majesties

The press and the Spanish public are making much of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia presiding over the traditional lunch at the Royal Palace in Madrid yesterday to commemorate the Cervantes Prize and its winner.

While the King and Queen usually lead the event, recent events have contributed to the Prince and Princess of Asturias taking over, at least for this year.

Prince Felipe stepping in for his father
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

Prince Felipe called it “special and exceptional” for their Majesties to be missing the event, but also the prize’s winner, Chilean Poet Nicanor Parra, because of delicate health.

The Cervantes award, named after the author of Don Quixote, includes a 125,000 euro check. It is among the most prestigious literary prizes in the world.

Click here for video from RTVE. Click here for a slideshow from El Pais.

Their Royal Highnesses will also preside over the award ceremony at the University of Alcalá on Monday.

Separately, it appears that Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, is presiding over more events on behalf of the Royal Family. This week she accompanied her mother, the Queen, to the MAPFRE Foundation awards. MAPFRE is a Spanish international insurance company.

She also presided over the first Paralympic Evening in advance of the London games. Infanta Elena is the president of honor of the Spanish committee.

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

 

News Bites

Queen Sofia yesterday handed out the annual prizes named in her honor to celebrate efforts toward inclusion and access for people with disabilities. Her Majesty is the honorary president for the council of the Royal Patronage for Disabilities, an independent group within government.

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

Meanwhile, earlier today Prince Felipe visited the Zaragoza Air Base. He met with service members, toured facilities and saw demonstrations.

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

Also, the Wall Street Journal dug deeper into Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s battle with Spanish oil giant Repsol YPF SA, which has involved royal intervention.