Royals Focus On Crash

Members of the Spanish Royal Family have continued focusing on the recent Germanwings airplane crash on a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf.

Late last week King Felipe held a meeting in his dispatch at Zarzuela Palace with Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to discuss the incident.

Queen Sofia, his mother, presided over a moment of silence during an awards ceremony in Toledo.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia were starting a state visit to France when the plane crash. They cancelled their plans as a result.

King, Queen Mourn Airplane Victims

King Felipe and Queen Letizia mourned the victims of this week’s airplane crash while on a visit to France.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia were beginning the first state visit of their young reign when a German airliner traveling from Barcelona crashed in France.

As a result, they suspended the state visit and instead focused on responding to the incident.

“We would like to express our most sincere condolences, from the bottom of our hearts, to families that have lost loved ones,” said the King at Elysee Palace in Paris.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia also visited a French command center dealing with the crash aftermath.

Last week Queen Sofia remembered the victims of the terrorist shooting in Tunisia while receiving an award for her commitment to Mallorca.

Queen Sofia with Balearic Islands President José Ramón Bauzá. © Casa de S.M. el Rey

Queen Sofia is known for being a fan of vacationing at Marivent Palace in the island of Mallorca in eastern Spain.

She goes on extended stays, often takes members of her extended family and promotes charitable causes.

King Felipe Mourns Santander Chief

King Felipe, Queen Letizia, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia offered the family of Banco Santander SA Chairman Emilio Botín their condolences after his death this week.

Don Felipe told reporters that Botín made Santander into “a global bank,” and called him a “great man” who has “done much for Spain.”

The King made his comments during a Supreme Court ceremony to open the 2014-2015 judicial year.

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

The judicial agenda continues to include the possible trial of the King’s sister Infanta Cristina stemming from an ongoing corruption case against her husband. Both have denied wrongdoing.

The issue stems from his leadership of a non-profit company that obtained contracts with local governments. Judges specializing in corruption, El País reported, will review her potential involvement.

Problems With Queen Sofia’s Flight

Queen Sofia landed late at Torrejón field near Madrid because of problems with her Spanish Air Force VIP airplane.

20140320_guatemala_20_cc_05 — Queen Sofia takes to the streets in Guatemala.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

The Queen was returning from a week-long tour of Guatemala, where she met with local leaders, Spaniards and toured projects aided by Spanish development funds.

Queen Sofia greeting a market vendor's baby. © Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos — Queen Sofia greeting a market vendor’s baby.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

Media reports indicate this was the fourth recent problem with Spanish VIP jets for government or royal travel. One of the forced Prince Felipe to put off a trip to Brazil.

Queen Sofia In New York, Visits Bronx School

Queen Sofia awarded gold medals to former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and actor Antonio Banderas from the Queen Sofia Spanish Institute in New York City.

Designer Oscar De La Renta, the Institute’s chairman, was also at the festivities.
© Agencia EFE

While in New York, Her Majesty also visited a school in the South Bronx, a heavily Hispanic area.

Leibovitz, Higgs Among Award Winners

Photographer Annie Leibovitz and scientist Peter Higgs were among this year’s recipients of the annual Prince of Asturias awards, held in Oviedo, capital of the Principality of Asturias in Spain.

The awards are among the most important events that the Spanish Royal Family puts on every year. The ceremony is broadcast live on television and brings out thousands of spectators.

Beyond the formal events at Campoamor Theater and the Hotel of the Reconquest, the Prince and Princess of Asturias also award a town in the principality.

This year they recognized the community of Teverga for working to overcome the downturn in mining related employment.

Prince Felipe has been taking on an increasingly visible role in recent years after King Juan Carlos’ multiple operations.

The King Texts?!

It seems that King Juan Carlos is fond of texting public officials in a jovial manner.

Joan Mesquida, former director general of the Spanish Civil Guard and former tourism chief, got a text from the King during a recent radio broadcast, according to El País.

So Mesquida went on the explain that the King not only texts, but is also quick to pick up the phone or return phone calls.

Don Juan Carlos is still recovering from his recent operation.

Other members of the Royal Family, meanwhile, have remained active.

This week Queen Sofia, for example, attended an exhibit at El Prado Museum.

She also donned her mantilla and formal black dress to commemorate the Patrol Madonna of the Civil Guard.

It’s not all good news for the Royal Family these days.

A judge is deciding whether to include the King’s daughter, Infanta Cristina, in her husband’s ongoing corruption investigation.

Queen Sofia In New York Amid Busy Agenda

The Spanish Royal Family’s agenda is quickly picking up after the recent summer vacations in Europe.

Today King Juan Carlos handed out the King Juan Carlos Human Rights Award at the famed Univerity of Alcalá.

The King’s son, Prince Felipe of Asturias, also presided over several meetings today at Zazrzuela Palace in the outskirts of Madrid.

However, Queen Sofia is the one capturing the headlines. Her Majesty has been in New York this week.

She was at the United Nations to receive the Franklin Delano Roosevelt International Disability Rights Award on behalf of Spain.

During her remarks, the Queen said the award represented the goal of complete equality for people in society.

Queen Sofia also met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and spoke at a development work meeting. © Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos — Queen Sofia also met with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and spoke at an international development work meeting.
© Casa de S.M. el Rey / Borja Fotógrafos

It should not come as a surprise that Queen Sofia, a big sports fan and a booster of Spanish athletes, took some time to see Rafael Nadal win the US Open.

Charity, Sports and Foreign Trip For Royals

Queen Sofia today visited a food bank in Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands where she proposed collecting items from the increasing number of cruise ships that dock.

Her Majesty met with local political and non-profit leaders.
© Govern de les Illes Balears

Her foundation helps fund dozens of food banks around Spain.

Earlier this week King Juan Carlos was at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid for the Santiago Bernabéu Trophy.

And earlier this month Prince Felipe visited Paraguay to help inaugurate incoming President Horacio Manuel Cartes Jara.

Prince Felipe also met with members of the Spanish community in Paraguay and with outgoing President Federico Franco.

His Royal Highness arrives at Government Palace.

King and Queen, Prince and Princess Deploy To Comfort Accident Victims

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia immediately deployed this week to the Santiago de Compostela area in the Galicia region to comfort victims of the high speed train derailment, which killed dozens of people.

Their Majesties, especially the Queen, are known for their ability to connect with and comfort people in mourning.

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia deployed on Friday to University Hospital in Santiago, one of the facilities where the injured were taken.

They also met with area residents and rescue workers during their visit.