The British press has confirmed that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia will not be celebrating their Golden Wedding anniversary.
The Daily Mail, citing Royal Household sources, said no private or public parties are planned.
The news appears to be getting more attention abroad than in Spain, where the media often refrain from being too critical of the Monarch, especially when it comes to private issues.
King and Queen wedding anniversary on May 14.
Global media outlets have been reporting allegations that King Juan Carlos has been with many other women. And Spanish media noted the Queen’s short hospital visit when her husband was recovering from hip replacement surgery.
Juan María Urdangarín, father of Iñaki Urdangarín, the Duke of Palma, died Thursday at 79 in his native Basque Country. The former businessman had been ill for several months, according to media reports.
Queen Sofia and Infanta Elena will travel to Vitoria on Friday to be with the family. The Duke traveled to Spain from Washington earlier this week. Infanta Cristina, the Duchess of Palma, is also making her way to join her husband.
Update: Earlier this week, the Duchess visited the National Gallery of Art on Washington, D.C., where this blog originates. She went after-hours for a Joan Miró exhibit.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund is expressing concern and requesting a meeting with the Royal Household over King Juan Carlos’ elephant hunting trip to Africa, where he suffered a hip fracture last week.
WWF outlined its concerns in a letter released today, as politicians and Spaniards debated the King’s trip, which many see as lavish and insensitive to the county’s economic woes. WWF in Spain questions whether the King can continue as the group’s honorary president.
Juan Carlos del Olmo, the group’s secretary general, said there was an “enormous backlash” to the King’s hunting activities, even if they were legal. He said people around the world were expressing “energetic protest.”
Queen Sofia (Right) and Princess Letizia
Meanwhile, Queen Sofia visited her husband today. She said he was showing “phenomenal progress.” Doctors said he may be out of the hospital soon.
His recovery, however, means that he won’t be able to make it abroad to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years as British monarch.
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.
Also, the Wall Street Journaldug deeper into Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s battle with Spanish oil giant Repsol YPF SA, which has involved royal intervention.
The Royal Family is preparing to celebrate Easter in the Balearic island of Mallorca. The magazine Hola and the Royal Household reported that Queen Sofia is already there. Below is a picture of her visiting the Lafiore glass factory.
Meanwhile, the recently married Dutchess of Alba, the woman with the most royal titles in the world, is celebrating Holy Week in Seville, as is her custom.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia traveled to the southwestern port city of Cadiz to celebrate the bicentennial of the so-called Cadiz Constitution, also known as “La Pepa.” While only in place intermittently for a handful of years, the Cadiz Constitution represents Spain’s first true attempt at a modern Constitutional system of government. King Juan Carlos called it one of the most important episodes in Spanish history.
“We render tribute to Cadiz and its Courts, the decisive link en the struggle for the liberation of the homeland and a symbol of the collective enterprise that benefited Spain, Latin America and also the rest of Europe,” the monarch said to strong applause.
LOS BORBONES 