Royals Celebrate National Day

King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia presided over the annual Fiesta Nacional commemoration in Madrid today.

However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, the National Day celebration was scaled down significantly. Instead of a parade through Madrid’s main avenues, the Royal Family reviewed Spanish forces at the Royal Palace.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was on hand for the celebrations, which included military jets flying over the palace and the city.

Note Princess Leonor, to the left above, wearing a pin for the Order of the Golden Fleece. She joined the order in preparation to assume the duties of heir to the throne.

Other recent activity

The King in recent days made a much anticipated visit to Barcelona with the prime minister for an economic awards ceremony.

His Majesty opened the academic year for the Royal Academies during a visit to the Royal Spanish Academy on Oct. 7.

A day earlier, on Oct. 6, the King and Queen led a meeting of the Cervantes Institute leadership at the Royal Palace of El Pardo.

Earlier in the month, King Felipe met with Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa during an event in Galicia on trans-Atlantic dialogue.

King To Visit Barcelona After Government Blockade

King Felipe and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will visit Barcelona together in the coming days, just weeks after the premier blocked His Majesty from visiting the city.

The government’s decision to prevent the King from visiting Barcelona recently set of a firestorm. Monarchists accused the government of giving in to Catalan nationalists and left-wing radicals.

Those left-wingers, in turn, accused the King of using his voice to lobby against Spain’s elected government. That’s because Don Felipe had expressed his desire to visit Barcelona for a juidicial promotions ceremony.

_{King Felipe accepting credentials from new ambassadors at the Royal Palace in Madrid. Spanish Royal Household}

The government said it didn’t want King Felipe’s presence to coincide with a ruling against former Catalan President Quim Torra. Such a ruling did happen and a government spokeswoman — following days of back and forth — said the King respects Constitutional norms.

Some news outlets are describing the coming visit as an about face or course correction from the government.

Government Blocks King From Barcelona Trip

The Spanish government — currently led by a left-wing coalition — blocked King Felipe from attending an official event in Barelona this week to promote new judges.

Royalist politicians and leaders of Spain’s judicial branch expressed dismay with the decision, but top judges were unable to agree on a joint statement against it.

The government defended the move but did not provide a clear explanation, according to several media outlets.

_{King Felpe at the Palace of Justice in Madrid earlier this month. Spanish Royal Household}

Speculation centers around security concerns, delicate budget negotiations and efforts to not anger Catalan nationalists.

King Juan Carlos In The Middle East?

King Juan Carlos may have traveled to Abu Dhabi after announcing his decision to leave Spain last week amid a corruption investigation.

Sources initially said Don Juan Carlos, King Felipe’s father, may have traveled to the Dominican Republic to stay at Casa de Campo resort, which is owned by friends of the former head-of-state.

But more recent reports, including a picture, suggest King Felipe may be in Abu Dhabi. He is close with royals from around the Middle East.

jc1_nius — Image of King Juan Carlos exiting a jet on the BBC News website.

King Juan Carlos has not been indicted and was immune from prosecution during his time as monarch. But authorities in Spain and Switzerland are looking into tens of millions of dollars that may have been mishandled.

King Juan Carlos In Dominican Republic

King Juan Carlos is said to have left Spain for the Dominican Republic, according to several media outlets.

The Spanish Royal Household said yesterday that Don Juan Carlos would move out of Zarzuela Palace and abandon the country amid claims of financial irregularities.

reyg-d_hr — King Juan Carlos abdicated the Spanish throne in 2014. © Dany Virgili

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez today praised King Felipe for distancing himself from his father for the sake of the Crown.

Other left-leaning figiures, however, said Don Juan Carlos’ departure was akin to fleeing justice. His Majesty’s attorneys say he remains open to whatever officials may need.

King Felipe, meanwhile, continued with his agenda and has not commented on the crisis. He has resigned any inheritance from his father.

felipe_visita

King Juan Carlos may be staying in Casa de Campo, a Dominican resort owned by the wealthy Fanjul family.

BREAKING: King Juan Carlos To Abandon Spain

King Juan Carlos, the monarch who led Spain’s transition to democracy, will abandon the country, according to a letter to his son, King Felipe.

Authorities in Spain and Switzerland are investigating money King Juan Carlos is said to have received from the Saudi king.

Millions of dollars from Don Juan Carlos also ended up in the hands of Corinna Larsen, a businesswoman and socialite with whom King Juan Carlos had a close freindship.

abdicacion_sofia — Queen Sofia watches as King Juan Carlos signs papers related to his abdication in 2014 at the Madrid Royal Palace. Spanish Royal Household

King Juan Carlos was immune from prosecution but gave up his involability when he abdicated. The limits of his immunity during office are also in question.

Don Juan Carlos has not been indicted for any crimes and sources close to the former head-of-state say he did nothing illegal.

But King Felipe has formally resigned any inheritance from his father earlier this year. Don Felipe has also been under pressure to kick his father out of Zarzuela Palace.

Fun1 — King Juan Carlos with Queen Sofia. Spanish Royal Household

In the letter to his son, King Juan Carlos did not say where he was going, but said scrutiny into his private actions had contributed to his decision to leave.

King Juan Carlos was born in exile in Rome. He and his family engineered a return to Spain as a child. He then took over as monarch when dictator Francisco Franco died.

In 2014, amid financial crisis, scrutiny into his relationships and declining health, Don Juan Carlos abdicated the throne after almost 40 years.

Catalan, Basque Presidents Snub King

King Felipe met with presidents of Spain’s autonomous communities during a conference in La Rioja Friday.

His Majesty was on hand for the meeting between regional and national officials, including Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

reunion_presidentes — King Felipe with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, to his right, and the leaders of Spain’s autonomous communities. Spanish Royal Household

The presidents of the Basque Country and Catalonia, both members of anti-monarchist, nationalist parties, did not attend the meeting, despite pleas from the prime minister.

Catalan President Quim Torra has long been at odds with the central government in Madrid. And Basque leader Iñigo Urkullu said the central government was not complying with certain promises.

King Calls For Unity In Galicia Visit

King Felipe called for “unity and fraternity” during a visit to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia today.

Their Majesties visited the city for the Feast of St. James and made an offering to the country’s patron saint.

Santiago

Members of the Spanish Royal Family generally visit Santiago during the Feast of St. James. The King and Queen are also on a tour of the country following the pandemic lockdown.

King, Queen Visit Catalonia

King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited Catalonia last week on their ongoing countrywide tour.

A trip to Catalonia — in this case to a monastery in Tarragona — is notable because of the years-long political instability there. The region has also seen a spike in COVID-19 cases.

catalonia_visit

Pro-independence protesters were near the site but police kept them away from the King and Queen.

Royals Hold Palace Ceremony For Victims

The Spanish Royal Family held a ceremony at the Madrid Royal Palace grounds to honor victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

Attending last week in the shadow of Almudena Cathedral were King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Letizia and Infanta Sofia.

homenaje

The ceremony of state was one of several from Spain’s royals to honor the pandemic’s victims.