On March 5, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Letizia of Asturias attended the presentation of the campaign, Be More, Be Stronger, in collaboration with the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Madrid, Spain.

According to the official website for the royal house of Spain, the presentation of the new campaign aims to:

…put face to all the people that are behind a patient with cancer means the beginning of events that will culminate next year with the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC).

Click here to watch a video clip. (in Spanish)

 Source and photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

Her Royal Highness Princess Letizia of Asturias presided over the “World Day of Rare Diseases” held at the headquarters of the General Council of the Judiciary in Madrid, Spain on March 1, 2012.

The Princess was accompanied by the Chairman of the Supreme Court and the Council General of the Poder Judicial (CGPJ), Mr. Carlos Dívar, the Minister of Health, Social Services and Equality, Mr. Ana Mato, and the President of the Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases (ERDF), Ms. Isabel Calvo.

During today’s event Princess Letizia gave a speech in which she stated:

…I’ll repeat what I said three years ago, that no person with a rare disease nor those who surround and supports them sits alone, isolated, uninformed, helpless and without opportunities.  If we work together for them and work more, we can maintain hope.

The Spanish Federation for Rare Diseases (ERDF), in collaboration with the European Organization for Rare Diseases (EURORDIS), organized the campaign of raising awareness in Spain to claim the right to life and to support people living with rare diseases.

Click the links below to watch a video as well as to view photos.

• VIDEO (in Spanish)
• Gallery One 

Source and photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain flew in the new aircraft the Military Airbus A400M which took off from Torrejon Air Base on March 1, 2012. His Majesty was accompanied by the Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, Mr. José Manuel Soria, Mr. José Jiménez Ruiz, the Delegate Director (CEO) of Airbus, Mr. Tom Enders, and Airbus Military President and Chairman of EADS CASA, Mr. Domingo Ureña.

His Majesty the King has been the first Head of State, which has flown in the Airbus Military A400M, on a flight which last roughly 40 minutes long.  The pilots of the Military A400M Airbus were Mr. Edward Strongman, Mr. Ignacio Lombo, and Mr. Fernando Alonso.  During the flight His Majesty King Juan Carlos I took the controls of the aircraft and at an altitude of about 10,000 feet and made a series of maneuvers, including cornering, and more.

Source and photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

Le sigh.  Apparently, The Duke of Palma, Iñaki Urdangarín, “…defied orders from His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain to stop his business dealings,” says the Telegraph newspaper.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

On February 27, 2012, His Royal Highness Prince Felipe of Asturias attended the opening of the 2012 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

The event “…serves as a meeting point for international companies and global leaders in the mobile industry.”  During today’s opening, Prince Felipe presided over the presentation of the Foundation Barcelona Mobile World Capital, “…a joint initiative of Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, Generalitat de Catalunya, Ajuntament of Barcelona, Fira de Barcelona and GSMA.” 

Click the links below to watch a video as well as to view photos.

• VIDEO (in Spanish) 
• Gallery One 

Source and photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

On Saturday, February 25, 2012, His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain son-in-law,  The Duke of Palma (Iñaki Urdangarín), appeared in court in Palma de Majorca regarding allegations of corruption and fraud.  The Duke and former business partners are “…suspected of siphoning off money paid by regional governments to the Nóos Institute, a charitable organisation he chaired from 2004 to 2006, for staging sporting events and conferences.”

Click the links below to watch videos as well as to read several articles about the case.

• VIDEO (in English)
• VIDEO (in Spanish)
• VIDEO (in Spanish)
• Article 
• Article Two 

Source: AFP

Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain visited the Pasqual Maragall Foundation (PMF) headquarters in Barcelona, Spain on Wednesday, February 22, 2012.

The purpose of Her Majesty’s visit was to learn more about PMF  latest projects as well as activities. The Queen was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Social Services and equality, Ana Mato, the Government Delegate in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia, María Llanos de Luna, the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, and the President of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, Pasqual Maragall i Mira.

To learn more about today’s event please click here.

Source and photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey