Category Archives: Spanish Royals

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias along with Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain Attend the 2011 Prince of Asturias Awards (VIDEOS)

This evening at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo, Spain, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias along with Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain attended the 2011 Prince of Asturias Awards ceremony.

The purpose of this important event is to honor and award those who have contributed as well as made a difference in the fields of scientific research, cultural, social and humanitarian work performed by individuals, groups or institutions on an international level.   This year’s recipients include Riccardo Muti in the field of the Arts, Howard Gardner in the field of Social Sciences, Arturo Alvarez Buylla, Joseph Altman and Giacomo Rizzolatti for Technical and Scientific Research, Leonard Cohen for Music and Lyrics, Haile Gerbselassie for Sports.

To watch a video clip as well as to view photos please click the links below:

Source: Fundacion Principe de Asturias  

Photo courtesy of: Daylife/C.Alvarez

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia in Oviedo, Spain (VIDEO)

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia arrived in Oviedo, Spain on October 20, 2011. Upon their arrival at the Hotel de la Reconquista, the prince and princess were greeted by President of the Principality of Asturias, Francisco Alvarez-Cascos, President of the General Meeting of the Principality of Asturias, Fernando Goñi, the government delegate in the Principality of Asturias, Francisco González Zapico, the mayor of Oviedo, Gabino de Lorenzo, the chairman of the Prince of Asturias, Matias Rodriguez Inciarte, the director of the Prince of Asturias, Teresa Sanjurjo, general secretary of the Prince of Asturias Adolgo Menendez, and the director of the Hotel de la Reconquista, Ramon Braña.

The purpose of the royal couple’s appearance in Oviedo is to prepare for the Prince of Asturias Awards which will be handed out tomorrow October 21, 2011. This important award ceremony honors individuals, groups and/or institutions working in the international arena in the field of “…scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian… “

To watch a video as well as to view photos please click here and here.

Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

T.M.s King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain At Real Academia Espanola. Plus, Other News

Their Majesties King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain attended the opening of the Royal Academy Course at the Real Academia Espanola in Madrid on October 18, 2011.  The event was also attended by the President of the Constitutional Court, Pascual Sala, the Minister of Education, Ángel Gabilondo, the director of the Royal Spanish Academy, Jose Manuel Blecua, Under Secretary of Education, Mercedes Lopez Revilla, different directors and presidents of the other Royal Academies, as are the director of the Royal Academy of History, Gonzalo Anes, the director of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Antonio Bonet, president of the Royal Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences, Miguel Angel Alario, President of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, Marcelino Oreja, Marquis de Oreja, President of the Royal Academy of Medicine, Manuel Diaz-Rubio, the President of the Royal Academy of Jurisprudence and Legislation, Landelino Lavilla and the president of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy, Maria Teresa Miras-Portugal, as well as members of the Governing Board of the Royal Spanish Academy.  

During the event His Majesty King Juan Carlos delivered a speech in which he emphasized that the new lecture/course, “Invitation to the Noble studies, Language use, and Language of Art”, would provide “…a new opportunity to reaffirm the continued commitment of the Crown with our Royal Academy, so necessary to continue promoting excellence in the Sciences, Humanities and Arts in our country… ”   Click here to view photos.

On October 19, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Sofia participated in the opening of several new hospital facilities at the Politècnic i Universitari La Fe in Valencia.  During the ceremony, Her Majesty the Queen unveiled a commemorative plaque then toured the facility which aims to become one of the best hospitals in Europe.   

Source and photos courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain Participates in the 2011 King Jaime I Awards

Her Majesty Queen Sofia presented the 2011 King James I Awards on October 19, 2011, to distinguished scientists and researchers in the fields of basic research, Economics, Medical Research, Environmental Protection, New Technologies and Entrepreneur, respectively.  The winners were Oscar Marin Parra, Daniel Peña Sánchez de Rivera, Carlos Simon, Sixto Malate, José Alonso, and entrepreneur José Javier Chamorro Rebollo.

 The King Jaime I Awards were created in 1989 by the Generalitat Valenciana and the Valencia Foundation for Advanced Studies, under the honorary presidency of His Majesty the King, with the aim of combining, in studies and research, scientific and business entities to promote research and scientific development in Spain. The prize is worth 100,000 euros, gold medal and diploma. The winners are invited to join the High Consultative Council on Research and Development of the Presidency of the Generalitat Valenciana, created in 1998. Its purpose is to advise the President of the Generalitat Valenciana in research, development and technological innovation, and develop reports, presentations and opinions.

Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

H.M. Queen Sofia of Spain Attends the UNICEF Conference in Madrid

On October 18, 2011, Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain participated in the UNICEF conference held at the Hotel Westin Palace in Madrid.  Per the official website for the royal house, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey:

During the event Her Majesty Queen Sofia was accompanied by Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Soraya Rodriguez Ramos, president of the Spanish Committee for UNICEF, Consuelo Crespo and the Board and representatives of UNICEF Spain.

 The Queen was in charge of opening the session and gave the floor in turn to the president of UNICEF, the head of UNICEF Immunization in Afghanistan, Carmen Garrigós, UNICEF Representative in Liberia, Isabel Crowley, UNICEF Representative in the Dominican Republic, Maria Jesus Conde, Secretary of State for International Cooperation and UNICEF Executive Director Spain, Paloma Escudero. After the round of speeches proceeded to the projection of an institutional video from UNICEF.

 UNICEF aims to ensure that they meet the children’s rights to health, education and protection worldwide. It is the leading international organization working to promote child rights and make real changes in the lives of millions of children. Its work is guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the treaty most widely ratified human rights in the world.

 Since the end of the Spanish Civil War until the mid-1940s, Spain experienced a very difficult time. The infant mortality rate was 142 deaths per 1,000 births vivos.Debido this situation, Spain requested the assistance of UNICEF. In 1954 in New York signed an agreement between UNICEF and Spain to meet the needs of children in our country. The first aid program, the plan ASA (American Social Assistance), starts that year and is sending millions of kilos of milk powder, essential for growing children.

 On April 12, 1961, a group of people aware of the needs of children and UNICEF’s work created the Association of Friends of UNICEF, which was financed through the sale of Christmas cards. In 1964, delegations had the cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia, thanks to the 240 partners of UNICEF Spain

UNICEF Spain is one of 36 national committees that contribute to the work of United Nations Fund for Children. Today, with the support of 242,000 members, along with donors, companies and public administrations. In these 50 years, UNICEF Spain has contributed more than 516 million euros to change the lives of thousands of children. source

To view photos from the conference please click here. 

Source and photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias Attend the 60th Premio Planeta de Novela (VIDEO)

On Saturday October 15, 2011, T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias attened the 60th Premio Planeta de Novela and gala dinner, held at the Palau dels Congressos de Catalunya, in Barcelona, Spain.

The royal couple awarded the top prize to Spanish writer, Javier Moro, for his novel El Imperio ere too (The Empire, it’s you) based on “… the life of Brazil’s first Emperor Dom Pedro I (1798-1834), who backed the nationalist cause against imperial power Portugal.”

To view photos please click here.   To watch a video clip please click here.

Photo courtesy of: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias Attend the Inauguration of the Exhibit, ‘Joan Miró: The Ladder of Escape’ (VIDEO)

On October 14, 2011, T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias attended the inauguration of the exhibit, Joan Miró. The Ladder of Escape, in Barcelona, Spain.

This exhibit, organized by the Fundación Joan Miró and the Tate Modern Gallery in London, features over a hundred works by the late artist.  Per the official site for the royal house of Spain, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey:

[The royal couple were] accompanied by the Culture Minister Angeles Gonzalez-Sinde, the president of BBVA and its Foundation, Francisco Gonzalez, and the president of the Fundación Miró, Jaume Freixa, among other authorities, Their Royal Highnesses the Princes of Asturias visited this sample, that the first rooms looked explore the links with his native Catalonia, with works like “The house” (1921-1922), “Tilled” (1923-1924) and “Catalan Landscape (The Hunter)” (1923-1924 ) – contact with Paris and the creative liberation of surrealism. At the headquarters of the Miró Foundation,

In the exhibit, the central hall houses the drama of the Spanish Civil War and World War II reflected in the new pictorial language with works like “Still Life of Old Shoe” (1937) or “Constellations” (1940-1941) . The last section looks at the final stage of the Franco dictatorship, with works such as “May 1968” (1968-1973) and the triptych “The Hope of the Condemned” (1974).

This exhibition, which is an itinerant, comes from the Tate Modern in London and can be seen in the Joan Miró Foundation until March 25, 2012. After this stage, Spanish, travel to the National Gallery in Washington.

To complement the exhibition, has made an audiovisual co-production with the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in which people are interviewed environment Catalan Joan Miró and other highlights. In the exhibition catalog also listed by Mark Daniel, Matthew Gale, Teresa Montaner, Christopher Green, Kerryn Greenberg, William Jeffet, Maria Luisa Lax, Robert S. Lubar and Joan M. Minguet Batllori, and a complete timeline comparing the lives of Miró, the art world and the world situation.

To watch a video as well as to view photos please click the links below:

To learn more about Joan Miró and to view some of the late artist’s work please click here.

Photo courtesy of: Casa de S.M. el Rey