Category Archives: Spanish Royals

Spanish Royals

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias Attend a Meeting with the Board of Trustees from the ‘Principe de Asturias’ Foundation

On June 9, 2011, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias held a meeting at El Pardo Palace in Madrid, Spain with the Board of Trustees from the Principe de Asturias Foundation.

According to the official website for the royal house of Spain, Casa de Su Majestad El Rey:

The Principe de Asturias Foundation was incorporated on September 24, 1980 in Oviedo, in a ceremony presided over by His Royal Highness the Prince of Asturias, who was accompanied by Their Majesties. Its primary objectives are to strengthen the links between the Principality and the Prince of Asturias, and contribute to the glorification and promotion of those values ​​scientific, cultural and humanistic values ​​universal heritage.

His Royal Highness The Prince of Asturias boasts its honorary president, while the vice president of honor is occupied by the President of the Principality of Asturias. Every year since 1981, grants the Prince of Asturias Award for distinguished scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanistic work performed by individuals, groups or institutions working internationally in the following eight categories: Communication and Humanities Social Sciences, Arts, Literature, Technical and Scientific Research, International Cooperation, Harmony and Sports.

As an entity totally private and nonprofit, the institution thrives on income from their assets and grants and donations they make every year, both members of their boards, as individuals or organizations that collaborate with it regular or circumstantially.

To learn more about the Principe de Asturias Foundation please click the link here.  To view photos from the event please click the link here.

Source:  Casareal.es

Photos courtesy of: Daylife Carlos Alvarez/Gettyimages

Spanish Royals

H.R.H. Princess Letizia of Asturias Holds an Audience at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid

On May 18, 2011, H.R.H. Princess Letizia of Asturias met with members of the Association for the Treatment of People with Cerebral Palsy (ASTRAPACE) at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain.

According to the official website for the royal house of Spain, Casa de us Majestad el Rey, the mission statement/purpose of ASTRAPACE is to:

… improve the quality of life of people with cerebral palsy and related disorders and their families. Murcia was founded in 1980 to assist people affected by social assistance purposes, therapeutic, educational and labor, in all stages of life, from birth to adulthood.

Over 600 families receive the support of ASTRAPACE, created to promote the full development of their individual capacities, and promoting social actions and services and contributing from its ethical commitment, support and opportunities to each person with intellectual disabilities to develop their Quality of Life project, and promote their inclusion as full citizens in a fair and caring society.

To learn more about ASTRAPACE please click the link here. 

Source and photo courtesy of: Casareal.es

Spanish Royals

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias Attend a Mass for the Victims of Wednesday’s Deadly Earthquake in Lorca, Spain

 On Wednesday May 11, 2011, two devastating earthquakes — one measuring a 4.4, the other a 5.1 on the Richter scale —  struck Lorca, Spain just 3 hours south of Valencia. These devastating quakes left nine dead, hundreds injured, and many buildings as well as homes in shambles.  This afternoon, there was a funeral Mass for those who lost their lives and on hand to support and comfort the families who lost loved ones were the Prince and Princess of Asturias.

According to CBS News, T.R.H.’s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia:

… sought Friday to comfort relatives of nine people killed in Spain’s deadliest earthquakes in more than 50 years, hugging them and shaking their hands as they slowly made their way along a long row of mourners.

Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia bent down to chat with the mourners at a crowded funeral Mass celebrated in a trade center, part of which has been turned into a makeshift refugee camp after two quakes Wednesday left many homeless in this southeastern city. Many of those in the front row at the Mass wore dark glasses.

 At one point the prince stooped down to speak to a boy and affectionately ruffled the child’s dark hair.

Living in SoCal I know what it is like to go through an earthquake (believe me folks, it’s not fun.)  My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and all the people of Spain.

Now, there are photos of T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia at today’s Mass; however, I do not feel comfortable posting images of grieving families… so if you want to see photos please click the link here.  To watch a video please click here. 

Source: and photo CBS News  by Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty Images

Spanish Royals

H.R.H. Princess Letizia of Asturias Meets with Members of the Spanish Association Against Cancer

On May 12, 2011, H.R.H. Princess Letizia of Asturias met with members of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) in Madrid, Spain.

Here is a summary of the event according to the official website for the royal house of Spain, Casa De Su Majestad El Rey:

H.R.H. Princess Letizia of Asturias held a working meeting with the members of the AECC, in accord with the promise expressed when she assumed the role as honorary president of the organization.  On this occasion, Her Royal Highness came to know first hand the internal structure of the association, its territorial organization, and the distribution of work.

She was also informed about the lines of action/plan carried out by the AECC in the areas of marketing, communication, and the internet.  She was also informed about new campaigns of awareness, communication strategies of the organization, fanned the building of social networks of the AECC organization.

Her Royal Highness Princess Letizia of Asturias will continue having future meetings with the Spanish Association Against Cancer, and will continue to participate in different institutional acts of the AECC whose mission is to diminish the impact caused by this horrible disease and better peoples lives.

To view photos from the meeting please click the link here.  To learn more about the Spanish Association Against Cancer organization please click the link here.

Source and photo courtesy of:  Casareal.es by Casa de S.M. el Rey/Borja Fotógrafos

Spanish Royals

Qatar Royals on a State Visit to Spain: Day Two

On April 26, 2011, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his stunning wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser, had quite a busy day.

First, there was a nice luncheon with the Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, in honor of the couple’s visit to Madrid, Spain.

Then it was time for boring official stuff for the Emir.

For example, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, attended a signing ceremony whereupon each agreed not to piss each other off in the future.  I’m kidding.  The two signed various trade agreements and other important stuff.

Soon, the duo paid a visit to the Senate building in Madrid where they met up with the “…President of the Senate Council, Javier Rojo, and the president of the Congress of Deputies Jose Bono.”  Finally, the Emir met with the mayor of Madrid, Alberto Gallardon, whereupon he, Mr. Gallardon, handed the Emir the “…Golden Keys of Madrid…”  I suppose it is like the American version of “Keys to the City” type of thing.

Meanwhile, Sheikha Mozah had a lovely day with Her Majesty Queen Sofia of Spain.  Prior to luncheon the two met with the:

…President of the Spanish National Heritage Nicholas Martins Fresno and Director of the El Escorial Library.  During the meeting, HH Sheikha Mozah listened to a presentation on the history of the library and its most important content of ancient manuscripts as well as discussed ways of strengthening future cooperation between Qatar Foundation and the Library of El Escorial with regard to the Arab and Islamic historical archives. Her Highness was presented with Microfilm copies for 2000 Arabic historical manuscripts in various fields such as Quran science and Islamic jurisprudence and medicine as a gift from the Library of El Escorial in Madrid for the Heritage Library of the Qatar Foundation. (QNAOL.net)

Then they two royals visited the Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer’s Center where they met some pretty amazing people.  According to the official site for the royal house of Spain, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey:

The center is at the forefront in the treatment and research of this disease. Both the central administration and the regional and local involved in the management of facilities.

Then Dona Sofia and Sheikha Mozah, who were accompanied by the director of Alzheimer’s Center and Research Director, Research Unit Alzheimer Project, visited the Research Unit, where magnetic resonance; the laboratory and the model Center, Unity Life of comprehensive care for the sick, the Residence with the form of palliative care and the gardens with areas of therapy, which proved the area of ​​herbs and vegetable garden care center patients.

Tomorrow, April 27, 2011, there will be an “…official farewell dinner…” at the palace in Madrid.

To view photos from today’s events please click the links here, here, here,  here, and here. 

To watch a video of Sheikha Mozah and Her Majesty Queen Sofia please click the link here.

Sources: QNAOL.net and Casareal.es  Photo courtesy of:  Casareal.es by Casa de S.M. el Rey/Borja Fotógrafos

Spanish Royals

Qatar Royals on a State Visit to Spain: April 25-27, 2011

On April 25, 2011, Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and his stunning and otherwise fierce wife, H.H. Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned arrived in Madrid, Spain for a three-day state visit to Spain.

Upon arrival the couple were greeted at the Barajas International Airport in Madrid by His Majesty King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.  Soon the foursome headed on over to Zarzulea Palace, for a lovely lunch, where they were greeted by T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias as well as H.R.H. Infanta Doña Cristina of Spain.

Later on that evening there was a regal gala dinner at the palace whereupon many local dignitaries as well as notable VIPs were in attendance including that aging Spanish actor, Antonio Banderas and his weird wife, Melenie Griffith.

According to the official site for the royal house of Spain, Casa de Su Majestad El Rey, His Majesty King Juan Carlos spoke about the special relationship between Qatar and Spain during tonight’s gala dinner:

‘… the excellent state of our relations, within the priority dimension that has the Arab world to Spain’s foreign policy.

For some time, our countries are working to help solve the Middle East conflict within their respective regional groups. The European Union has repeatedly hailed the importance of Arab Peace Initiative with a view to reaching an agreement final status to end the long conflict…’ said His Majesty, who also stressed ‘…the contribution they are making Qatar and Spain, along with other countries, efforts to solve the Libyan crisis, in line with the relevant resolutions Security Council United Nations. “

Before concluding, King emphasized that this visit is ‘… an excellent opportunity to foster that employers and businesses of our two countries to deepen their mutual understanding and set up new plans for collaboration. As we have seen both, our respective authorities have the greatest interest in promoting business ventures and mutual investments, which surely will benefit our peoples. ‘

Tomorrow afternoon, Her Majesty Queen Sofia and Sheikha Mozah will visit the Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Center as well as other important sites.

To watch several videos including a clip from tonight’s regal dinner please click the links here, here, and here.  

To view photos from today please click the links here, here, and here. 

Source:  Casareal.es  Photo courtesy of:  Zimbio.com by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images Europe

Belgian Royals, Spanish Royals

Belgian and Spanish Royals to Attend the Beatification of the Late Pope John Paul II

According to the Belgian online newspaper, Knack.be, T.M.s King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium will attend the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II on May 1, 2011.  Also, T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias will attend on behalf of the Spanish royal family, according to the newspaper, Rome Reports.

It is unknown at this time if other members of various royal and princely houses will attend, such as Luxembourg and Monaco, but I have a feeling the latter two houses will confirm in the next few days so stay tuned.

To view a video report regarding the royal attendance please click the link:  Video

For more information about the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II please click the links here  and  here.

Source: Rome Repors and Knack.be