The changing of guard at the royal palace in Madrid usually brings in several hundreds of locals as well as tourists every first Wednesday of the month.  This time there were special guests at the event.  For the first time, T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias participated in this grand event. At twelve o’clock the royal couple joined the crowds outside of the royal palace to watch the event.  During the hour-long parade, a total of 300 royal guards and 80 horses were involved.

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

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Photo courtesy of Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias attended the Mariano de Cavia, Luca de Tena y Mingote Journalism Awards on November 29, 2011 in Madrid, Spain.  Per the royal house of Spain:

In his speech, Prince Felipe said ‘…the value of good journalism for the proper and healthy functioning of democracy…’ and recalled that serves as a ‘…basic support for diversity of ideas and opinions, essential to generate a strong and informed public opinion.’

‘The awards bring us together today is an indisputable reference for free expression and dissemination of ideas, that our Constitution proclaims the fundamental right of all citizens,’ said the Prince of Asturias, before reviewing the merits of the winners.

The award ‘Mariano de Cavia’ instituted in 1920, distinguishes signed articles or chronic or habitual pseudonym. The award ‘Luca de Tena’, created in 1929, recognizes outstanding journalistic career in the defense of the values that inspired the founding principles of ABC: technical innovation, literary and independence requirement information. The award ‘Mingote’ from 1966, is awarded alternately to jokes, cartoons or drawings and photographs.

The jury, chaired by the director of the Royal Spanish Academy, Jose Manuel Blecua, and composed of Antonio Mingote, Trevijano Pedro Gonzalez, Fernando Gonzalez and Jose Miguel Santiago Urbaneja Castelo, presented the award Mariano de Cavia, by majority vote, the article by Manuel Martin Ferrand ‘Citizen Vargas Llosa’ published in the newspaper ABC on October 9, 2010. The award ‘Luca de Tena’ was given also by majority vote, to Charles Moore for his brilliant career in journalism. And the award for ‘Mingote’ was granted by a majority, a vignette of ‘Quique’, published in the newspaper “Mediterranean”, on December 24, 2010.

The Prince and Princess of Asturias were accompanied at the ceremony by the president and editor of ABC, Catalina Luca de Tena, the president of Vocento, Diego del Alcázar and Silvela, Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Pascual Sala, the president of the Supreme Court and Council the Judiciary, Carlos Divar, the president of the Community of Madrid, Esperanza Aguirre, the Minister for Science and Innovation in office, Cristina Garmendia, the chairman of Grupo Santander (sponsor of the awards), Emilio Botin, and Director ABC Bieto Rubido, among others.

To view photos please click here and here.

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

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias continued their two-day official visit to Chile on November 23, 2011.  The royal couple visited the Museum of Contemporary Art in Santiago to attend the inauguration of “… an exhibition of works by the Spanish photographer Chema Madoz…” In the afternoon, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia will attend a luncheon, hosted by the Spanish Ambassador,  in their honor.

Last evening the royal couple attended a state dinner at the Palacio de La Moneda in Santiago where they were entertained by local dancers and, of course, speeches were made.

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

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Source: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey and Santiago Times

Photo courtesy of: Daylife/Reuters

T.R.H.s Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias have arrived in Santiago, Chile two-day official visit.  The royal couple were received at Chile’s International Airport by Foreign Minister, Alfredo Moreno.

This morning the royal couple attended an official reception, hosted by President Sebastian Piñera, at Palacio de La Moneda.  Soon, the prince and princess paid a tribute to the late Chilean independence leader, Bernardo O’Higgins Riquelme, by placing a wreath at a monument dedicated to him.

In the afternoon, Prince Felipe gave a keynote speech at the Chile-Spain Investment Forum and Seminar held at the Sheraton Hotel where “…where 100 corporate representatives gathered to discuss Spain’s commercial opportunities in the Chilean market.”  From there the royal couple visited the National Congress headquarters in Santiago.

This evening the royal couple will attend an official gala dinner hosted by President Piñera at the Palacio de La Moneda.

To view photos please click here. 

Sources: Tele13.cl

Photo courtesy of: Daylife/Reuters

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias held an audience this afternoon, November 14, 2011, at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain.

The prince and princess met those who will take part in the First International Seminar on Education and Education Policy.  The participants include Alejandro Fernández de Araoz Gomez-Acebo, coordinator of the Seminar,  Pablo Vazquez Vega, CEO of FEDEA, Jesus Sanchez Lamb, Director General of Fundación José Ortega y Gasset, Rafael Repullo Labrador, Director of the Center for Monetary and Financial Studies (CEMFI), James J. Heckman, an economics professor at University of Chicago and Nobel Prize winner, Antonio Ciccone, Professor of Economics at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, José García Montalvo, Professor of Economics at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Lea Peersman, Director of the Ariane de Rothschild Foundation, Jaume Pagés, CEO of Universia, María del Pino Calvo-Sotelo, president of the Fundación Rafael del Pino, Petitbò Amadeo, Director General Rafael del Pino Foundation and Paul Garcia Berdoy, CEO of the Aspen Institute Spain.

To view a series of photos please click here. 

Source: Casa de Su Majestad el Rey

Photo courtesy of: Zimbio/C.Alvarez

Their Royal Highnesses Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias are currently in London, England to promote as well as support economic relations between Spain and the United Kingdom.

In the morning the royal couple visited the International Tourism Fair World Travel Market in the Excel Exhibition Centre in London, accompanied by Secretary General of Domestic Trade and Tourism, Joan Mesquida, and the director general of the Tourism Institute of Spain ( Turespaña), Anton Barnabas.

The International Tourism Fair World Travel Market, held annually in London and offers the opportunity to meet the entire global tourism industry, to network, negotiate and conduct business. The World Travel Market offers participants the opportunity to learn the latest trends in the tourism industry in an efficient, effective and productive.

At noon, the royal couple attended a luncheon with executives from several major British tour operators represented in the Spanish market.  Also in attendance were the Heads of Government of the Canaries, the Balearic Islands and Valencia, Ambassador Spain in the United Kingdom, the general secretary of Tourism and Domestic Trade and other authorities of the Autonomous Communities.

In the afternoon, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia attended the first bilateral economic forum alongside business and political leaders of Spain and the United Kingdom held at the Landmark Hotel in London and organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Britain, in collaboration with the Chamber British Trade in Spain.

This economic forum was founded with the aim of becoming an annual platform for collaboration and discussion among participants in the trade relations between the two countries. During the meeting the following topics were discussed:

1. Future investment in the country: How to find a solution to the economic situation current private sector
2. Role of governments in strengthening trade relations and support growth
3. Importance of cooperation between companies of both countries to increase competitiveness.

Later, Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia awarded the accreditation to the Friends of the Spain Brand in the UK and then attended a gala dinner in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce of Spain in Britain, which was founded in 1886, and is a key institution in the development of economic and trade relations between the two countries. Located in London, the Chamber of Commerce offers Spanish and English companies trade promotion opportunities in both markets through a wide range of services, covering the areas of promotion, networking, information and advice, training, business development, business cooperation, logistical and administrative support.

To view photos please click the links below:

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