Tag Archives: State visit

British Royals, Royal Family of Spain

King Charles III State Visit to the Kingdom of Spain Under Discussion Following EU–UK Gibraltar Agreement

Portrait courtesy of Buckingham Palace/Chris Jackson

    In Madrid, the entry into force of the agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom on Gibraltar has opened a new chapter in relations between the Kingdom of Spain and the United Kingdom.  Separately, a report published by El País indicates that discussions are underway regarding a future state visit by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom. 

    According to journalist Miguel González of El País in Spain, Casa de Su Majestad el Rey and Buckingham Palace have been discussing a future state visit by Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom.  Mr. González reports that the visit is expected to take place during the second half of 2027, although no official announcement has been made. 

    The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Kingdom of Spain, His Excellency Alex Ellis, said it would be “an honour” to welcome His Majesty King Charles III to the Kingdom of Spain, adding that such visits have historically been complicated, in part because of Gibraltar.

    The agreement, which entered into force this week, removes routine border controls at the Gibraltar–Kingdom of Spain frontier and is intended to facilitate the movement of people and goods while preserving the longstanding positions of both the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Spain on sovereignty.

    At this time, however, neither Casa de Su Majestad el Rey nor Buckingham Palace has announced a date or officially confirmed a state visit. According to El País, discussions between the two royal households remain ongoing.

    If the visit takes place, it would be the first state visit by a British monarch to the Kingdom of Spain since the late Queen Elizabeth II in October 1988. It would also reciprocate the state visit made by Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain to the United Kingdom in mid-July 2017.

    Royal Family of Morocco

    King Mohammed VI of Morocco Set to Pay a Historic State Visit to the French Republic, French and Moroccan Officials Confirm

    Photo courtesy of Agence Maghreb Arabe Presse

    Officials from the French Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco confirmed on Wednesday that preparations are underway for a future State Visit by His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco to the French Republic, during which the two countries are expected to sign what both governments have described as a historic bilateral treaty.

    The announcement was made following meetings in Rabat, Morocco, between the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Jean-Noël Barrot, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Morocco, Nasser Bourita, on May 20th.

    According to the Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs), the discussions formed part of the growing “enhanced exceptional partnership” between the French Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco, with both governments seeking to deepen cooperation across strategic political, economic, and regional sectors.

    During a joint press conference in Rabat, Morocco, Minister Barrot stated that the French Republic was preparing to welcome His Majesty King Mohammed VI for a future State Visit, while Minister Bourita confirmed that a bilateral treaty between the two countries would be signed during the visit. Reuters reported that the agreement would represent Morocco’s first treaty of its kind with a European country and the French Republic’s first such treaty with a non-European state.

    Neither government has publicly released the full details of the proposed treaty or announced an official date for the State Visit.

    According to statements made during the meetings in Rabat, preparations are continuing ahead of a high-level Franco-Moroccan commission expected to convene in July 2026.

    Relations between the French Republic and the Kingdom of Morocco have strengthened considerably since 2024, when the French Republic formally recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a move that marked a major diplomatic shift in French policy toward the disputed territory. 

    On October 28th, 2024, the President and First Lady of the French Republic, Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, paid a three-day State Visit to the Kingdom of Morocco at the invitation of His Majesty the King. The visit was widely viewed as marking the beginning of a renewed phase in relations between the two countries.

    Minister Barrot has described the Kingdom of Morocco as a central regional partner for the French Republic in Africa, particularly in areas connected to economic cooperation, regional stability, and diplomatic coordination.