King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, Current Events, Part 2: November 2015- March 2018


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The King and Queen are visiting today three towns in the region Castilla La Mancha. The first stop is Villanueva de los Infantes - that happens to be the town where both my parents were born and where most of my family lives ;) My grandma is already there at the main square, she just phoned me! :D-

The regional TV of Castilla La Mancha is broadcasting live the visit, there is quite a crowd! Here is the link, I don't know if it can be seen abroad:
TV en directo - RTV Castilla-La Mancha

It's such a great day for the town, my grandma told me they have been preparing the visit for weeks.

For the local schools and high schools today it's holiday. The Tourist Information Office has posted a pic of the kids groups heading the main street towards the square:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiuJS31WgAAS2BK.jpg

A couple of pics of Felipe greeting the crowds:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiucXJEWEAAueJV.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiucXN6WkAEctki.jpg

https://twitter.com/Turinfa

Short video of the arrival from Twitter:
https://twitter.com/danielgportet/status/732850251669835776

And shortly before, the festive mood on the square: https://twitter.com/danielgportet/status/732841542436671488


Last time a King of Spain visited Villanueva de los Infantes was in 1926, with Alfonso XIII (Felipe's great-grandfather). My grandma's mother usec to remember that visit and how all the people in town went to the main square to see the King. At the luncheon, the town's baker created some special small cakes that seems to have been very much of the King's pleasing, so much that he used to have some sended to Madrid from the local bakery from time to time. The bakery (still going on with that baker's descendants) became famous in the region for "the king's cakes", and the baker named them "alfonsinos" to honour the King. Felipe and Letizia will receive some "alfonsinos" among other presents ;)
 
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Visit to the towns of Villanueva de los Infantes, Tomelloso and Talavera de la Reina

Casa de Su Majestad el Rey de España - Actividades y Agenda - Visita a las localidades de Villanueva de los Infantes, Tomelloso y Talavera de la Reina

https://www.flickr.com/photos/emilianogarciapage/albums/72157668225043662/with/27020513441/

http://www.semana.es/galeria/los-re...las-mejores-imagenes-de-su-viaje-a-la-mancha/

http://www.abc.es/espana/castilla-l...cha-1703003610113-20160518125250_galeria.html

Video

https://twitter.com/CasaReal/status/732864180005548032

Photos

051816 Spanish Royals visit Castilla-La Mancha - Images | jose gegundez | photographer

http://josepgegundez.photoshelter.c...a-La-Mancha/G00005D.TerOnPSc/C000068aKG.mLQJ0

https://www.flickr.com/photos/emilianogarciapage/albums/72157667830042220

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA4amrT1KDk
 
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More pictures:
http://cadenaser.com/emisora/imagenes/2016/05/18/album/1463559731_473469_1463561833_album_normal.jpg
http://cadenaser.com/emisora/imagenes/2016/05/18/album/1463559731_473469_1463561834_album_normal.jpg
http://cadenaser.com/emisora/imagenes/2016/05/18/album/1463559731_473469_1463561835_album_normal.jpg

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/J...zenfs.com/es_ES/News/efe.com.es/11776498w.jpg
https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/g...zenfs.com/es_ES/News/efe.com.es/11776491w.jpg
https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/I...zenfs.com/es_ES/News/efe.com.es/11776496w.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ciu7Pk0XIAALzXq.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ciu7PSkWEAAAG0V.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ciu7PeIWgAAzgdX.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ciu7PlRWsAAp2Bc.jpg

A gallery: http://www.elecodevaldepenas.es/tex...-reyes-de-espana-a-villanueva-de-los-infantes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyoivnRJa0A
 
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King Felipe and Queen Letizia are now at Talavera de la Reina, last town they're visiting today.

Casa Real had not announced where would the king and queen had lunch (they stated it would be a private lunch), but they had chosen a restaurant in San Carlos del Valle (another very beautiful town not far from Villanueva de los Infantes and Tomelloso. It was not announced, but as soon as news of their lunch there spreaded out across the town the citizens turned out to greet them :)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7rOWsAA77TX.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7rPWYAEOcwK.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7uPXAAAa6KZ.jpg (Letizia with babies is a classic :D)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7zdW0AE9G4I.jpg

It has been such a lovely day for all the towns involved! I'm sure the local people will remember it with joy and F&L will have also a great memory of this very warm welcome.
 
ANNIE_S said:
King Felipe and Queen Letizia are now at Talavera de la Reina, last town they're visiting today.

Casa Real had not announced where would the king and queen had lunch (they stated it would be a private lunch), but they had chosen a restaurant in San Carlos del Valle (another very beautiful town not far from Villanueva de los Infantes and Tomelloso. It was not announced, but as soon as news of their lunch there spreaded out across the town the citizens turned out to greet them :)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7rOWsAA77TX.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7rPWYAEOcwK.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7uPXAAAa6KZ.jpg (Letizia with babies is a classic :D)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwA7zdW0AE9G4I.jpg

It has been such a lovely day for all the towns involved! I'm sure the local people will remember it with joy and F&L will have also a great memory of this very warm welcome.
Click to expand...

And a visit to a winery!

PPE Agency
 
Visit to projects for people with disabilities in Talavera de la Reina

@CasaReal

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwS3auWUAIi3v1.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwS3dFXIAELEfY.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwS3ftWkAASWp7.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwS3khXAAErrem.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwlHj5WgAAUpx6.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwlHj4WEAA7Pmb.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwlHlbWYAAU3oY.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwlHoQWYAAgpl6.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwnLRdWkAIcvib.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwnLR_WUAASGWE.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwnLSYW0AAxwpO.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CiwnLUNWgAA3XfQ.jpg

https://www.flickr.com/photos/emilianogarciapage/albums/72157666085160554

http://josepgegundez.photoshelter.c...a-La-Mancha/G0000ZVUqPbB_Zqk/C000068aKG.mLQJ0

Spanish Royals Commemorate 4th Centenary Of the Death Of Miguel de Cervantes

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/LmcBxjxgIFE/Spanish+Royals+Commemorate+4th+Centenary+Death
 
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I've been busy the last couple of days but luckily I've been able to read "first hand" memories and anecdotes from my friends and family there in La Mancha regarding the royal visit last Wednesday via Facebook (advertisement: long review coming :D)

The general opinion is that the visit have been very, very positive for the area. Speaking strictly about my family's town, although it has a heavy cultural and artistic heritage, it's mainly known in the region and not that much in the entirety of Spain. Mariangel Alcazar who is one of the journalists that follow the RF and went there seems to have been very impressed by Villanueva de los Infantes and described it in her chronicle for one national newspaper as "a hidden treasure", and that only can mean positive publicity!

From my experience, people from Infantes are very attached to the town's heritage (I myself have grown to love it even more as I have grown up and known many places around Spain and realized how unfairly unknown it is). You can't imagine how their pride burst out whenever someone praises the town's prettiness or it's aired on TV! So these last days the general feeling was of a great pride and gratitude for the visit and how great the people and the town looked on TV. There is an old friend of my parents (a convinced republican although not the kind that goes to protest :lol:) that I read days ahead of the visit complaining (quite politely, though) about the "excessive" preparations and enthusiasm of the town for a visit that, anyway, was not to be longer than 1 hour and a half, afraid that many could be disappointed after such a huss. Yesterday, though, even he sent a congratulation to the mayor through the Town's Hall FB page stating he was impressed by the great image displayed by the town and the positive reviews seen in the national press.

And you can tell the royal visit's benefits were seen since minute 0! As said before, the day was sort of a holiday for the town. The local schools suspended their classes for two hours to receive the King and Queen at the square, but also the shops and many workplaces left their workers that freetime to enjoy the day. But there was even more, some of the closest towns (four, IIRIC) chartered buses so their locals could also went to the neighbour towns to see F&L, and so did the schools from nearby villages - that's why there were so many children, they even had their especially reserved place in front of the church). There was an insane amount of people for such a little town (they are just 5300 neighbours)! Don't miss the press tribune on the square's center on the video too - as i said, amazing touristic advertisement ;)

At nearly 12 a.m. the King and Queen left, but the people that had come to see them stayed. The touristic office from the town published on their day's review that the town was filled by people and bustle all day long, the restaurant and terraces full and the sellers very happy :) That last point has been enthusiastically confirmed by my first-hand source (aka Granny :D) who added that she has just seen the town so concurred during the Holy Week festivities and the Summer Holidays of festivals.

Refered to the royal couple themselves, my source was a lot behind the first rows of people, the lucky ones that got to shake hands and share a few words with them, but she states that "he's taller than on TV; and she's prettier than on TV too but very thin". Judging by what I saw on the reports, the general opinion is that they are very handsome and were very friendly.

Two of the best-known and beloved neighbours in town are Justo and Angel, that have become locally famous for their impersonations of Don Quixote and his loyal Sancho Panza, especially since we are celebrating Cervantes' 400 anniversary. They usually hang around the town during festivities, partying, making jokes and playing parts of the novel. They seemed to amuse a lot F&L (X,X). They told they said the King they had been waiting for them for a lot of time, to what Felipe answered: "I see, thanks for having waited for 400 years!" :cool:

Another detail the locals loved, Felipe (always careful with small details) wore very appropriate Don Quixote cufflinks ;) And they received indeed a box of alfonsinos (the Alfonso XIII cakes) !

Here is a local review with some of these anecdotes and also a gallery of pictures taken by neighbours.
................................................................................................................

And, what from the rest of the journey? Well, I think this interview with the people from the restaurant they ate at is very endearing and juicy, I've enjoyed it a lot! (seems like a 2.0 version of the 11 euros menu affair btw :D:D:D ) It includes details of what they ate (very typical local Castilian food). Letizia asked for two rounds of the same dish and she "ate more than the king" according to the surprised waiter. They were advised just 15 minutes before and he was very nervous and trembling but the King asked him to attend him like any ordinary client. They were invited to the wine by the cellar's owners that were casually at the restaurant, what Felipe thanked. And more, but I will stop typing at once and leave the Google translation instead:
https://translate.google.com/transl...elipe-vi-dona-letizia.html&edit-text=&act=url
Original
 
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Thanks a lot Annie_S, I've loved your posts about these visits, it's great to get insider info :flowers::flowers:
 
A very lovely review! :kiss: I prefer smaller cities with rich culture to the bigger ones tbh, it's such a different atmosphere.
 
 
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Busy day for Felipe that must be flying to Milan right now to attend this evening the UEFA Champions League finale between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid ;) (it's so hard to fly away from soccer mood today in Madrid :lol:)

Wonder if Letizia or the girls will go with him like in last matches, it would be great.
 
ANNIE_S said:
Busy day for Felipe that must be flying to Milan right now to attend this evening the UEFA Champions League finale between Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid ;) (it's so hard to fly away from soccer mood today in Madrid :lol:)

Wonder if Letizia or the girls will go with him like in last matches, it would be great.
Click to expand...

Looks like its only the King in attendance!
 
Opening of the exhibition "Bosch"
Prado Museum. Madrid

Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands also attends the event

http://www.casareal.es/ES/Actividades/Paginas/actividades_actividades_detalle.aspx?data=12782

053016 Spanish Royals Attend the Opening of the exhibition 'El Bosco, the 5th Centenary Exhibition' - Images | jose gegundez | photographer

053016 Spanish Royals Attend the Opening of the exhibition 'El Bosco, the 5th Centenary Exhibition' - Images | jose gegundez | photographer

Spanish Royals Attend 'El Bosco' 5th Centenary Anniversary Exhibition - Pictures - Zimbio

Prinses Beatrix der Nederlanden is maandagmiddag 30 mei 2016 aanwezig bij de opening van de tentoons - Images | Robin Utrecht | Photoshelter

After the inauguration, they had lunch at Zarzuela Palace with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia

@CasaReal
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjtJDMLXEAAhZn2.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjtJDQfXIAAceE6.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjtJDTtXIAA2VNc.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CjtJDWzWgAAzIQ1.jpg
 
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Lovely to see the ever regal looking Beatrix ,here are some extra photos from PPE

PPE Agency
 
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Yes I was wondering if that's what Beatrix was wearing and she looked very queenly even as Princess Beatrix.
 
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