King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia Current Events Part 23: April 2012 -

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

A bit of background on the issue. Its a shame that Sofia will be missing out on honoring the great monarch of our times for political reasons.

Gibraltar Chronicle - The Independent Daily First Published 1801

It is a shame but if the government have advised Her Majesty not to attend the Queen has no other choice.

Ah well,yet another European Royal event with no Spanish presence

[carlota]

i guess this will be positive for the spanish royal family. seeing the current economic climate in spain, this is the perfect excuse for them not going and to avoid the critique that will arise if the queen goes to the jubilee.
i can't seem to understand the spanish government making a fuss about gibraltar. gilbraltar is british, in the same way as the falklands are. yet, both the spanish and argentinian governments start shouting out loud everytime the british royals visit. they got to start dealing with it...

[Jacknch]

This is a great shame as Queen Sofia attended the last Jubilee so I do not understand the problem this time. I should imagine that the Spanish Government ought to concentrate on economic rather than territorial problems.

[lula]

The Sovereignty is not the only problem. There are many economic and legal problems derivatives of the particular status of Gibraltar, that concern specially the frontier zones. Often Gibraltar turns into a " black hole " for Spain, they are United Kingdom for what suits them. If they were British with British law the situation would be different.

[Duke of Marmalade]

Originally Posted by carlota

i guess this will be positive for the spanish royal family. seeing the current economic climate in spain, this is the perfect excuse for them not going and to avoid the critique that will arise if the queen goes to the jubilee.

I dont believe a second that any critizism had arisen on Sofia attending a lunch in honor for the Queen of England (apart from the Gibraltar issue, that pops up any time british & spanish royals are involved, see the visit of C&C).

Its not that Sofia would have been attending a fluffy birthday or cheap party, its about honoring 60 years of QEII, is there any more royal event? And if a country has a monarchy, it should respect the duties that come with it, including relations to far more important fellow royals in terms of history, influcence & assigned area on the world map.

The event would have been perfect for the consort Sofia, she is there to cover such things and I bet she would have loved to attend and meet all her friends from the old school royal circle, its where she belongs. I dont think that she is relieved the government said no, rather the opposite.

[lula]

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia deliver the Gold Medals for Fine Arts of the Kennedy Center at Zarzuela Palace

Entrega de las Medallas de Oro a las Bellas Artes del Kennedy Center. Casa de Su Majestad el Rey de España

[Breffney]

Originally Posted by Duke of Marmalade

The event would have been perfect for the consort Sofia, she is there to cover such things and I bet she would have loved to attend and meet all her friends from the old school royal circle, its where she belongs. I dont think that she is relieved the government said no, rather the opposite.

I agree, Duke. I feel so sorry for Sofia. She must also feel mortified at having to now renege on her earlier acceptance.

[EIIR]

Will the Spanish royals boycott the Olympics this summer also? They are in London and will be opened by QEII after all.

I somehow doubt it.

[Breffney]

Originally Posted by EIIR

Will the Spanish royals boycott the Olympics this summer also? They are in London and will be opened by QEII after all.

I somehow doubt it.

I guess they will do what they are let do by the Spanish Government. !

Spain is a constitutional monarchy, which means that, despite appearances to the contrary, the Government and Parliament are higher than the King and monarchy.

[lula]

Originally Posted by EIIR

Will the Spanish royals boycott the Olympics this summer also? They are in London and will be opened by QEII after all.

I somehow doubt it.

The Olympics are held in London, but are not a British event. The Olympics are a world event, and by the own Olympic spirit, policy and problems between nations must be set aside. That is a fundamental part of the Olympic Games.

[lula]

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at the award ceremony of the gold medals for fine arts of the Kennedy center for fine arts at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid.

PPE Agency Madrid

[lula]

Video

Los Reyes, otra vez juntos - Canal de Vdeos de larioja.com

[lancchick]

This was the first time I'd read about an elephant hunting trip to Botswana by Juan Carlos! Spain's queen snubs distant cousin Queen Elizabeth II - latimes.com

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by lancchick

This was the first time I'd read about an elephant hunting trip to Botswana by Juan Carlos! Spain's queen snubs distant cousin Queen Elizabeth II - latimes.com

If you read the posts above you'll find out that the article you posted is incorrect and it was by no means a 'snub' by Her Majesty,The Queen of Spain.

[lancchick]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

If you read the posts above you'll find out that the article you posted is incorrect and it was by no means a 'snub' by Her Majesty,The Queen of Spain.

The LA Times article is incorrect or you object to the word "snub" in the article title?

[Jacknch]

Obviously the the word "snub" should not have been used in reference to Queen Sofia personally, because it is the Spanish Government itself who have had a fit of pique suddenly and without warning over this glib piece of land and decided to snub the Queen. They have done their own queen a great disservice.

[COUNTESS]

And, if the British government was sensative to the problem, they could have waited for their big announcement. It is not like the world jumps for joy when Sophie and Edward do anything. It could have waited. That is diplomacy, too.

[NGalitzine]

It maybe a distraction for the Spanish but I doubt people in Britan will take notice of Sofias absence. I am sure QEII understands that it is all about domestic politics. It is certainly not the first time the SRF have had to turn down an invite because of Gibraltar. I just wonder if the Spanish will ever understand that the people of Gibraltar have twice voted in referendums, but huge margins, to remain British and not become part of Spain. I guess they have the same problem as the Argentinians with accepting peoples rights of self determination.

[lula]

Spanish Royals Attends 'Fine Arts Golden Medals' By Kennedy Center

Spanish Royals Attends 'Fine Arts Golden Medals' By Kennedy Center - Pictures - Zimbio

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by lancchick

The LA Times article is incorrect or you object to the word "snub" in the article title?

Both,Her Majesty Queen Sofia has been ordered to turn down the invitation by the Spanish Government and it is by no means a snub by the Spanish queen .Up until earlier this week Queen Sofia was attending the lunch and had accepted the invitation,48 hours ago due to an escalating diplomatic row over Gibraltar,the Spanish government advised Queen Sofia to 'reject' the invitation.If theres a snub in this row it has more to do with diplomacy rather than the 2 royal cousins.