State Visit from the King and Queen of Spain: July 12-14, 2017

[Mbruno]

We don't yet know if William and Kate will take part in any aspect of the state visit yet.
Im very much looking forward to this - it has been years since we have had a royal state visit to the UK

Of course I don't have any inside knowledge on the matter, so it's just speculation at this point, but, unless some unforeseen circumstances arise, I would be greatly surprised if William and Kate didn't take take part both in the Spanish and the US state visits. As the Queen celebrates her Sapphire Jubilee, we should expect the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to get increasingly involved in official royal functions.

 

[Stefan]

Will the former King and Queen take part?

Why should they take part in a State Visit abroad? Not even Princess Beatrix does and she attends part of incoming State Visits to the Netherlands.

 

[Rudolph]

The Cambridges will play some role during the visit, I don't know about the State Dinner, though, The Queen has lots of family to accommodate and she has demonstrated in the past she won't push them aside to make room for W&C.

 

[Dman]

Yes, I think the Cambridge's will participate in the State Visit. They were due to take part last year too.

 

[Fürstin Taxis]

Imo the Cambridges will meet the Royal couple at the same day like Mayor Sadiq Khan without pomp and Charles and Camilla will attend the state dinner.
Looking forward to it, and yes, I also like to see the glitzy side of it. So shallow of me, smh.

 

[Dman]

The Cambs and Charles and Camilla can take part in the State Banquet. There's room for all four folks.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I wonder if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will receive a Spanish Order?

 

[PrincessofEurope]

If i wasn't on holiday i would have gone down to London to see this state visit.
Intrigued to see if Letizia wears a hat to the official welcome - she seems more open to hats than Sofia was.

 

[Parrothead]

I wonder if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will receive a Spanish Order?

Only if they attend ...which as has been proven in the past can be hit or miss for them on state visits.

 

[Osipi]

To be honest, I don't see the Cambridges getting any kind of order at all at this time. Perhaps in the future when William is the heir and plays a more significant role in foreign state visits.

Even though the Cambridges are stepping up to becoming full time working royals for the "Firm", the fact remains that William is still the heir to the heir and the grandson of the monarch and I think he will be continued to be treated as such.

They may or may not attend state banquets. That is solely at the discretion of the monarch.

 

[Blog Real]

I believe the Dukes of Cambridge will be present at the banquet, but I do not know if they will receive any decoration or order.

 

[ANNIE_S]

Here is an interesting video from King Juan Carlos State Visit in 1986, from Foro Dinastias:

(warning: hideous 80's ladies fashion on display )

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1pdwk1_1986-spain-s-king-juan-carlos-in-britain_people

 

[Dman]

They should get an order if they attend this State Visit.

 

[Rudolph]

Spain is an important monarchy and the UK and Spain have many shared interests. There is no doubt the Cambridges will be involved in the visit.

 

[Mbruno]

Here is an interesting video from King Juan Carlos State Visit in 1986, from Foro Dinastias:

(warning: hideous 80's ladies fashion on display )

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1pdwk1_1986-spain-s-king-juan-carlos-in-britain_people

I don't know much about fashion, but both Queen Sofia and Princess Diana look very nice (and surprisingly modern) to me at the airport and at the official reception. I couldn't tell they were wearing 1980s outfits if I didn't know that beforehand.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Here is an interesting video from King Juan Carlos State Visit in 1986, from Foro Dinastias:

(warning: hideous 80's ladies fashion on display )

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1pdwk1_1986-spain-s-king-juan-carlos-in-britain_people

And some very curtsies from Princesses Margaret,Alice,Alexandra and the Duchesses of Kent and Gloucester.

 

[Mbruno]

And some very curtsies from Princesses Margaret,Alice,Alexandra and the Duchesses of Kent and Gloucester.

The curtsies were awkward, looking almost like the ladies were about to lose their balance, but I blame it on King Juan Carlos and the way he held their hands as they were curtsying.

 

[kathia_sophia]

Oh, I'm going to the UK in April but can't go in June, such a pity I won't get a glimpse of them. But I'm looking forward to see some pictures of this state visit.

 

[Rudolph]

A picture of Prince William and King Felipe in Belgium. They seem to get on rather well. Looking forward to the visit in June.

https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/840268651748065280/gPeaMYaI?format=jpg&name=600x314

 

[vkrish]

The curtsies were awkward, looking almost like the ladies were about to lose their balance, but I blame it on King Juan Carlos and the way he held their hands as they were curtsying.

Exactly. He should have let them finish the curtsey before trying to kiss their hands.. BTW wish that video showed Thatcher curtseying them..

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Here is an interesting video from King Juan Carlos State Visit in 1986, from Foro Dinastias:

(warning: hideous 80's ladies fashion on display )

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1pdwk1_1986-spain-s-king-juan-carlos-in-britain_people

Thanks ANNIE_S! I've seen several of these videos in the ITN SOURCE archive, but most of them were removed two years ago.

What will be interesting to see (which was also discussed in the beginnig of this thread) is the British media coverage.

Getty Images will of course publish many videos and pictures, ITN SOURCE will also publish some videos, Daily Fail vill publish articles with many pictures and we may see some clips on BBC One/ITV television news.

But the big question (to me) is whether BBC News Channel (Launched 1997) and Sky News (Launched 1989) will have live coverage.

Coverage by BBC News Channel and Sky News on previous state visits:

State Visit from Japan in May 1998: Live coverage from the carriage procession, the state banquet and other events.

State visit from China in October 1999: Live coverage from the carriage procession, the state banquet and other events.

State visit from the United States in November 2003: Live coverage from the arrival at Buckingham Palace, the state banquet and other events.

State visit from China in November 2005: Live coverage from the carriage procession, the state banquet and other events.

State visit from the United States in May 2011: Live coverage from the arrival at Buckingham Palace, the state banquet and other events.

State Visit from Ireland in April 2014: Live coverage from the carriage procession, the state banquet and other events.

State visit from China in October 2015: Live coverage from the carriage procession, the state banquet and other events.

There was also live coverage on the Internet for the American, Irish and Chinese state visits in 2011, 2014 and 2015.

Other state visits: Nothing, and I think (unfortunately) that BBC/Sky will not see Spain as important enough to have live coverage.

And how will the Spanish media coverage be when King Felipe and Queen Letizia meets the most popular, iconic, longest-reigning and most famous head of state in the world (Queen of 16 countries and figurehead of 2 billion people)? Maybe some of the Spanish posters here can answer.

When the Norwegian royal family visited the UK in 2005, the Norwegian media coverage was very large. And when the Queen has been on commonwealth/state visits, the media coverage in the host countries have been very large.

 

[kathia_sophia]

A picture of Prince William and King Felipe in Belgium. They seem to get on rather well. Looking forward to the visit in June.

https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/840268651748065280/gPeaMYaI?format=jpg&name=600x314

Great picture. It seems that Felipe is a bit taller than William, but not much.

 

[Rudolph]

UK in Spain‏ @ukinspain
.@SimonManleyFCO speaks from Santander at his delight that the King and Queen of Spain are to pay a State Visit to the UK @foreignoffice

https://twitter.com/ukinspain/status/840185007805202434

 

[PetticoatLane]

How much is all this nonsense going to cost us? Felipe is not the decision maker in Spain, what is the point of him making this visit? Why should he speak to Parliament? I wonder will he repeat his disgraceful, offensive comments made at the UN? I'm gonna guess not.

At the end of all of this, nothing will have changed. Spain will still be doing all it can to make Brexit as painful as it can for the UK, as part of the EU's efforts to scare any other member who might think about leaving. Spain will still be seeking to deny the citizens of Gibraltar their democratic rights while trying to make their lives as difficult as possible. Spain will still not give reassurances to the British expats living there about whether they'll be kicked out. Spain will still do nothing to help British expats who have been defrauded by Spanish companies when they purchased property in Spain. Spain will still support Argentina in it's attempts to deny the people of the Falklands their democratic rights to self-determination.

But, hey, Felipe might get a blue ribbon and a garter star!!!! How wonderful for us all.

 

[muriel]

How much is all this nonsense going to cost us? Felipe is not the decision maker in Spain, what is the point of him making this visit? Why should he speak to Parliament? I wonder will he repeat his disgraceful, offensive comments made at the UN? I'm gonna guess not.

At the end of all of this, nothing will have changed. Spain will still be doing all it can to make Brexit as painful as it can for the UK, as part of the EU's efforts to scare any other member who might think about leaving. Spain will still be seeking to deny the citizens of Gibraltar their democratic rights while trying to make their lives as difficult as possible. Spain will still not give reassurances to the British expats living there about whether they'll be kicked out. Spain will still do nothing to help British expats who have been defrauded by Spanish companies when they purchased property in Spain. Spain will still support Argentina in it's attempts to deny the people of the Falklands their democratic rights to self-determination.

But, hey, Felipe might get a blue ribbon and a garter star!!!! How wonderful for us all.

Oh dear! Perhaps it will cost us less than Brexit, less than the cost of our social housing budget, less than the cost of feeding our many thousands of good for nothing citizens who are unwilling to work and are fed of our taxes.....

The fact is that our government believes a state visit and the accompanying "soft diplomacy" will serve our government well in securing a good deal for Britain.

 

[Mbruno]

How much is all this nonsense going to cost us? Felipe is not the decision maker in Spain, what is the point of him making this visit? Why should he speak to Parliament? I wonder will he repeat his disgraceful, offensive comments made at the UN? I'm gonna guess not.

At the end of all of this, nothing will have changed. Spain will still be doing all it can to make Brexit as painful as it can for the UK, as part of the EU's efforts to scare any other member who might think about leaving. Spain will still be seeking to deny the citizens of Gibraltar their democratic rights while trying to make their lives as difficult as possible. Spain will still not give reassurances to the British expats living there about whether they'll be kicked out. Spain will still do nothing to help British expats who have been defrauded by Spanish companies when they purchased property in Spain. Spain will still support Argentina in it's attempts to deny the people of the Falklands their democratic rights to self-determination.

But, hey, Felipe might get a blue ribbon and a garter star!!!! How wonderful for us all.

Actually, once Brexit negotiations begin, a closer personal relationship between the British royal family and other European royal families or other European heads of State may prove useful to the UK. I believe the British government understands the diplomatic value that the royals can provide and that is why they are sending Charles/Camilla and William/Kate into European tours later this year and are hosting King Felipe and Queen Letizia at Windsor in June.

 

[carlota]

excited that the visit has finally been rescheduled. i am hoping for a second outing of letizia's grandest tiara, queen ena's.

i see that 'The King and Queen of Spain will stay at Buckingham Palace' which is a change from their previous scheduled stay at windsor! i guess the BRF want some time to intimate with the spanish royals in privacy.

 

[Curryong]

The primary interest I have, as an Aussie, in this State visit, are gowns, jewels and tiaras of the Royal ladies, especially those worn by Queen Letizia. Yes, I am that shallow!

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

I see that none of the Spanish posters here have answered my question in post 175. I had very much appreciated if someone could take the time to do so.

https://www.royal.uk/state-visit-king-and-queen-spain

King Felipe VI, accompanied by Queen Letizia of Spain, has accepted an invitation from The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom from 6th to 8th June 2017.

The King and Queen of Spain will stay at Buckingham Palace.

Buckingham Palace is probably the most famous building in the world, and it is without doubt an impressive palace. I know that 3/4 members here disagree, but I'm pretty sure that most Britons and architects around the world agrees with me. The Green, White, Blue Drawing Rooms, the Throne Room and State Dining Room are just breathtaking. The Picture Gallery and Music Room are also beautiful rooms.

But I must admit that I am somewhat disappointed that the visit will take place at Buckingham Palace.

And there are two reasons for this:

1. Buckingham Palace is in poor condition and the renovations is starting in April.

2. Windsor Castle is even more impressive, and I had been looking forward to seeing the visit taking place there.

 

[wbenson]

i see that 'The King and Queen of Spain will stay at Buckingham Palace' which is a change from their previous scheduled stay at windsor! i guess the BRF want some time to intimate with the spanish royals in privacy.

It might be easier in London on those dates since the Household Division will already have increased numbers on hand for the birthday parade (the first full rehearsal is on the 3rd). They'll be able to double up on rehearsing the route-lining as the state visit procession also goes from Horse Guards to Buckingham Palace.