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 Today, October 12, the Spanish Royal Family celebrated the Spanish National Day. King Juan Carlos, Queen Sofia, the Prince and Princess of Asturias, Infanta Elena, and the Duke and Duchess of Palma (who are back from Washington for a few days) arrived early in the morning at Plaza de Lima in Madrid where a military parade is taking place.

Prior the event, His Majesty King Juan Carlos left a floral tribute at the Spanish flagpole in memory of soldiers killed aboard. At midday, the entire Royal Family will host a reception for the authorities at the Royal Palace.

For more information and pictures please visit this thread

Paty Spanish Royals Iñaki Urdangarín, Infanta Cristina, Infanta Elena, King Juan Carlos, National Day, Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia, Queen Sofia

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 Infanta Cristina and her family are squeezing in as much fun and sun as they can in Spain before they head over to Washington, D.C. where Iñaki Urdangarin is set to take a new job this summer.

The entire family was recently spotted at PortAventura, a theme park located in Tarragona, just an hour away from the family residence in Barcelona. PortAventura is a popular place frequented by families, kids, and tourists and is famous for its rides and attractions. The park’s features are divided into themed sections: Mediterrania, Far West, Mexico, China, and Polynesia.

No doubt Juan, Pablo, Miguel and Irene had a blast during their visit. Whether they’ll miss PortAventura when they move Stateside is something their parents have yet to find out.

RhapsodyBrat Spanish Royals Iñaki Urdangarín, Infanta Cristina

 Summer may be just around the corner, but the children of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are still hard at work with their royal duties.

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A few days ago Prince Felipe was in Panama to attend the inauguration of the new President, Ricardo Martinelli. His wife Princess Letizia didn’t stay home while hubby was away; she had her own date with the people too. In just a day, the Princess received three organizations for an audience in the Zarzuela: the Fundación Juan XXII, the Federación de Asociaciones de Centros para la Integración y Ayuda de Marginados (FACIAM), and representatives of the Accenture Group who introduced the winners of the Accenture journalism prize for economy, innovation and technology. The couple would later join forces together to visit Soria together with Felipe’s aunt and uncle, Infanta Margarita and Dr. Carlos Zurita (known together as the Duke and Duchess of Soria).

The other Infantas of the family also had dates written in their calendars. Infanta Elena went to the Spanish Paralympic Committee’s assembly on June 30 in Madrid. The Paralympics has been Infanta Elena’s pet event, showing her support constantly through the years. At this most recent meeting, the committee finalized their plans for 2012 London Paralympics.

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Then it was Infanta Cristina’s turn to do royal duties, albeit a sad one. The Infanta and her husband Iñaki Urdangarin represented the Royal Family during the funeral for Vicente Ferrer, a beloved Spanish missionary who died in India on June 19 at the age of 89. His work for the poor earned him a Prince of Asturias Award for Concord in 1998. His missionary work spans some 55 years and his foundation now gives aid and humanitarian projects to at least 2.5 million poor residents in India.

Infanta Cristina should have something happy to look forward to soon, as her family is bound to move to Washington, D.C., where Iñaki has accepted a job for the US branch of Telefonica.

RhapsodyBrat Spanish Royals Iñaki Urdangarín, Infanta Cristina, Infanta Elena, Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Princess Letizia, Princess of Asturias

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  Princess Letizia, Infanta Cristina and Princess Máxima of the Netherlands had a private meeting yesterday in Barcelona, the city where Infanta Cristina lives.

Princess Letizia was in Barcelona to attend the presentation of the first oncology research grant in Cosmocaixa.
Princesss Máxima travelled to Barcelona with a delegation of the Council for Microcredits of the Netherlands to learn about The Caixa MicroBank; the social bank of the Catalan entity; and their experience in microcredit area for entrepreneurs, families and social purposes.

In the afternoon, the three princesses went to lunch at a famous Mediterranean food restaurant in Barcelona, Mosaic, at the Hilton hotel.

Paty Dutch Royals, Spanish Royals Infanta Cristina, Princess Letizia, Princess Máxima, Princess of Asturias

 Today Infanta Cristina, long-time director of the Social Area of La Caixa Foundation, visited the prison of Villalbona to introduce a new project whereby new technologies are taught to the prisoners.

Since March, ten members of the Asturians Older People Voluntary Computing Association have taught 72 inmates some of the new technologies. The project, which is part of the campaign “CiberCaixa Solidaria”, is a pioneering project focused on rehabilitation of the prisoners and is based on the belief that everybody has the right to a new start in spite of having made a mistake.

The prisoners work with 12 computers, and they have learned how use Microsoft Word, and now they are learning about Power Point. Infanta Cristina encouraged them, telling them, “You have a fantastic team and a good opportunity ahead, so to take advantage of it.”

Click here to see photos of the visit.

Paty Spanish Royals Infanta Cristina, Technology

 The Royal House announced today that Infanta Crisitina, her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, and their four children will move at the end of the summer to Washington DC. The reason for the move is that Iñaki Urdangarín received a job offer by the Spanish company Telefónica Internacional which he accepted.

Today Hola Magazine has published some unconfirmed rumors: that the Royal couple will stay in Washington for almost two years, and probably the family will live in the Georgetown area. Also the magazine says that the Infanta’s sons will attend the same school as the Obama daughters.

The Infanta and her family currently live in Barcelona, where Cristina works as Director of the Social Area of La Caixa Foundation. With their new residence far away from Spain, it is supposed that Infanta Cristina’s official engagements will be delegated to other members of the Spanish Royal Family.

For more information visit this thread.

Paty Spanish Royals Iñaki Urdangarín, Infanta Cristina, United States of America

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 Yesterday, the Spanish Royal Family attended at the Royal Palace the official ceremony of delivery of National Sports for Awards 2009.

The awards are hosted by the National Council for Sports, whose principal intention is to reward the more outstanding Spanish sportsman, associations and sports institutions of the year.

Among others winners, this year the “Queen Sofia Award” goes to tennis players Virginia Ruano y Ana Isabel Medina, whose won the Women´s Doubles at the 2008 French Open and Silver Medal in Beijing Olympics 2008.

The “National Award Don Felipe de Borbón”, goes to tennis player Rafael Nadal. Rafa won the 2008 Wimbledon, French Open, and Australian Open Men’s Singles titles and also won the Golden Medal on Beijing Olympics 2008.

The “Infanta Elena Award” goes to cyclist Samuel Sanchez, Gold Medallist in Beijing Olympics 2008. And the “Infanta Cristina Award” goes to Spanish basketball player Ricard Rubio Vives.

In the speech that the King dedicates to the winners, he said: “All of today’s award recipients show, as outstanding ambassadors, the best image of Spain in the world”

Paty Spanish Royals Awards, Infanta Cristina, Infanta Elena, King Juan Carlos, Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Queen Sofia, Sport

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  Her Royal Highness Infanta Cristina attended the XIV edition of the 2008 Award of Castillia and León in Economics, which took place today in Burgos.

This award was created in 1995 by the Council of Castilla y Leon to honour the research labour of individuals or institutions in the field of economics because of the importance of the economy to every aspect of society.

This year’s award goes to the Foundation for Applied Economics Research (FEDEA), a research centre which was set up to produce quality, objective and independent economic analysis. It main intention is to “foster effective economic and social proposals through an understanding of their implications for individuals, families and businesses in Spain.”

Paty Spanish Royals Awards, Infanta Cristina

On January 23, both Spanish Princesses had engagements with the Spanish youth and children. Among the initiatives most distinguished from the ANAR Foundation one finds the “Minor´s Telephone ANAR ,” attended by psychologists during all the day, which tries to offer to children and teenagers a sure and confidential space, in which they could express freely what happens to them and try to find solutions and alternatives to their problems.

Infanta Cristina and Princess Letizia with Spanish children

The Princess of Asturias visited the SOS Children’s Villages Spain. SOS Children´s Villages is an international organization dedicated to children´s rights since 1949. Their activities focus on children without parental care and children whose families are in difficult circumstances through their programs and facilities. This organization works in 132 countries all over the world.

Meanwhile Infanta Cristina visited the Child and Youngsters in Risk Aid Foundation (ANAR Foundation), which is dedicated since 1970 to defence and protection of the infants. The Foundation works though the “Anar Homes,” refuges for children and teenagers lacking a suitable family environment.

Paty Spanish Royals Children, Infanta Cristina, Princess Letizia, Princess of Asturias