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


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Most likely a new date will be worked out. Don't worry, this State Visit will happen this year.
 
I think a new date will only be discussed when the new government is set, could be in March or in case of new elections in June or worst case even later.
With the 90th birthday celebrations etc I think the visit will only take place in the second half of the year, if at all. Maybe only in 2017.
Spanish royals cancel state visit to Britain amid govt woes - The Local
 
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It's a shame that the visit has had to be cancelled as I think we were all looking foreword to this one - it's been too long since the last State Visit between the countries. Nonetheless, it is understandable and we can only hope that the issues causing the cancellation can be resolved.

It's difficult to tell when the new date will be - if they can fit it in somewhere this year I think they will try. Otherwise we are looking at the beginning of next year.
 
Spanish government cancels State Visit to UK – Royal Central
Buckingham Palace confirmed that The Queen has been informed, saying: “The Queen, of course, fully understands the decision and the context in which it was taken.” It added that it was too early to confirm what the future plans for the visit would be, given Her Majesty’s pre-planned engagements in a landmark year.
 
I think we jewel watchers must pit on record our beef with the voters of Spain. After all, if only they had been united enough to vote on a majority government, we would not be denied the chance to see a royal on royal state visit
 
Well that's a real pity but I think must of us knew it was unlikely to go ahead given the political situation in Spain.Hopefully things will improve in Spain and we the State Visit will take place in the latter half of this year.
 
When it does happen, as Charles & Juan Carlos are (were?) close friends and he and Felipe VI are closely related through multiple lines Battenberg-Hesse/Queen Victoria, Christian IX of Denmark, George I of Greece, maybe this will be less difficult for him than with Willem-Alexander or Philippe. Then again, maybe that makes it worse....
 
I think it was clear when Sanchez said earlier this week that he'd needed up to a month to negotiate, that's beginning of March. No way they would do a State Visit with a vote possibly not going through etc.
 
i think it is a wise and needed decision.
 
I admit though, I know a great deal of us were really looking forward to this State Visit. There hasn't been a royal State Visit to the UK in a long time, so the postponement is understandable, but is disappointing. Hopefully, everything will be worked out quickly and the State Visit will be rescheduled for the summer.
 
I was really looking forward to this for the shallowest of reasons, Letizia's gowns and choice of tiaras and jewellery! Hoping that things will be sorted out during the summer months so the State Visit can go ahead in the early autumn.
 
:previous: :lol: Yes, those 'shallow reasons' are quite good friends of mine, too! I was so curious to see which tiara Letiza would wear, hoping for one of the biggies. And I asked myself if Kate would attend and wear Queen Mary's lovers knot tiara again.

But I accept that the the question of forming a stable government is more important than the bling. I hope all goes well and that they'll be able arrange a new date soon. But it might be difficult to find another date that fits into everybody's calendar. We might have to wait longer than we like to.
 
Usually the forming of a Government would not block an already agreed and set State Visit. This formation of a Government however, not with the traditional parties but with more radical newcomers in Parliament, can change how a Government considers certain viewpoints.

We may assume that the current Government, based on the Partido Popular (still the biggest fraction in the Lower House but short of a majority, and still having the majority in the Upper House) has a total different view on Gibraltar, a possible Brexit, the monetary and economic union, the independence of Scotland, etc. than a Government which consist of Podemos.

As the King has to be in line with -and covered by- the Goverment, it is understandable he can not hold a speech during the State Visit telling the position as seen by a PP-Government and two weeks later the new Government has a total different opinion on the same matter.

All by all an understandable move and it leaves time for Doña Letizia to practize in wearing hats and gloves....
 
Very understandable reasons for cancelling the state visit.

But sad for us jewel lovers who will probably get one less Tiara event This year ;) haha
 
There is some diplomatic anger going on now, about the Spanish government being in limbo.
La reina Sofía llenará el vacío que los reyes han dejado en Londres

Queen Elizabeth II has understood the reasons that led to the Spanish caretaker government cancelling the trip. Not so the legions of senior officials of the Foreign Office, Buckingham Palace and even the Shakespeare Company who had completed all the details of the historic visit, 30 years after the last one. Madrid are blaming now London because they insisted to issue the joint statement with the December 3 elections inbetween.

London responds by saying that since Madrid had stressed that "the government may be in office, but not the state." Rajoy began to doubt the advisability of the trip in early January, but only communicated to London after a month with invitations for the gala banquet sent out and program finished.
 
^^ I agree that both governments should sort this out. It should be exciting to see HM The King wearing the ribbon and star of the Garter, and perhaps a GCVO for HM The Queen of Spain.
 
If the rumours of an American State Visit are true then that would be one of the two incoming and with the Brexit negotiations I wouldn't expect any incoming from an EU country until after that is all sorted. The other, this year, could be from a country with which the UK wants to tighten new trade deals etc after Brexit e.g. India, Japan, Russia etc. I would rule out China as they had one only a couple of years ago.
 
If the rumours of an American State Visit are true then that would be one of the two incoming and with the Brexit negotiations I wouldn't expect any incoming from an EU country until after that is all sorted. The other, this year, could be from a country with which the UK wants to tighten new trade deals etc after Brexit e.g. India, Japan, Russia etc. I would rule out China as they had one only a couple of years ago.

Britain traditionally turrned to Russia as an ally in moments when it faced a hostile environment in Europe, e.g. during the Napoleonic Wars and in the two World Wars of the 20th century. I'm afraid though that, as long as Putin is in the Kremlin, a rapprochement with Russia will be difficult.

In any case, it would be interesting (and somewhat ironic) to see a new London-Washington-Moscow alliance against an antagonistic German-controlled Europe more than seventy years after the end of World War II.
 
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I wouldn't expect any incoming from an EU country until after that is all sorted.

indeed, i also fear that brexit may affect the existence of this visit, as the future economic and political ties of the UK to spain (or to any other european union member) are still very unclear.
 
indeed, i also fear that brexit may affect the existence of this visit, as the future economic and political ties of the UK to spain (or to any other european union member) are still very unclear.

Peronaly, I dont think this is about Brexit at all. I suspect the Donald will end up with one of the two state visit slots first, and the Spanish may get a second one. From a UK perspective, its hardly a priority to have a state visit from Spain at the moment.
 
As Muriel said above, there is no need for a State Visit at this stage, it was supposed to focus on the historic ties (both Cervantes and Shakespeare died on the same day 400 years ago). That event has passed now.
The row about Gibraltar is more actual than ever and as expected, The Donald got the first slot and while the Brexit may not be decisive, it doesn't help to finally have this visit either.
 
They just haven't rescheduled the Visit yet.
 
Britain traditionally turrned to Russia as an ally in moments when it faced a hostile environment in Europe, e.g. during the Napoleonic Wars and in the two World Wars of the 20th century. I'm afraid though that, as long as Putin is in the Kremlin, a rapprochement with Russia will be difficult.

In any case, it would be interesting (and somewhat ironic) to see a new London-Washington-Moscow alliance against an antagonistic German-controlled Europe more than seventy years after the end of World War II.
Is there any particular reason for the enlightened London to seek cooperation with the Russian Federation? Given the level of animosity towards the country and President Putin and vitriol spewed by UK politicians, the member of the royal family, and mass media, an indifferent cool relationship toward the UK is understandable. President Putin has to be shrewd and pragmatic. On a different note, Russia and Germany have much deeper economic ties.

As for the topic, King Felipe and Queen Letizia may have their state visit later this year.
 
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^Daily Express shouldn't toy with me. It would be amazing if it happens this year :D
 
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