King Felipe and Queen Letizia were accompanied by their daughters Leonor, Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofia as they visited the newly opened theatre, Teatros del Canal, in Madrid. The King and his family wished to show their support for the cultural sector upon their reopening after the coronavirus pandemic.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters Leonor and Sofia all wore face masks as they arrived on foot at the Teatros del Canal on Friday afternoon. The family stepped out to support the cultural sector that has been hit hard by the coronavirus measures. The Teatros del Canal is one of the first theatres to reopen after the lockdown. Upon their arrival, the press and public were asked to keep their distance from the Spanish royals. It was the first official family outing outside the Palace grounds for the Spanish royal family since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friday the 19th of June is also a historic day for Spain as it marks six years since King Felipe ascended the throne. This year this special day was not marked by celebrations but with a family outing to the theatre. It is also the first day of the summer holidays for Leonor, Princess of Asturias and her sister Infanta Sofia.
The King and his family watched the show Fandango Avenue which is part of the 35th edition of the Madrid en Danza Festival. Fandango Avenue is created by the dancer Sara Calero and can be best described as a form of modern flamenco dance. The Madrid en Danza Festival is held from the 17th of June until the 28th of June. Due to the coronavirus measures, the festival can also be followed via live-stream as the seats in the theatre are limited.
The visit to the theatre was not the first official engagement for the Spanish King and Queen on Friday. In the morning, the couple visited the NGO Aldeas Infantiles, that works with the most vulnerable children and adolescents. The Aldea Infantil SOS de Madrid home houses children and youth who are deprived of parental care, a stable home and a solid education. Today, 46 girls and boys live in the Madrid house. King Felipe and Queen Letizia took the time to meet all the children and hear how the coronavirus measures have impacted the children. During the lockdown, several of the educators temporarily took home some of the children to minimize the risk of contagion.
