The King and Queen of Spain have brought their State Visit to their neighbours, Andorra, to an end with a focus on tourism, culture and education.
A royal round of applause for some of the pupils who met King Felipe and Queen Letizia during their visit to the Maria Moliner Spanish School in Andorra (Casa de S.M. el Rey)
Felipe VI and Letizia began the final part of their trip with a visit to the Marina Moliner Spanish School to meet teachers and pupils. The college is one of six Spanish public schools in Andorra and the royal visitors were given an overview of the education programme on offer. They toured science facilities and spent time in the playground where children shared their experiences of school in one of the smallest countries in Europe. Their time at the school ended with a meeting with education representatives from across Andorra and a discussion about the Spanish schools in the region.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia arrive at the Church of Santa Coloma (Casa de S.M. el Rey)
From there, the Spanish royals travelled to a medieval church which has become a popular tourist destination in recent decades. During his speech at the official dinner on the first day of the State Visit, King Felipe had referred to the issued faced by both Spain and Andorra as tourism is hit by the coronavirus pandemic. On arrival at Santa Coloma, the couple toured its grounds before heading inside to hear more about the famous frescoes of the church which date back to the 12th century. They were removed and sold in the early 20th century and eventually ended up in the hands of the Third Reich in Nazi Germany before being kept in the vaults of a museum until they were bought by back by Andorra just over a decade ago.
The royal visitors were shown a video representation of frescoes removed from the church at the start of the 20th century (Casa de S.M. el Rey)
King Felipe and Queen Letizia were shown a video installation detailing the removal and later restoration of the frescoes before heading to the Espai Coloma, the museum next to the church which charts the creation, meaning and history of the frescoes.
After an official lunch given by the Prime Minister of Andorra, King Felipe and Queen Letizia ended their State Visit with a trip to the celebrated Casa d’Areny-Plandolit Museum. It’s housed in the oldest surviving stately home in the country, tracing its origins back to the 12th century, and it traces the rise of one of the most famous families in Andorra as well as the evolution of the country’s social history.
The King and Queen of Spain at the Casa d’Areny-Plandolit Museum (Casa de S.M. el Rey)
The Spanish State Visit to Andorra began on March 25th 2021 with the first day of the trip including meetings with politicians, education experts as well as the official dinner held in honour of King Felipe and Queen Letizia.
