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Spain

King Felipe heads off on overseas visit while Princess Leonor remains star of Spain’s royal summer

The King of Spain is in Colombia for the swearing in of the country’s president. Felipe VI is spending several days in Bogota as the new administration of Gustavo Petro commences.

Meanwhile, his heir remains the star of Spain’s royal summer as she enjoys her continuing stay in Mallorca.

Princess Leonor was seen supporting a local market on an evening outing with her mother, Queen Letizia, her sister, Infanta Sofia and her grandmother, Queen Sofia. The four spent time at the  Paseo de Sagrera market on the evening of August 7th 2022, soon after the King of Spain had headed to South America for the presidential inauguration.

It was a second appearance by Leonor in just two days and marks a summer that has seen her become the main focal point of royal news in Spain. The princess has had a high profile since returning for a break from her studies in Wales – she is set to return to UWC Atlantic College there at the end of August.

Just days before her market trip, Leonor had accompanied her parents and sister to a meal at the Ola de Mar restaurant in Mallorca. With them were Queen Sofia and her sister, Princess Irene, with Leonor particularly attentive to her great aunt during the outing.

The heir to the throne’s stay in Mallorca began with a visit to one of the island’s best known tourist attractions, the Cartuja de Valldemossa.

Throughout the summer, Leonor’s every move has been followed by the country’s media. On her return from college, she carried out several engagements with her sister which attracted a lot of media attention including their first overseas engagement without their parents – Leonor and Sofia headed to England to support Spain’s women’s football team in the Euro championships. Major appearances, including the royal family’s attendance at the Princess of Girona awards and a visit to Salamanca, have all been focused on Leonor.

The young princess, who is still several months away from turning 17, has also found herself subject to another part of royal life. Her fashion choices have been scrutinised with her style picks documented on websites and social media accounts, with some of her choices selling out quickly.

This has been one of the busiest stays in Mallorca for Spain’s royals in several years. King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Queen Sofia have also hosted the traditional reception for the island’s authorities. This year, the event took place at their residence on the island, Marivent Palace.

King Felipe also welcomed Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, to Marivent for their traditional summer meeting there. And just hours before he left for Colombia, Felipe VI presented the prizes at the King’s Cup sailing regatta which this year marked its 40th anniversary.

It’s not known how long the royal family will stay on Mallorca. Felipe and Letizia usually take a private holiday with their daughters in the later part of August before returning to Madrid.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.