Tensions ran high as King Felipe and Queen Letizia paid a visit to the flood-stricken area of Valencia on Sunday afternoon.
Protestors, angered at the perceived lack of warning and support from their government leaders, threw mud and insults at the Spanish royals — with some expressing outrage that they would visit at all.
Embed from Getty ImagesAt one point, stones were also thrown in the direction of the King of Spain who was seen walking through crowds in mud spattered clothes.
Queen Letizia ended up with mud on her face and was also sprayed with water.
At one point, King Felipe, guarded by protection officers and covered by an umbrella to block the mud, took down the umbrella so he could speak with the people face-to-face.
“Why didn’t you arrive earlier?” one man said to King Felipe. “You’re four days too late.”
A woman told Queen Letizia ”you don’t lack anything, you don’t need anything”. The Queen of Spain appeared emotional at times and one person reached out to her, saying ”it’s not because of you.”
The royals visited Paiporta to meet with emergency officials and hear how they’re providing on the ground services following the devastating flooding in the DANA region last week. More than 200 people were killed in the floods and more are missing.
The King and Queen of Spain arrived with the country’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez. However, as anger against the visit rose, Mr Sanchez retreated from public view. The royals continued to speak to those on the streets and to offer comfort where they could.
However, a later walkabout in another town was soon cancelled as anger continued to rise.
Many in the area are angry at what they perceive to be the slow response of central authorities to the crisis which followed extreme weather that brought a month’s rain in just hours to some parts of the country.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia spent several hours speaking to those affected by the floods, hearing about the lack of water and food and the desperate search for those still unaccounted for.
