STATE VISIT OF THE KING AND QUEEN OF SPAIN
12th to 14th July 2017
His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Letizia, will pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom as the guests of The Queen from 12th to 14th July 2017. Their Majesties will stay at Buckingham Palace during the visit.
This will be the first State Visit to the UK by King Felipe and Queen Letizia. The last State Visit from Spain was by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in 1986.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh paid a State Visit to Spain in 1998. The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall paid an official visit to Spain in 2011.
State Visit Programme:
TUESDAY 11TH JULY
Their Majesties The King and Queen of Spain will arrive privately in the United Kingdom on Tuesday 11th July, at Luton airport.
They will be greeted on behalf of The Queen by The Viscount Brookeborough, Lord-in-Waiting.
WEDNESDAY 12TH JULY
The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall will greet The King and Queen on behalf of The Queen, at their Hotel on Wednesday morning. Their Royal Highnesses will then travel with Their Majesties to Horse Guards Parade, where The King and Queen will receive a Ceremonial Welcome.
The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will formally welcome The King and Queen on Horse Guards Parade. Presentations will be made, the Guard of Honour will give a Royal Salute and the Spanish National Anthem will be played. The King, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, will inspect the Guard of Honour, which will be the 1st Battalion Irish Guards. Afterwards, The King and Queen will join The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh for a state carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace.
Following a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, given by The Queen, Her Majesty will invite The King and Queen of Spain to view an exhibition in the Picture Gallery of items from the Royal Collection relating to Spain.
In the afternoon The King and The Queen will meet The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall for tea at Clarence House.
Afterwards, The King and Queen will visit the Palace of Westminster, where they will be welcomed by the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker. The King will deliver an Address in the Royal Gallery to Parliamentarians and other guests, followed by a reception with Members and invited guests.
In the evening The Queen will give a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for The King and Queen. The Queen and The King will both make speeches at the start of the banquet.
THURSDAY 13TH JULY
The King will attend a UK-Spain Business Forum at Mansion House, accompanied by The Duke of York. The event will build on the two countries’ cooperation in bilateral trade and two-way investment. Speeches will be made by The King and the Secretary of State for International Trade.
The King and Queen of Spain will visit Westminster Abbey, accompanied by HRH Prince Henry of Wales. The King will lay a wreath at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior while prayers are said by the Dean, and then be taken on a short tour of the Abbey, including the Tomb of Eleanor of Castile.
Their Majesties will go on to the Spanish Ambassador’s Residence for a reception with members of the Spanish Community.
Later, The King will visit No. 10 Downing Street to meet Prime Minister Theresa May.
In the evening, The King and Queen, joined by The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, will attend a Banquet at Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor and The King will both make speeches at the end of the banquet.
FRIDAY 14TH JULY
The King and Queen of Spain will formally bid farewell to The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace in the morning.
Thereafter, Their Majesties, accompanied by The Duke of York, will visit the Francis Crick Institute. They will be met by Chief Executive, Sir Paul Nurse, and tour the institute, meeting members of the Spanish scientific community working in the UK.
The King and Queen will go on to the Weston Library where they will be greeted by The Lord Patten of Barnes, Chancellor of Oxford University. Their Majesties will view an exhibition of Spanish treasures from the Oxford University archive before proceeding to The Divinity School for lunch at which The King will give a speech.
After lunch The King and Queen will arrive at Exeter College, home of the King Alfonso XIII Professorship of Spanish Studies and the Queen Sofía Fellowship in Spanish, where they will attend a reception for Spanish nationals working and studying at the University and members of the University who are studying, researching and teaching on Spain.
At the conclusion of the State Visit, the Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to The King and Queen on behalf of The Queen. Their Majesties will depart privately from London from RAF Brize Norton.
To get all the latest royal news delivered straight to your door, subscribe to Royal Life Magazine today.
