From the visit of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to Ceuta, a love story has emerged that not even the monarch himself expected. Indeed, the king and his wife, in addition to receiving a warm welcome from the Ceutans, submitted themselves to the most challenging scrutiny from the public: the children. They visited the Vicente Aleixandre CEIP, and of the 140 students who study there, only one managed to leave Don Felipe speechless.
Queen Letizia, accustomed to dealing with these little ones without filters, without shame or prejudice, left the encounter with the preschoolers without fanfare. The king, however, bore the consequences of the innocence of one of the students and witnessed a declaration of love in full that drew a laugh from the monarch.
The kings chose this school because it educates more than 140 students aged 3 to 12 from different cultures in an environment where respect for different faiths is paramount. In this way, they wanted to understand how the education system works, with a special focus on supporting pupils and addressing the social and economic inequalities that affect many of their families.
During the tour, they visited several classrooms in both Early Years and Primary, and held a meeting with the school community. They were also able to learn about the different programs developed at the school and, as is often the case, hear firsthand the opinions of the main participants.
King Felipe chats with some Early Years and Primary students.
Queen Letizia joked about the abilities by coloring a drawing of the 3-year-old children with a student who boasted of doing it much better due to her already considered five years. The queen explained that, being younger, they did not know how to do it quite well, an explanation that convinced her, confirming the perfect harmony the monarch has with the children.
The king, for his part, ventured to ask another of the students about her favorite things about going to class. ‘What do you like most about school? Friends?’, he said, sitting at a tiny round table full of drawings and colored pencils. “Yes!” she replied confidently.
Mohammed, another attendee on that school day, received the same question. He, however, was much more explicit. ‘Her’, he answered, pointing directly at a classmate who was sitting in front of him. The king smiled at the clever answer and addressed the little girl again: “Have you seen what she said?” The girl answered yes, smiling and almost oblivious to that unexpected declaration of love.
The fun scene has thus become one of the most viral moments of the kings’ visit to Ceuta. Everyday, spontaneous appearances that took place thanks to the first-hand contact with the people and that continued today in Melilla.
The kings Felipe and Letizia, at the school.
The city also welcomed Felipe and Letizia with cheers, Spanish flags, and warm affection in which the children also played a leading role. A long and tight hug from a small child to the queen and hundreds of selfies have been the best proof of it.
