The kings of Spain continue to accumulate historic moments in their dual visit to the autonomous cities. After spending the night in Ceuta for the first time, they have just carried out their first visit to Melilla. Upon arriving at the Palace of the Assembly, located on Plaza de España, they were greeted by a large crowd of people with Spanish flags. Some had even been waiting patiently since four thirty in the morning to ensure a good spot.
As they did in Ceuta, Felipe and Letizia did not stint on greetings to the Melillans who crowded the square. Among patriotic chants such as “I am Spanish” and “Melilla is not for sale” and requests for selfies, the residents of the autonomous city were able to show for half an hour their affection for the monarch and his wife before they were received by the mayor-president, Juan José Imbroda, and the Government Delegate in Melilla, Sabrina Moh.
Regarding the look chosen by Queen Letizia, she once again opted for a sober and elegant outfit. If on Tuesday she wore a gray tweed jacket, today she chose a pink blazer –which she removed as soon as she began greeting the citizens gathered in front of the assembly– and a simple white blouse.
Among the thousands of people waiting for their chance to greet the kings of Spain, the presence of numerous teenagers and young children stood out. Among them, according to Cadena SER, was Ihad Driss, a 16-year-old who has painted two portraits of the monarchs with the intention of handing them over personally. “For the city of Melilla it is a pride that the kings are here with us today and supporting us. Above all, to affirm that Melilla, that we are Spaniards through and through,” stated one of the people waiting to greet Felipe and Letizia, in statements to Agencia EFE.
Felipe VI receives the affection of the inhabitants of Melilla.
The first of the three appointments on the agenda in the autonomous city of the kings of Spain was completed with the presentation of the Gold Key of the City to Felipe VI. This took place in the Golden Hall of the Palace of the Assembly of Melilla, in a simple ceremony attended by about sixty people. In addition, the monarch and his wife greeted from the balcony of the building the crowd still present in the square.
What else will Felipe and Letizia do in Melilla?
In a program very similar to the one they carried out yesterday in Ceuta, the Kings will subsequently visit the Pintor Eduardo Morillas Public School, located in a densely populated residential neighborhood of Melilla. This center has more than 900 students, has been bilingual for 25 years, and stands out for a student body that reflects the multiculturality of Melilla’s society. There Felipe and Letizia will tour the kindergarten and primary classrooms and also a classroom that runs an innovative project for the care of students with autism spectrum disorder.
The kings of Spain, greeting from the balcony of the Melilla Assembly.
The visit will close with a final act to which around 400 people are invited. Among them will be representatives from the Government of the autonomous city and the Armed Forces, as well as from the fields of sport, education, trade unions, music, and the media. It is planned that King Felipe will deliver a speech, as he did in Ceuta.
With this unprecedented trip, the kings of Spain have aimed to normalize their presence in both autonomous cities, two and a half months after an unprecedented migration crisis. For now, and in contrast to what happened after the visit made by the now-emeritus kings in 2007 to Ceuta and Melilla, there has been no reaction from the Moroccan Government.
The speech of Felipe VI in Ceuta
The first of the two intensive days of this trip was marked by Queen Letizia’s spontaneity (including a stumble) and the emotional speech of Felipe VI at his farewell to Ceuta. “Those who entered our country irregularly must, as a rule, return to their place of origin as soon as possible,” the monarch stated on Tuesday, who also made an appeal for migrants to be treated with dignity and humanity.
“The sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country are not negotiable; they are indisputable,” added the head of state before a representation of 300 members of Ceuta’s society, who greeted his words with applause. Felipe VI also highlighted the willingness to maintain a good relationship with Morocco, expressed his sorrow for the people who died, and his satisfaction at fulfilling a “long debt” with this visit that he had wished to undertake since ascending the throne in 2014.
