The visit to the Exemplary Town 2026, the royal family’s final engagement in Asturias every October, took the King and his daughters to the idyllic town of Llanes, where the Santa Ana Fishermen’s Guild received the distinction. There awaited them a considerable crowd, evidence that Llanes itself and parts of the neighboring towns were there. There was not a moment when the Borbón-Ortiz royals failed to smile, greet people, or pose for a selfie.
“We are very happy to be in Llanes,” said the King to the residents of Llanes who were asking for photos or autographs, also reminding him of his visit to Porrúa, a nearby town, in 2015. The stroll through Llanes was somewhat more minimalist than on other occasions, with less outreach content prepared expressly for the Royals, but more contact with the public: the scheduled time for the stroll practically doubled upon arriving at Cristo Rey square. There were those, fervently, who kissed the back of King Felipe’s hand.
In that square, the three banners (associations safeguarding the local traditions), gathered for the first time in 76 years, danced before the Royal Family a Pericote, a traditional courtship dance. Queen Letizia applauded vigorously, before immediately returning to the greetings work. It was necessary to speed up, obviously, wherever possible, for leaving the Llaneses without their second of attention was not an option: they had been waiting for hours and demanded to see the Kings constantly.
The Royal Family entered the Santa Ana chapel, where they listened to the parish priest’s lengthy explanations (impossible to shorten for someone who has spent weeks preparing a speech for the Kings) and witnessed the reverence to Santa Ana: ten marineras sang their ancestral chants, accompanied by tambourines. In a private act inside the chapel, Princess Leonor signed in the guest book and was awarded the Marinera de Honor Medal. Outside, there was another dance, this one also a Marinera.
Naia and Her Tender Moment with King Felipe
Very close by, a girl named Naia managed an exclusive pose with the entire Royal Family, thanks to security team members who saw she was waiting with a sign drawn by her, asking for a photo. Immediately, King Felipe halted the greetings procession and summoned Queen Letizia and Infanta Sofía, who were leading the way. He was seen especially affectionate with Naia, who could hardly believe a moment that will probably become one of the anecdotes of her life.
La reina Letizia y sus hijas, admirando la artesanía textil tradicional de Llanes.
The stop with Tere Blanco, the craftswoman who has been making traditional outfits for 50 years, also took some time. “It’s a memory that will stay forever: this only happens once,” said Susana, the granddaughter of that woman. They told the Kings and their daughters that each female garment, handmade, can take a year of work. They are beautiful outfits, velvet studded with jet, which each family treasures as a true treasure.
The Scare of Queen Letizia’s Slippery Moment
Back at the port, the arrival at the Fishermen’s Guild, scheduled for 12:50, ended up at 14:00, proof of the Royal Family’s dedication at this annual meeting with the Exemplary Town. In addition to another group of Llaneses seeking greetings and photos, they were to witness the sea and the activity of the only cannery left in Llanes. After the usual pose in front of the sea, the Royal Family visited the Nueva Sandra María fishing boat, where the morning’s anecdote occurred: Queen Letizia slipped while leaving the vessel, due to the movement of the sea and the slickness of the deck.
La Familia Real, en la cubierta de un barco pesquero de la flota de Llanes.
Fortunately, no harm was done. The security team quickly lifted the queen: the slip was a matter of seconds. Upon touching ground, she herself raised her arms to indicate she was perfectly fine, since a large number of Llaneses had witnessed the mishap from the harbor. By then, the Queen had already shed her raincoat, ready to tackle the final stretch of the tour, with a stop at Llanes’ rula, specializing in select fish. There, King Felipe bid 32.30 euros per kilo for a wild sea bass. Princess Leonor chose the most delicious: golondro.
The final moment of the long stroll, planned for one hour and ultimately extended by nearly two more hours, was the presentation of the 2026 Exemplary Town award to the Santa Ana Fishermen’s Guild and Leonor’s speech. As every year, the Princess of Asturias returned the affection received from the neighbors and unveiled the menu awaiting the Royal Family: “Thank you for your affection and your warm welcome. And for naming me Marinera de Honor! And now let us go and try that pixín stew from the rula that the IES Llanes hospitality students have prepared.”
