King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visit Jaén

King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain paid a visit to Jaén on Tuesday.

Tuesday began for the King and Queen of Spain in the morning at Zarzuela Palace—the official residence of the sovereign—where Their Majesties received and congratulated the Spanish national team, who participated in the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics. The recent competitions saw Spain’s best performance at the Winter Paralympic Games since 2014, winning two gold and one silver.

The delegation of competitors—comprising eight athletes; flag bearer Audrey Pascual, Emilio José Redondo Simon, Higinio Rivero Fernandez, Javier Marcos Arteaga, Maria Mertín-Granizo Ferreira, Iraide Rodriguez-Mata, Alejandra Requesens Leibenger, and Victoria Ibáñez Pérez-Maffei—were encouraged to further their athletic capabilities by the King and Queen while highlighting their resilience and commitment as well as their contribution in promoting the values ​​of sport and Spanish society on the international stage.

A statement from the Royal Court of Spain noted the King and Queen also drew attention to “the work of the Paralympic Prospects Teams—a joint initiative of the Spanish Federations and the Spanish Paralympic Committee—which focuses on identifying and fostering athletic talent among people with disabilities, with the aim of ensuring generational renewal within the Spanish Paralympic Team.”

The day continued to Jaén. On the occasion of the 1,200th anniversary of the founding of the capital, the King and Queen of Spain visited the city, accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, to preside over the celebrations—a visit that demonstrates their support for the city, particularly during a significant year in Jaén’s status as a provincial capital.

The King and Queen first visited the City Hall building. The President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juan Manuel Moreno, the delegate of the Government in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Pedro Fernández Peñalver, and the mayor of Jaén, Julio Millán, who presented King Felipe with the City Hall’s ceremonial staff of office, were all in attendance to greet Their Majesties. Before entering, they received a bouquet of local flora from a couple dressed in the city’s traditional attire (known as chirri and pastira), according to the Royal Court. 

In the Council Chamber, the King and Queen greeted members of the Municipal Corporation and then signed the Book of Honour on display. King Felipe and Queen Letizia also received numerous gifts from city representatives, including a lithograph by the Jaén-born artist Francisco Carrillo Rodríguez, traditional sweets, olive oil, and a figurine of the “Lizard of Jaén.”

The Spanish Royal House said,

This visit had originally been scheduled for April 29, 2025, but could not take place as planned due to the major power outage that affected the country just one day prior. This anniversary is not merely a celebration of the past, but an invitation to look toward the future. Jaén possesses a history that deserves to be told; for twelve centuries, the city has borne witness to pivotal moments in the history of humanity.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia then, on foot, headed towards the headquarters of the Jaén City Council’s Tourism and Heritage Board, where they were greeted by crowds gathered in the Santa María Square and along Maestra Street. The King and Queen were welcomed by Director Milagros Collado and members of the 1,200th Anniversary Commission.

The King and Queen also had a special moment on the balcony, waving to the assembled public.The visit concluded with a tour of the Baños Árabes Cultural Center—one of the city’s most emblematic complexes and a benchmark of Andalusia historical heritage—within the Villardompardo Palace. During the visit, Their Majesties toured the halls of the monumental complex and received a briefing on its history and conservation.