For the primary time in 14 years, Catalan President Salvador Illa attended the ceremonies and royal reception hosted by King Felipe VI.
Rain, an uninvited visitor, made an sudden look at Madrid’s National Day parade, forcing organizers to improvise. The sky, often painted within the pink and yellow colours of the Spanish flag by the Eagle Patrol, was cloudy and calm.
Another blow to the day got here when the long-awaited parachute soar, a spotlight of the occasion since its debut in 2019, was cancelled. Viewers have been left with a mix of disappointment and anticipation for what was but to return.
Despite the climate, the army parade was nonetheless a spectacle, with the participation of over 4,000 Armed Forces troopers, together with a rising variety of ladies. Female illustration was nearly 12% of the whole, a giant step ahead on this male-dominated establishment. The parade additionally featured a lot of army automobiles: 266 motor automobiles thundered via the streets and a cavalry of 210 horses.
The parade was 1.5 km lengthy, from Paseo del Prado close to the Botanical Gardens to Plaza de Colón.
Upon their arrival within the Royal Household Rolls-Royce, the King and Queen obtained army honors earlier than being welcomed by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Defense Minister Margarita Robles, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska and Admiral Teodoro López Calderón of the Department of Defense.
Princess Leonor, inheritor to the throne, performed an energetic function on the day, representing the continuity of the monarchy and its hyperlink with nationwide traditions.
King Philippe wore the uniform of Captain General of the Spanish Army, whereas the Princess of Asturias wore the uniform of an ensign. The younger princess joined her father in paying tribute to the fallen troopers, demonstrating the shut hyperlink between the crown and the armed forces.
Political conferences: Catalonia’s return after 14 years
This 12 months’s celebration additionally served as a stage for political developments amid rising tensions.
Recent weeks have been characterised by controversies over the legislation for ETA prisoners and a Guardia Civil report in opposition to a former minister, which have divided the political class.
But the day managed to convey collectively a lot of Spain’s political spectrum. The authorities, with PSOE and Sumar, stood alongside the opposition and regional presidents, bringing a second of nationwide unity.
A big second was the presence of Salvador Illa, President of the Catalan Government, the primary time in 14 years {that a} Catalan chief attended the occasion. His presence marked the potential finish of the tense relationship between Catalonia and the central authorities.
In the posted on X shortly earlier than the ceremonies, Illa stated that Catalonia “should be current within the development of a distinct Spain” and that Catalonia should “recommit itself to listening to others and being listened to”.
José Montilla was the final Catalan president to attend the ceremonies in 2010.
After the parade, the King and Queen host the standard reception on the Royal Palace, an occasion that brings collectively Spain’s elite.
The reception, beginning with the same old ‘besamanos’, is a second during which politicians, entrepreneurs and public figures dialogue informally and lay the foundations for future agreements and negotiations.