The death of Queen Elizabeth II weighed heavily in Spain, lingering in the halls of Palacio de la Zarzuela and beyond. The reigning king and queen, Felipe VI and Letizia, shared a long, respectful bond with the late monarch and with her former husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. The family’s intricate web of European royal lineages stretches back through Queen Victoria and her many descendants, weaving a pattern that makes Felipe VI and his sister royal cousins to Elizabeth’s family. In this broad network, Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia stand as great‑grandchildren of Victoria II, a reminder of the enduring, if distant, ties that link today’s monarchs with the bygone era sometimes called the grandmother of Europe, a title Elizabeth herself wore in the eyes of many across the continent.
The news reached Madrid when the Spanish president sent a telegram to King Carlos VI, expressing deep sorrow and offering condolences to Her Majesty and to the British people on behalf of the Spanish government and its citizens. The message spoke of Elizabeth’s reputation, sense of duty, courage, and unwavering devotion to her people—qualities that inspired leaders around the world and left a lasting impression on Spain’s leadership as well.
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From the first hours after Elizabeth’s passing, Juan Carlos I enjoyed strong support from Isabel II, and the Duke of Edinburgh was among the few foreign dignitaries who attended his early events. Juan Carlos ascended the Spanish throne in November 1975, a moment seen as a symbol of solidarity with the British crown and a bridge between nations. The connection to Sofia, a close relative as a second aunt, underscored a familial bond that transcended borders. Though his early years were rooted in the Greek royal tradition, living in Corfu at times and spending summers in the Mon Repos palace, the Spanish crown position placed him in close contact with British royalty, reinforcing the sense of shared heritage between the two houses. Isabel II, in this view, was not just a distant cousin but a guiding figure for Felipe VI as well.
During Juan Carlos I’s long reign, meetings and receptions in both Spain and Britain highlighted the cordial relationship between the royal families. A well‑remembered anecdote from those years, shared with reporters by a former Spanish president, described an introduction to a cousin that carried a playful note of familiarity with Elizabeth II. Prime ministers and royal figures, including Margaret Thatcher and the Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana, were part of those social exchanges that underscored a common sense of national and continental identity.
bromance and diplomatic ties on display during visits
Felipe VI and Letizia also demonstrated the strength of their ties to the British royal family during a state visit in 2017. The couple was warmly welcomed by Elizabeth’s successors, and their meeting took place against the backdrop of evolving political contexts, including Brexit. The Spanish king spoke of deep ties and a shared commitment to addressing remaining issues with trust, good faith, and cooperation at the heart of official discussions and a grand gala where both sides signaled a readiness to work together.
Yet, the relationship between the two royal houses has faced strains tied to political events and government policies in both nations. The best‑known episodes involve the 1981 honeymoon plans of Charles and Diana that coincided with Gibraltar’s status as a focal point of tension between Spain and the United Kingdom. Spain’s royal leadership, led by Juan Carlos and Sofia, chose not to attend a London luncheon at a critical moment, while Juan Carlos still recovered from surgery after a fall in Botswana at that time. These moments remind readers that even long‑standing alliances can encounter moments of friction when political realities collide with ceremonial diplomacy.
The Spanish royal family can reflect on its relationship with the British monarchy and acknowledge how distant cousins have weathered a series of crises over the last thirty years. The scandals that have shadowed other members of European royalty — from extramarital affairs to high‑profile divorces and controversial conduct — have drawn public scrutiny but have not entirely eroded the sense of shared history and mutual respect between Madrid and London. This enduring connection, built over decades of shared events, remains a foundational element of how the two nations relate at the highest levels of ceremonial leadership.