King Charles III of the United Kingdom was photographed as someone who knows Spain well, possibly more confidently than his late mother did. He traveled across the country for pleasure and to meet people, a journey that reflected his interest in Spanish culture and places.
His first official visit to Spain, which turned out to be his only one at that point, happened eleven years ago with his wife, Camilla. They arrived at the Palacio Real del Pardo in a Mercedes and were greeted with full military honors by the princes of Asturias.
After the English anthem played, a ceremony followed in which the Spanish anthem was performed. The reception was led by a delegation that included notable figures such as the former Foreign Minister Trinidad Jiménez, Esperanza Aguirre who had served as president of the Community of Madrid, and Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón who was then mayor of Madrid.
Aguirre guided the royal couple through Madrid, showing them Puerta del Sol within the regional government complex. The Queen Consort and the Prince of Wales visited Plaza Mayor and spoke with children from the King’s College English school and the Federico García Lorca bilingual center. Various agencies noted that the prince appeared especially engaged with the youngsters, asking about their school routines and how they liked Madrid.
Capitalizing on the opportunity, the couple walked through the San Miguel market with Camilla noting pleasant buys at stalls and a yogurt shop offering apricot yogurt cream described as delicious. The monarch, however, chose not to sample Serrano ham.
Holidays in Palma
The trip to Palma was far from the only journey. In years past, the couple chose Mallorca as a vacation destination, staying at Marivent Palace as guests of the Spanish Royal Household. They traveled there with their two sons, William and Harry. The decision to fly on the same plane for those trips sparked controversy in Britain, yet the family continued to return to the island.
Photographs from those summers often featured the Spanish Royal Family with Charles, Diana, and the children. Accounts from that era described long days on the royal yacht and poolside moments at Marivent, with Diana occasionally noted for her attempt to engage with the local scene and the palace tennis courts where she hoped to catch a game with King Juan Carlos. In some years, the king himself managed to win a match in the final moments of play.
Visiting Lady Di
On another note, a leading journalist at the time documented a Ritz party organized to promote British products, hosted near the British Embassy in 1987. The monarch enjoyed the social event, chatting with several guests while others carried on with the program. Inside the corridors of conversation, the prince spoke more than most, and some remarks captured the mood of the evening as vivid and lighthearted.
In Salamanca the couple shared a modest menu featuring leek cream soup, sea bass, sirloin, and pastry, a meal that delighted Diana. The itinerary then moved on to Toledo, and the weekend that followed found them staying at the Molino del Rey estate near Íllora, a property associated with the Wellington family.
During Seville Expo in 1992, the prince was seen enjoying performances and aerial displays, with Diana appearing moved by the events despite personal sadness following her father’s recent passing. Eyewitnesses recalled her tears as a moment of honest emotion that remained a striking image in archival memory. The scene would later surface again in popular culture as part of the narrative of that era.
As a bachelor, Prince Charles attended the wedding of Jaime de Marichalar and Infanta Elena at the Seville Cathedral on March 18, 1995. He returned to Spain in 2011 with the Duchess of Cornwall for another official visit, during which they toured notable monuments such as the Alcázar, San Telmo Palace, and the Cathedral.