At first glance, everything is the same in Marivent: a path of fruit trees at the entrance, a small orchard, and many flowers in the well-kept garden that rises up to the palace, the official summer residence of the Spanish Royal Family. Here, for the fifth consecutive year, the Kings, their daughters, and Doña Sofía received the Balearic civil society this Tuesday, in a meeting that brought together more than 600 people. As always and at first glance, bars had been set up on the esplanade of the main building and La Masía; there were also tables with lights for the guests to be seated. But that atmosphere of normality, which seemed the same as in the last five years, was not, because everything is strained due to the situation Spain has found itself in internationally after the massive swim of migrants to Ceuta. That invades conversations throughout society. Also at the head of State.
The Kings and their daughters have lived with immense concern the events that took place in Tarajal. And it has caused changes in their activity during the days in Palma. Felipe VI did not go out to train over the weekend with the Hispania crew, as he considered his place was in the office, working to find ways to support the autonomous cities. The King spoke with the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition, and the presidents of Ceuta and Melilla. And he worked with his team on a statement in which they expressed “indignation” over what happened with a country that the Government describes as a “reliable partner.”
Five days after that massive entry of migrants, the concern of the Head of State remains present, and it was the subject of comments and conversations in Marivent, where the Balearic civil society was received in an event that allowed seeing the Royal Family gathered on the Island for the first time all summer. Doña Sofía has been staying in Marivent for several weeks, where her daughters, the Infantas Elena and Cristina, and her grandchildren Urdangarin and Marichalar have passed through. Also, briefly, Juan Carlos I, who stopped at what was his summer residence to see the family for a few hours.
They were closely watched throughout the evening by the Princess of Asturias, who has already finished her military training and will begin university studies next September, and the Infanta Sofía. The second in the line of succession will move to Paris in a few weeks to start her second year of International Relations and eagerly awaits that change of scenery after a year in Lisbon, where she integrated very well.
The Kings were the hosts of the event. For two years now, the invitation has given men the option to wear guayaberas, a change motivated by the humidity and high temperatures of the island. And so Don Felipe appeared, wearing a navy blue guayabera for the first time. The Queen, for her part, wore a white dress, while the Princess wore an outfit by Thinking Mu and the Infanta chose Momoni.
Together, the five welcomed various people in an extensive receiving line. The greetings line started with the president of the Congress of Deputies, Francina Armengol; followed by the president of the Balearic Islands, Margalida Prohens; the president of the local Parliament, Gabriel Le Senne; the government delegate, Alfonso Luis Rodríguez; the mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez Llabrés; the Secretary of State for Security, Aína Calvo; the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez Grau; the Secretary of State for Energy, Diego Martín Romo.
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At the political level, the spokespersons of the Popular, Socialist, and Vox parliamentary groups in the Balearic Parliament attended; as well as about thirty local mayors; deputies from the Popular, Socialist, and Vox groups in the Congress of Deputies and senators from the Popular and Confederal Left groups.
Jaime Anglada, singer-songwriter and friend of Don Felipe, attended the ceremony as the Gold Medal of the Balearic Islands and led the group of awardees present, although the Monarch – who that day had been proclaimed leader of the Copa del Rey Mapfre sailing competition – showed special complicity with him.
Everyone enjoyed a cocktail that was a journey through Balearic gastronomy led by chefs Marga Coll, Maca de Castro, and Santi Taura, with a selection of dishes that reinterpret some of the most representative products and recipes of the archipelago. The menu combined traditional proposals, such as tumbet, sobrasada omelette, or Ibizan flaó, with contemporary-inspired creations made with Mallorcan porc negre, Menorcan red cow, rock red mullet, amberjack, cured Mahón cheese, and seasonal vegetables.
The event ended before midnight, when the Royal Family said goodbye to the guests from the entrance door to Marivent amid applause and cheers.
