Spaniards turned out in their tens of thousands along Madrid’s central avenues for the annual 12 October National Day military parade on Monday, greeting ... Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez with intense booing, whistles, and verbal abuse as political tensions boiled over.
The display of hostility - a recurring feature at public events in recent years - ntook on added political weight coming just days after Sánchez dissolved parliament and called a snap general election for 29 November following a major legislative defeat over housing measures.
Arriving at the official stand on the Paseo del Prado shortly before 11am, the Prime Minister remained inside his official vehicle for several moments before stepping out into a barrage of catcalls, jeers, and profanities from spectators lining the route.
Royal arrival and protocol mishap
Five minutes later, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrived to officially preside over the parade, accompanied by Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía. During the initial arrival protocol, Princess Leonor - dressed in military uniform - briefly dropped her Order of the Golden Fleece insignia onto the pavement. Looking at her father before bending down to retrieve the decoration, she quickly rejoined the receiving line as the Royal Family greeted attending dignitaries, including Defense Minister Margarita Robles and Ceuta Regional President Juan Jesús Vivas.
Despite the royal presence, renewed outbursts of shouting from sections of the crowd continued as Sánchez exchanged formal greetings with regional presidents and cabinet ministers along the line of protocol.
Paratroopers land near Neptune Fountain as 80,000 turn out
The official ceremony commenced with a precision dual parachute jump. Staff Sergeant Pablo García Matanza executed a clean descent from a C-212 transport aircraft, followed by Lance Corporal José Antonio Lago, who carried a massive Spanish flag to a precise landing beside the Neptune Fountain.
The raising of the national flag was met with a 21-gun salute and a solemn tribute to military and civilian personnel who gave their lives for Spain.
A flypast by the Mirlo Formation of Pilatus PC-21 training aircraft from the General Air and Space Academy marked the opening of the aerial display.
Organisers estimated that roughly 80,000 spectators lined the 2026 parade route, which ran from the Emperor Charles V roundabout to Plaza de Colón along the Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos.
The military deployment featured 4,400 troops, 144 ground vehicles, 82 aircraft and helicopters, 286 horses, and five operational police dogs.