King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia arrived in Melilla on Wednesday 14 October, marking the first official visit by the Spanish monarch to the North ... African autonomous city since his accession to the throne in June 2014.
The historic visit comes 19 years after the last arrival of a Spanish head of state - when King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía visited in 2007 - and completes King Felipe’s official tour across all of Spain’s autonomous regions and cities following their stay in neighbouring Ceuta.
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Upon landing, the royal couple traveled to the Plaza de España, where they were received at the Assembly Palace (Palacio de la Asamblea) by regional president Juan José Imbroda alongside local authorities. Continuing the close engagement demonstrated in Ceuta, King Felipe and Queen Letizia spent time greeting crowds of well-wishers gathered outside the municipal building.
Golden Key presentation and multicultural focus
A centerpiece of the institutional reception at the Assembly Palace was the presentation of Melilla's Golden Key (Llave de Oro) to King Felipe VI - a formal gesture of loyalty from the city - followed by a working meeting with municipal leaders to review local economic and security challenges.
The afternoon itinerary focused on social cohesion and education, beginning with a 4.15 pm tour of the Pintor Eduardo Morillas primary school (CEIP Pintor Eduardo Morillas), renowned for its social inclusion initiatives. The King and Queen met with staff and pupils to observe the daily intercultural and interfaith coexistence that defines Melilla's social fabric.
Reaffirming national sovereignty
The royal tour concluded at the Hotel Melilla Puerto with a reception for local civil, economic, and religious leaders, including representatives from the Interfaith Table (Mesa Interconfesional).
Delivering the closing address of the tour, King Felipe reaffirmed the state's unconditional backing for Melilla's citizens, reiterating that Spain's national sovereignty and territorial integrity over its North African territories remain indisputable and entirely non-negotiable.