King Felipe is taking one of the most important steps in his role as head of state today: he is returning to Catalonia with all that it entails. The king, together with Letizia, will attend the celebration of the millennium of the Montserrat Abbey, the emblem of the Catalan people. With his visit, Felipe hopes to restore ties with Catalan society, which has been so opposed to the monarchy for years.
The choice to return to Catalonia through Montserrat represents a clear strategy by the Royal Household. The abbey is a symbol of unity and tradition, capable of building bridges, and King Felipe wants it to help him. However, his presence has already begun to have consequences, and protests against the presence of the royals are expected.
King Felipe causes a stir at his latest public event
King Felipe is starting his weekly agenda with one of the most delicate events of his institutional role. Today, around noon, everyone will witness the step Felipe has decided to take by returning once again to Catalonia. This step will also culminate at Montserrat Abbey, a place of enormous significance for the Catalan people.
His presence will not go unnoticed and has already caused a great media stir. Since the push for Catalonia's independence, relations between Felipe and political leaders have been tense. The same is true with a part of society that doesn't see the king as the figure of a head of state.
For this reason, the step he has decided to take by returning to Barcelona has already begun to have consequences. Protests against King Felipe's visit are expected, led by the political group Catalan National Assembly. With the slogan "Don't let him set foot," they want to put pressure and make visible the rejection that Felipe's visit provokes in some people.
The Girona Anti-Monarchist Coordinator and the Consell de la República have also issued statements asking the abbot to prevent the royals from entering. For the Catalan people, Montserrat is "sacred" and represents the struggle and values of an entire community.
King Felipe shows his admiration and affection
Meanwhile, part of the Catalan people are trying to keep King Felipe away from their history, and he is trying to build bridges. Although the independence referendum did not make him feel comfortable, he has not stopped returning to Catalonia whenever he has had the chance.
Now, he is repeating the experience in an attempt to build bridges and try to restore ties with the community. To do so, he will actively participate in the millennium of Montserrat Abbey as a direct show of his affection for Catalan tradition and history.
His speech will be entirely in Catalan, as he has always done when attending official events in Catalonia. This is a custom he has also passed on to his daughter, Princess Leonor, who has followed in her father's footsteps as a show of respect.
In addition, the event will be held on the eve of the feast of Saint John, seeking resonance in Catalan tradition and culture. With all this, King Felipe hopes the consequences of his visit will be positive. Above all, because of his attempt to connect with a part of Catalonia that seeks to normalize institutional relations without losing its identity.
In any case, what is clear is that this visit by King Felipe will mark a turning point in his relationship with Catalonia. Only time will tell if his presence in Montserrat and respect for its history help strengthen ties and restore relations. For now, everything is ready for a day that is expected to be emotional and of great interest to Catalan society.