On 24 Wednesday November, Their Majesties King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain began a two-day state visit to Sweden at the invitation of His Majesty The King.
The second day of Spain's state visit to Sweden began with an industry meeting at the Grand Hôtel. Industry representatives from both countries also took part in the meeting.
The two heads of state then attended a major industry seminar on the Opera Terrace.
The Queens of Spain and Sweden visited the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace during the morning. There, they attended a seminar on language, literature and translation as a bridge between cultures. The seminar was arranged by the Swedish Institute and the Instituto Cervantes.
During the seminar, The Queen gave a speech in which she said:
Literature helps to create interest in and understanding of other countries, their peoples and their cultures. It bridges the borders of time, space and language. And above all, it reminds us that there is always more that unites us as people than divides us.
HM The Queen
The Bernadotte Library is home to more than one hundred thousand books that have belonged to the kings and queens of the Bernadotte dynasty. The library room was completed in 1796, and was originally intended to be Sweden's national library.
During their visit to the library, the Queens also had the opportunity to familiarise themselves with some of the library's Spanish works.
The Kings of Spain and Sweden visited the Royal Institute of Technology. The programme included discussions on smart transport, digitalisation and a sustainable post-pandemic recovery.
In keeping with tradition, the City of Stockholm hosted lunch at Stockholm City Hall. There, the Swedish Royal Family and the King and Queen of Spain were welcomed by Chair of the Municipal Council Cecilia Brinck and Finance Commissioner Anna König Jerlmyr. Lunch was served in the Golden Hall.
In the afternoon, the programme continued at the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences on the theme of sustainable energy amid climate change.
In the evening, the King and Queen of Spain hosted a reception at the Spanish Residence on Royal Djurgården. The Spanish Embassy's official residence, Byström's Villa, was once the home of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland.
The state visit from Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain concluded at Arlanda Airport.
During the departure ceremony, The Kings inspected a guard of honour from the Swedish Air Force, after which the national anthems of Spain and Sweden were played by the Army Music Corps. The King and Queen then wished their Spanish guests farewell.
State visits are the highest form of visit between two countries, and take place at head of state level. In Sweden, it is therefore The King who invites dignitaries on state visits to Sweden and who carries out state visits abroad.
The previous state visit between the two countries took place in 1983, when The King and Queen visited Spain.