Royal family arrive in Mallorca

DESPITE the fact that King Felipe has invited Mariano Rajoy to take the steps of trying to form a new government, it is clear that, although he has accepted the challenge and should actually get on with it quickly, it seems fairly obvious that nothing is likely to happen in a hurry.

Thanks to this, the King has decided to continue to take his annual vacation (only he may well be popping backwards and forwards to Madrid), arriving in Mallorca on Saturday July 30 in time to attend the 80th Birthday Party of Infanta Pilar, older sister to former King Juan Carlos. Also present at this family affair in Sol de Mallorca were the former King and Queen Sofia together with their oldest daughter Elena.

Queen Letizia and the royal couple’s two daughters Leonor and Sofia didn’t arrive until the following day and then the family including the former King, now 78 and having to use a walking stick ate together at the prestigious Puerto Portals.

Monday August 1 saw the King on official duty, meeting at the Almudaina Palace with Balearics President Francina Armengol, who put in a slightly cheeky bid for Pedro Sánchez to be invited to form the government if Mr Rajoy wasn’t minded to try to do so.

Also formally introduced to the King were the speaker of the Balearic parliament Xelo Huertas, the mayor of Palma, José Hila, and the president of the Council of Mallorca, Miquel Ensenyat. All were naturally delighted to welcome the royal family back to Mallorca as it showed their continued support for the island.

All now wait to see whether Mr Rajoy will travel to Mallorca to advise the King that he has been able to form a working coalition, otherwise, His Majesty will find himself in the middle of a period of shuttle diplomacy whilst he attempts to persuade natural adversaries to work together.