The Diplomat
Yesterday Princess Leonor made her first official trip abroad in Lisbon, in which she was received by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and in which she recalled that, “ten years ago, this beloved country was the first destination” of their parents “as Kings of Spain”.
Leonor traveled accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, and was received upon her arrival at Lisbon Airport by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; the ambassador of Spain in the Portuguese Republic, Juan Fernández Trigo, and the head of Protocol of the Portuguese Republic, Jorge Silva. After a cordon of honor, the Princess of Asturias greeted the Portuguese ambassador to Spain, João Mira Gomes, among other authorities.
Next, Doña Leonor moved to the Jerónimos Monastery of Santa María de Belém, where she was received by its director, Margarida Donas, and by the Prior, José Manuel Dos Santos, and attended the floral offering at the tomb of the poet Luis of Camões in the Basilica of the Monastery. Subsequently, the Princess of Asturias moved, accompanied by a squadron of cavalry, to the Belém Palace, where she was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ and she held a meeting with the President of the Republic.
Present at this meeting, on the Spanish side, were the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the head of the King's Majesty's House, Camilo Villarino, and ambassador Juan Fernández Trigo. On the Portuguese side, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel, was present; ambassador João Mira Gomes; and the head of the Civil House of the President of the Portuguese Republic, in office, Rita Magalhães. After the meeting, Doña Leonor signed the Book of Honor.
The morning session concluded with a lunch offered in honor of the Princess of Asturias by Rebelo de Sousa, in which Doña Leonor recalled that, “ten years ago, this beloved country was the first destination of my parents as Kings of Spain, so I can’t deny how special it is for me to be here today.” “They, who have been here on so many occasions, have spoken to me with great affection, 'com saudade', about their visits to Portugal, the love they have received in its streets and how you have always made them feel at home. That's how I feel today,” she concluded.
In the afternoon, the Princess of Asturias visited the Lisbon Oceanário, accompanied by Rebelo de Sousa, and attended a meeting and round table on 'Ocean Defense, scientific expeditions and alignment of ocean policy frameworks and the economy'. With her signature in the Oceanário Honor Book, Mrs. Leonor concluded her visit to the Portuguese Republic.
Doña Leonor traveled to Portugal at the invitation of Rebelo de Sousa, who maintains a close relationship with King Felipe and Queen Letizia and wanted to underline with this invitation the ties of friendship between Spain and Portugal, according to diplomatic sources. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the choice of Portugal as the first destination of an official trip abroad by the Princess of Asturias "reflects and reinforces the ties of fraternity and closeness that unite both countries." The visit had “a particular focus on the protection of the environment and the conservation of the oceans, priority issues for Portugal and Spain.”
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