Just a month ago, Juan Carlos I decided to postpone the trip he had planned to Sanxenxo – to return to the regattas – and stay in Abu Dhabi after the outbreak of the war in Iran. Thirty days later, the conflict in the Middle East has not ended, but the emeritus king has decided to leave the Arab country where he has resided since 2020 to receive an award for his memoir book, Reconciliation. The recognition is from the French association Lire la Société, but it is still surprising that the emeritus king receives an award from a country like France, a republic that values the figure and trajectory of Juan Carlos I when the Spanish state has condemned him to ostracism.

If throughout the 20th century many European monarchies could be politically justified as guarantors of democratic values – for example, for not having cooperated with fascism during the world wars –, now this situation has changed. The refinement of the meaning of democracy in the minds of European citizens means that the thrones that have reached our days have become misaligned with the concept of democracy that large segments of society now hold. This society demands that the representatives of its highest institutions not only formally adhere to democratic values, but also live a life consistent with those values. A tangible adherence. Adapting to this new phase is infinitely more complex for monarchies than any previous reform, since these institutions are intrinsically contrary to what meritocracy and equality mean, the two essential pillars upon which a democracy is indefectibly built today.

Some royal accounts say that the current King Charles III once told his ex-wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, before their separation, that she could learn a bit more from Sarah Ferguson, who had great charisma and was very pragmatic about palace matters. More of a smile for the outside world and less vulnerability behind closed doors was what he demanded of the mother of his children, a woman who suffered greatly at his hands not because of his own personality but because of the way he treated her. This statement resonates more than ever these days, now that we've learned that the cheerful and pragmatic Fergie was even worse than we imagined: a ruthless woman capable of acting without any principles to achieve her goals, which were almost always material. Just to give one example: after Epstein was convicted of pimping and attempting to prostitute a minor in 2008, she took her two daughters to meet him at the Florida mansion where he was under house arrest. As if to ingratiate herself with the millionaire who we now also know supported her for almost a decade. Like a kind of offering. If Diana had been like Ferguson, as her husband asked her to be, Charles III might not be king today, just as his brother is no longer a prince...

Since Girona declared Felipe VI person persona non grataThe monarchs have not set foot again to present the awards of the Princess of Girona Foundation, a private entity but linked to the royal family. The King's speech on October 3, 2017 This prompted the pro-independence parties in the city council, then governed by Marta Madrenas (Together), to form a united front to express their rejection of the Spanish monarchy from within the City Hall. Since then, the Princess of Girona Foundation has had to scramble to find a venue to present these awards to young talent or to organize related activities. This Tuesday, the King and Queen stopped in Sant Boi de Llobregat, where they announced the winner of one of the categories, the 2026 Princess of Girona Social Award. It was awarded to Hatim Azahry, a Catalan born in Morocco and president of the Poble-sec United Youth Association, who has defended the idea of ​​genocide—in fact, he has spearheaded humanitarian aid efforts. Awarded for his social work with strong youth involvement in the streets and for conveying citizens' needs to the City Council, Azahry also embodies the integration of new Catalans and was applauded. In statements to the media, the 27-year-old noted that the organization allocates part of its budget to on-the-ground aid in Palestine, which he defined as "the cause of humanity." The event coincided with the King's visit to Barcelona this morning to present judicial appointments to a new class of judges, where the speech of the The king has focused on encouraging new professionals. In the afternoon, he declined to say a word to the residents of Sant Boi, surprising some of the monarchist attendees. After delivering speeches deemed controversial by some on the right regarding immigration and political tensions, the king maintained a low profile at an event conducted exclusively in Spanish, which included a musical performance by Alfred.

President Isla accompanied the King of Spain to L'Hospitalet wearing a khaki tie. A green tie, when accompanying the King, signifies that you wouldn't start a French Revolution and slit the throats of several monarchists as in the past. On the contrary. In Castilian Spanish—and We read it in AHORA– the initials VERDE mean "Long live the King of Spain"Green tie means monarchy.

Immigration management is at the heart of Catalan and Spanish politics, in a debate shaped by the rise of the far-right Aliança Catalana and Vox parties. The King of Spain also plays a significant role, both in his institutional capacity and as the apparent arbiter he seeks to become after taking sides throughout the independence process. Felipe VI arrived in Catalonia on Monday to commemorate the centenary of Hospitalet de Llobregat being granted city status. From there, he sought to highlight the past waves of migration from the rest of Spain during the Franco regime, as well as the more recent influxes from Africa and Latin America, while denouncing "sectarianism." Around a hundred members of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC) and anti-monarchy protesters demonstrated against the visit, while a hundred or so monarchists participated in the carefully controlled welcome and greetings.

The publication of Reconciliation The memoirs of Juan Carlos I, published by Planeta, have caused unease at the Zarzuela Palace not only because of the controversial opinions he expresses (for example, his praise of Franco) but also because he openly displays his resentment towards those who forced him to leave Spain, as well as his taste for luxury and money.

Two days before the controversial memoirs of King Emeritus Juan Carlos I hit bookstores in Spain, a controversial and unexpected promotional message, delivered by the former monarch himself, has surfaced. This Monday, a video was released in which the former king, with a Spanish flag in the background, defends his reign and sends a direct message to young people urging them to support his son as head of state: "I ask you to support my son, King Felipe VI, in this difficult task of uniting all Spaniards," and that Spain continues to follow the emeritus king. This plea has not been well received at the Zarzuela Palace: sources within the royal household, consulted by ARA, made it clear that they had no prior knowledge of the video, that they do not know "what its objective is," and that they consider it "neither appropriate nor necessary."

When this time of year arrives, many people are eager to eat the twelve grapes and start the new year, anxious to know what the next 12 months will bring. This positive approach to the new year will not be shared by Mette-Marit of Norway, who in February 2026 will experience one of the most bitter ordeals a mother can endure: seeing her son in the dock. A tragic moment that, in her case, will be amplified by the international media pressure surrounding the case involving her eldest son, as it is rare to see a member of a monarchy appear in court.

These weeks mark the fiftieth anniversary of the dictator's death and the restoration of the monarchy in Spain. A significant sector of the state establishment has sought to transform this anniversary into an uncritical celebration of the monarchy, presenting it as the natural antithesis of the dictatorship and little more than the democratic unifying force of a supposedly exemplary Transition. But this interpretation is a historical falsehood. To ignore that the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy was precisely a decision made by the Franco regime itself to guarantee the continuity of its fundamental elements is an insult to democratic intelligence. And for this reason, today it is essential to speak plainly to avoid a new collective amnesia.

I don't know which team of writers composes the speeches for the King of Spain, but I always imagine them laughing when they choose the phrases. They laugh at the emptiness, at the cliché, just as gossip columnists laugh when they talk about "gestures of obvious complicity" or the "favorite corner" of a celebrity's house.

Accustomed to an emeritus king who gives no explanations, not even for the events related to his work professional Given that we didn't even know what a prince's voice was until he was proclaimed king, it's understandable that the demeanor of the UK royal family strikes us as completely exotic. They've always seemed that way, but it becomes even more apparent when, as this week, the heir to the throne gives interviews during international trips to discuss matters that go far beyond the legal duties his country has constitutionally entrusted to him, addressing much more intimate and personal issues. Comparisons are truly odious. Really hateful...

It is unusual for a king—even an emeritus one—to speak in the first person about his life and reign. But it is even less common for him to speak about politics, and to do so criticizing a government that is still in power. Juan Carlos I does so in Reconciliation, his memoir published this Wednesday In France. King Felipe VI's father reviews historical events, from the end of the Franco regime to his current "exile" in Abu Dhabi, and for the first time publicly criticizes Pedro Sánchez's government, which he accuses of imposing its will over his ambitions, even now that he lives in retirement thousands of kilometers from Spain. "Even today I have to respect the wishes" of the Royal Household and the government, he laments.

"And this is news?" is the question we often see in the comments on news stories about tabloids and pop culture. And, obviously, these aren't news stories that make the front pages of newspapers, but they are issues we often discuss with friends or family around a table or at the bar. And this is what we do in this podcast: we go to a venue to review some news from the social chronicle that serves not only to keep up with the most important gossip, but also to talk about love, friendship, and breakups.

The future king and queen of the United Kingdom, William and Kate, have now found their permanent home. Or at least that's what they want it to seem... After several moves, the couple has settled on Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom house surrounded by nature and close to London that, far from providing them with the peace of mind they were looking for after her cancer, is causing them a serious backlash of headaches. It's been a long time since British citizens resignedly accepted the designs of their monarchs. Nowadays, when they see something they don't like—or, worse still: when they directly suffer from a royal decision—they come out to strongly criticize it in the media, which is where it hurts the Prince and Princess of Wales the most, the great hope of a monarchy that has been in dire straits since the anti-charismatic Charles and Camilla came to the throne.

Princess Leonor began the final stage of her military training this week. Leonor de Borbón will spend this last year training for the army at the General Air Force Academy, located in San Javier (Murcia), after having spent the previous two years in the army and navy. Facing this new phase of training, the heir to the Spanish throne has stated that she is "eager to learn" to fly, but "little by little."

Article 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes that everyone has the right to rest. Even royals, who although unlike the rest of us mortals do not have a period closed by calendar or working days, in summer they also take advantage to disappear for several days.

King Emeritus Juan Carlos I remains a burden on the Spanish monarchy. Five years have passed since the escape of the former head of state, materialized in August 2020, when she left Zarzuela Palace to settle in the United Arab Emirates. However, neither the financial and personal scandals have ceased, nor has the royal family's cornering been reversed. The situation is at a standstill, with news piling up as it is now. the four million euro earnings since living under the authoritarian regime, the future publication of his memoirs to vindicate himself by taking advantage of the fiftieth anniversary of his proclamation as king, or his sudden visits to Spain. Therefore, the experts consulted by ARA conclude that the monarchy is experiencing an "unstable equilibrium," a survival that is not in doubt now; and it has prompted a plan by King Felipe VI to evade Juan Carlos's obstacles with a strategy of encapsulation, which some consider successful, while others see as partially unsuccessful. All this, while the former monarch remains in the public eye.

The Norwegian monarchy is experiencing one of its lowest moments after Marius Borg, son of Princess Mette-Marit, was charged with 23 crimes, three of them rape, according to police, who closed the investigation into the case. In response to these serious accusations, the Nordic royal family has issued a brief statement: "The case is following the legal system and normal procedures. We have nothing further to add."

King Felipe VI landed in Catalonia this Monday to visit the Montserrat Abbey, a symbol of Catalan nationalism and where the country's patron saint is venerated. This visit has caused unrest among Catholic Catalans and the independence movement. In fact, his landing—by helicopter—including a prayer at the Moreneta (Birmingham Mass), sparked a protest outside the monastery by a few hundred people summoned by the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), who were unable to even approach the basilica due to the absolute protection of the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan Police). The king came to participate in an event commemorating the institution's millennium and to win the sympathy of the Catalan people with a speech delivered mostly in their own language, in which he also criticized "exclusionary identities" and "extremism." Aware that "its symbolic value transcends its enormous religious dimension," he hailed the abbey as "a great meeting point for our culture: Catalan, Spanish, and European."