Overview
- The royal family convened at Madrid’s El Pardo on November 22 for a private lunch marking 50 years since Juan Carlos I’s proclamation, the first full family reunion since 2023.
- Juan Carlos traveled in on a VistaJet flight from Abu Dhabi, arrived early, and departed the same day without spending the night in Spain.
- Attendance included Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Queen Sofía, Princess Leonor, Infanta Sofía, the infantas Elena and Cristina, the Urdangarin siblings, members of the Greek royal family, and other Bourbon relatives.
- Spanish outlets reported roughly 60 to 70 guests seated across multiple tables, with the former king arriving alone and the reigning royals entering shortly before the lunch began.
- The event also honored Queen Sofía’s newly bestowed Order of the Golden Fleece, set against continuing attention to Juan Carlos’s memoir published in France containing criticisms of Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.