Overview

• Festivities began at 11:00 along the Prado–Recoletos axis from Atocha to Colón, with live coverage on RTVE and the Defence Ministry’s YouTube channel.
• PAPEA sergeants Óscar Marsal Hernández and José Carlos González Herrera executed the opening flag jump with a 24 m², 15 kg Spanish flag.
• The new Formation Mirlo flying PC-21 trainers produced the national colours in their first National Day appearance, though cloud cover trimmed parts of the flypast.
• The UME marked its 20th year by marching two companies on foot, within a deployment of 3,847 personnel, 162 ground vehicles, 74 aircraft, 229 horses and six dogs.
• King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía presided as several politicians stayed off the tribune, with Vox leader Santiago Abascal viewing from the street and the city estimating about 80,000 attendees.