Briefing
The Casa Real has confirmed that King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will officially visit the city of Ceuta on 13 October 2026 and the city of Melilla on 14 October 2026. The visit to Ceuta begins on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, with a reception at the Palacio de la Asamblea and further formal meetings with local authorities and civil society representatives. A similar programme is planned in Melilla for Wednesday, 14 October 2026.
The visit was coordinated with the government, according to the Casa Real and news agency EFE; the Prime Minister will not accompany the trip, according to sources at Moncloa. Officially, the aim is to raise the profile of and provide institutional support for the two autonomous cities, not to negotiate new political measures. The Casa Real usually publishes routine details of programme events and speeches at short notice; exact times and arrangements are coordinated with local authorities for security reasons.
According to agency reports, this is the first official visit by a reigning king and queen to Ceuta and Melilla since King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía visited in November 2007. The announcement comes shortly after Spain’s National Day on 12 October 2026 and amid a political context in which the situation at the borders and relations with Morocco have repeatedly been discussed. Officials stress the visit’s formal, non-confrontational nature.
According to media reports, local authorities in Ceuta are preparing special security and logistical measures for the visit; the Casa Real specifically names the Palacio de la Asamblea as a venue in Ceuta. Observers view the head of state’s presence in the two exclaves as a political sign of support for state institutions and the people who live there.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).