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SPAIN’s NEW KING Felipe VI vowed to clean up the scandal-hit monarchy as he launched his reign today cheered on by crowds waving red and yellow flags.
Thousands of Spaniards put aside their World Cup misery to line the sun-splashed streets of Madrid, yelling “Long live the king!”
The tall, former Olympic yachtsman Felipe, 46, and his glamorous Queen Letizia, 41, waved to cheering crowds from the balcony of the Royal Palace after he swore his oath in parliament.
Beside them stood their blonde, blue-eyed daughters: eight-year-old Leonor, now heiress to the throne, and Sofia, seven, plus the former King Juan Carlos, 76, who has abdicated.
Earlier in parliament the new king swore an oath to serve the nation, standing in a dark blue military uniform by the royal sceptre and crown – though it was not actually placed on his head.
The king promised an “honest and transparent” monarchy after scandals that dogged his father Juan Carlos in a Spain recovering from recession.
Felipe also pledged his “faith in the unity of Spain”, where separatist tensions are high in the northeastern region of Catalonia.
Lawmakers applauded as he finished his speech and turned to kiss Letizia — a divorced former television newsreader — who wore a white knee-length dress and coat by Spanish designer Felipe Varela.
The royal couple waved from an open-topped Rolls Royce as they were driven to the palace, where they shook hands one by one with some 2,000 guests at a reception.
Never mind the football
The celebrations offered a distraction from the national gloom of Spain’s humiliating exit from the football World Cup on Wednesday in a 2-0 beating by Chile.
“We have lost the World Cup but that doesn’t matter. It is a new day and a new king. We have to celebrate,” said Eduardo Chaperon, 24, wearing a novelty inflatable crown in the street.
Not everyone joined in the party.
Police blocked off Madrid’s central Puerta del Sol square to prevent a rally by protesters who want Spain to be a republic.
“It is shameful. It is a breach of our freedoms. What kind of democracy is this?” said Juana Leon, a 69-year-old retiree wrapped in the red, yellow and purple Spanish republican flag.
Protesters have demanded a referendum on the monarchy’s future, but Felipe said in his proclamation speech that “the parliamentary monarchy can and must continue”.
Political leaders in the northeastern Catalonia region meanwhile are calling for a referendum on independence from Spain.
In the central Catalan town of Cervera, bar customers sat reading with their backs to the television as Felipe’s speech came on.
“Here in Catalonia, we are not monarchists, nor fans of the Spain football team,” said the bar’s owner, Josep Clos, 66.
“This king is just another one who is going to live off our money.”
Tearful handover
In tough economic times, celebrations were relatively restrained compared to other European royal coronations.
The palace offered drinks and nibbles at the reception, but no sit-down banquet.
No foreign leaders or royals were invited to the ceremonies.
US President Barack Obama sent a note congratulating Felipe and the “valued ally” Spain. He said he looked forward to “working closely” with the new king.
Yesterday, a teary-eyed Juan Carlos ended his reign by signing his act of abdication.
He won respect for helping guide Spain to democracy after the death of General Francisco Franco in 1975 and for thwarting an attempted military coup in 1981.
But he has suffered from a scandal over an elephant-hunting safari he took in 2012 and fraud allegations against his youngest daughter Cristina, 49, and her husband.
By abdicating, Juan Carlos lost immunity from prosecution that notably saved him from answering two paternity suits by people claiming to be his illegitimate children.
Rajoy’s government said it was drawing up measures to extend his protection after his reign.
Felipe praised his father for achieving the “reconciliation of the Spanish” after the decades of dictatorship that followed the 1936-1939 civil war.
Analysts warned Felipe had less of a chance than his father did to shape history in today’s Spain.
“He is a big breath of fresh air,” said Cote Villar, a royal specialist at El Mundo newspaper. “But there is a big risk of disappointment.”
- © AFP 2014.
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Are Tayto considered food?
@BuffaloSoldiersky:
Of course, nothing like a Tayto crisp sandwich washed down with about 12 pints. Wholesome food.
@BuffaloSoldiersky: taytos &purple snacks are considered staple food groups the original pub lunch
@Colonel Grant:
Literally just eating one now
@Edward Fitzgerald: in the good ole days it was the pink snacks that were the connoisseurs choice.
@Stephen Foster: had they run out of yellow schnacks?
@Edward Fitzgerald: Don’t forget the Peanuts.
Excellent news, so the responsibilty shifts more to people to make the correct decisions for themselves. Go to a restaurant or stay at hime if you don’t feel ready. Go to a shopping centre or don’t. With sensible social distance rules until the virus is squashed further. As an SME and employer of 12 I am happier today than the dark months. Thoughts with those that have gone and brighter times ahead.
All going very fast, very suddenly.
@Ann Experiment: The end of the month is not fast or anything like it. I think the Government are finally waking up to the catastrophic damage to the economy this is doing….let’s hope we don’t end up a basket case after all this.
@Peter Hughes: they’ll be a serious rise in George Forman purchases this month!
@Peter Hughes: this was a shut down done for the benefit of public health and the HSE. If we didn’t go into lockdown this would have gotten seriously ugly. Yes it’s taken a toll on the economy and we will have to be on the back foot after this but human life is more important than the economy
@Jake Kelly: ban cars and planes in ireland so and save lives!
@Jake Kelly: The problem is the government after seeing what was going on in Italy left pubs, cafes, restaurants, cinemas etc OPEN and not only that let flights carrying thousands from Italy come here for a piss up….these decisions cost us dearly and kicked off everything. I walked by my local the week before paddy’s day and it was jam packed….I was watching what was going on in Italy I thought we are in big trouble. Now when the virus is crushed we are doing what should have been done at the start, zero logic to.it lol…..comical governance which makes no sense but I expect no different.
@Dino: Silly comment. Cars and planes have a positive and beneficial purpose. Lethal Corona Viruses don’t.
@Peter Hughes: Yeah, with 200 deaths due solely to Covid19 it was a disaster. 87% had health issues.
You must be fuming the number wasn’t higher to somehow give your pathetic existence a bust..
A similar number of people will die from traffic accidents this year, should we ban vehicles until we can be certain no deaths will occur to healthy people due to traffic accidents ?
I’ve been enjoying the peace and quiet myself.
If you live somewhere which has a problem with drunken vandalism get ready for some serious damage to your property in July.
@Billy: quite a strange response. Does that happen a lot round your way?
@Billy: In fairness, ye must live in a bit of a sh!t€hole
@Billy: Not with pubs operating table service only. They’ll probably restrict the time you can book a table for, just like a restaurant
@Stephen Foster: Carlow. ‘Nuff said.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: So book a table and if you have it pass it on to whoever comes after you after your time is up?…am I missing something?
I’ll have a crisp sandwich,… And 45 pints
Great to see things opening up again. 29th of June here we go.
Thank christ for that lol
So surely all will open and offer a sambo for a yoyo with your 14 pints!
@Mel Finn: I can see bookings only, 2 hour limit on tables etc. coming in the coming in the i industry specific guidelines next week. Could be wrong but that’s what some other countries like Australia did. 1 person per 4m squared in their restaurants, although they can sit in groups but that’s the premises capacity rate. Only 10 in a pub.
@NotMyIreland: I think you should run for office…
Bars & restaurants opened here ( Netherlands ) on Monday. Big rush on the first day day but they have been dead quiet since. Only half of them actually opened up again.
Leave the pups closed….open the hairdressers
@Angelika Passet: pubs..
@Angelika Passet: u get your hair done on the black market I’m off for a cup of soup and 12 pints.
Premiership back to if u don’t feel comfortable stay at home and wash ur hair.
Ahhh Gimme 5 pints please , and when I’m done I might order some grub
I won’t take my chances thanks I will leave going to. The pub till 2021 like any normal person will
@BriP75: great craic you are id say!!!!!
@BriP75: thanks to be good you won’t be there
Would that include golf clubs with a bar/restaurant
@James O Lone: if they have a restaurant licence then I’d imagine so
Finally table service in pubs like in a proper civilised country.
@Sam Lowry: brings me back to my first job as a lounge girl at 14 serving drinks and food in Madigans Pubs . Great money in tips. Loved it great crack.
Why has food to be linked to a pub now? It’s no different than going to your local grocery stores
@Anthony Sweeney: Pubs have been applying for a restaurant cert for the last 15+ years. It allows an extra hours drinking up time as opposed to 30 mins. After closing’ for customers having a meal.
If your serving a meal at 9:30 on a Sunday and you can be prosecuted at 11:30 for having customers on premises, it is a necessity.
To gain a cert from the court, you must prove that a large portion of your business is food orientated.
As a cert can cost up to €10000 euro to gain first time (Costs included).
This is why pubs were annoyed at restraunts being allowed to open and not them.
You will have to book an appointment
So they will all open then and serve sambos if they’ve no cooking facilities.
That fellow Chawke stayed on the Duffy show that if one ordered a ‘plate of chips’ or a sandwich at any of his establishments then they could order pints. Not exactly a restaurant. Looking for loopholes!
The pubs will bleeding jammers will their be some sort of unofficial national holiday on the 29th or somethin yup
Wait till you see all the pubs serving sambos
Ahhh come on now Tony, we will at least be having the chicken wings!!
Packet o’ Peanuts please
Pubs that’s don’t normally maybe able to overcome the lack of a licence to make hot food. A licence is not required for one of those giant soup pots. Buy a catering size box of soup mix and make it up and store it in the giant soup pot. Every day go to your local bakery and buy some of their locally made bread to serve with the soup. Or buy a mixture of ready made sandwiches from your local cafe down the street to serve with your soup. All equipment to invest in is one of those giant soup pots and a new fridge solely for storage of the sandwiches and the milk to serve with the teas and coffee.
I have set up a petition for Ireland to only reopen pubs on the weekends to improve people’s health, pockets and to reduce alcohol problems. Please sign if you agree at http://chng.it/PW9vPxtY
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