Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia didn’t attend the Macron state dinner, but they still stole the evening
The room had gone completely silent. Emmanuel Macron was about to finish his speech at the Royal Palace in Madrid, drink in hand, switching easily from French to Spanish, when he uttered the phrase that would define the evening.
© Getty Images“This dinner is much more than a tribute to the art of living that our countries share,” Macron said. “I raise a glass to His Majesty the King, to Her Majesty the Queen and to Their Royal Highnesses, the Princess of Asturias and the Infanta Sofía.”
It was a small gesture that paid off a lot. Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofía, first and second in line to the Spanish throne, were not present in the room, but with their inclusion, Macron made the two sisters the stars of the evening. This comment also earned him some points with the young woman’s parents, with King Felipe VI And Queen Letizia unable to hide their proud smiles.
A glittering evening at the Palais Royal
© Getty ImagesThe Spanish monarchs played host last Tuesday, welcoming Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron as guests of honor at a gala dinner in the palace’s historic salons. It was one of the highlights of the French couple’s state visit to Spain.
The evening at the palace was built on symbolism and filled with small details and ended with a heartfelt toast that showed the respect that exists between the two nations and between Macron and the royal family.
Many royal watchers had hoped to see Leonor and Sofia at such a prestigious event, but it was Macron who ensured that the women who represent the future of the Spanish crown were in the room.
Why the sisters stayed apart
© NurPhoto via Getty ImagesTheir absence had nothing to do with protocol and everything to do with schooling. Princess Leonor has just begun a demanding new chapter at the Carlos III University of Madrid, where she has just begun her studies in political science. This is a decisive next step in his preparation for the throne after years of military training.
Infanta Sofia, for her part, is experiencing one of the most formative periods of her young life. Since September, she has been based in Paris, where she continues her studies after a year in Lisbon.
A toast with Parisian accents
© Corbis via Getty ImagesSofia’s new living conditions gave Macron’s speech additional meaning.
Sofía has now taken up residence in the French capital, bringing her closer than ever to the couple celebrated in Madrid. And the link goes further than geography: the ruling dynasty of Spain was born in France. The Spanish branch of the House of Bourbon dates back to Philip V, French-born grandson of Louis XIV, who ascended the Spanish throne in 1700.
More than three centuries later, a Bourbon princess studies in Paris and the French president makes a toast by name.
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