For the first time in 14 years, Catalan President Salvador Illa attended the ceremonies and royal reception hosted by King Felipe VI.
Rain, an uninvited guest, made a sudden appearance at Madrid’s National Day parade, forcing organisers to improvise. The skies, usually painted in the red and yellow of the Spanish flag by the Eagle Patrol, were overcast and quiet.
Another blow to the day came when the much-anticipated parachute jump, a highlight of the event since its debut in 2019, was cancelled. Spectators were left with a mix of disappointment and anticipation for what was yet to come.
Despite the weather, the military parade was still a spectacle, with over 4,000 Armed Forces personnel, including a growing number of women. Female representation was almost 12% of the total, a big step forward in this male-dominated institution. The parade also featured an array of military machinery: 266 motorised vehicles rumbled through the streets and a cavalry of 210 horses.
The parade was 1.5 km long, from Paseo del Prado near the Botanical Gardens to Plaza de Colón.
Upon their arrival in the Royal Household’s Rolls-Royce, the King and Queen were accorded military honours before being welcomed by the Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, Defence Minister Margarita Robles, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and Admiral Teodoro López Calderón of the Department of Defence.
Princess Leonor, the heir to the throne, played an active role in the day, representing the continuity of the monarchy and its ties to national traditions.
King Felipe wore the uniform of Captain General of the Spanish Army, while the Princess of Asturias was dressed in her midshipman uniform. The young princess joined her father in the tribute to fallen soldiers, demonstrating the close connection between the crown and the armed forces.
Political reunions: Catalonia’s return after 14 years
This year’s celebration also served as a stage for political developments against a backdrop of heightened tensions.
Recent weeks have been marked by controversy over the law for ETA prisoners and a Guardia Civil report against a former minister, dividing the political class.
But the day managed to bring together most of the Spanish political spectrum. The government, with PSOE and Sumar, stood alongside the opposition and the regional presidents, bringing a moment of national unity.
A significant moment was the attendance of Salvador Illa, President of the Catalan Government, the first time in 14 years that a Catalan leader has attended the event. His presence signalled a potential end to the strained relationship between Catalonia and the central government.
In a post on X shortly before the ceremonies, Illa said that Catalonia “has to be present in the construction of a diverse Spain” and that Catalonia must “get involved again in order to listen to others and be heard.”
José Montilla was the last Catalan president to attend the ceremonies in 2010.
After the parade, the King and Queen host the traditional reception at the Royal Palace, an event that brings the Spanish elite together.
The reception, starting with the customary ‘besamanos’, is a time for politicians, business leaders and public figures to talk informally and lay the ground for future agreements and negotiations.
