Spain’s king and queen visit Melilla for the first time as monarchs

Felipe VI and Queen Letizia visited Melilla on Wednesday, after travelling to Ceuta the day before.

It was their first visit to Melilla as Spain’s monarchs.

The previous visit by a Spanish monarch was in 2007, when Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía went there.

Many residents gathered to greet the royal couple after a 19-year gap, which some saw as a sign of the city being overlooked by national institutions.

Residents raised concerns about migration pressure and Morocco, while the city’s president called for a firm response to what he described as violations of Spanish sovereignty.

Melilla is a Spanish autonomous city on the North African coast, separated from mainland Spain by the Mediterranean Sea and bordering Morocco.

The accounts describe the visit and public reception but give no further plans.