The incidents that occurred this Sunday during the institutional visit of the kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Doña Letizia, the president of the government, Pedro Sánchez, and the president of the Valencian Generalitat, Carlos Mazón, in the town of Paiporta (known as name of part of point zero of DANA which destroyed the province) triggered a national political storm and made the front page of all the European press this Monday.
The images of the mud throwing against the authorities went around the world as well as the different reactions of Pedro Sánchez and the Kings. The Chief Executive’s security team immediately evacuated it as soon as they sensed a security risk, while the monarchs decided to stay and engage in dialogue with many citizens present there.
“How can they not be angry,” Queen Letizia admitted to ABC journalist Angie Calero, present on site. The emotion of the Kings was palpable in the numerous graphic and audiovisual materials generated by this visit.
This Monday, on social networks, the British historian Simon Sebag Montefiorefamous and successful historian and author of essays on the history of Russia (where his books on Stalin, The Romanovs and Catherine the Great stand out) or on “Jerusalem”. The biography used the photographs of the monarchs to express its analysis and conclusions about the events. ABC last interviewed him in 2023.
“A course on why the family power of the monarchy persists and it works”, begins Sebag Montefiore in his message on X.
“It was fascinating to see the royal dignity, personal courage and admirable grace under pressure of Philip VI, King of Spain, who visited the angry and heartbroken people of Valencia… while the head of government Sánchez fled in a despicable manner», this historian breaks down the images with a photo of King Felipe VI and another of people hitting one of the supposed vehicles of the presidential procession.
A course on why the family power of the monarchy endures and works. It was fascinating to see the royal dignity, personal courage and admirable grace under pressure of Felipe VI, King of Spain, visiting the enraged and heartbroken people of Valencia… while the head of government Sanchez… pic.twitter.com/6ix2Y2p2Tw
– S Sebag Montefiore (@simonmontefiore) November 4, 2024
And he concluded his message with a strong sentence: “Character is everything.”
