Their Royal Majesties preside over the ceremonies to mark Spain’s National Day

Their Majesties with their daughters during the celebration (Photo: Ángel G. Tejedor/DECET)

Dignitaries watching the parade (Photo: Ángel G. Tejedor/DECET)

The Army General Corps offered several exhibitions (Photo: Ángel G. Tejedor/DECET)

Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain presided over the main ceremonies to mark Spain’s National Day, which took place at Plaza Cánovas del Castillo in Madrid on 12 October. Nearly 3,400 members of the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard took part – more than in previous years –, together with around 50 vehicles and a similar number of aircraft.

Don Felipe and Doña Letizia, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses the Princess of Asturias and the Infanta Doña Sofía, were welcomed by President Mariano Rajoy. They then greeted the minister of Defence, Pedro Morenés; the president of the Madrid region, Cristina Cifuentes; Madrid mayor Manuela Carmena; the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral General Fernando García Sánchez; and the president of the Madrid Assembly, Paloma Adrados.

After receiving official honours, the King inspected the Honours Group of the Royal Guard, made up of the Company “Monteros de Espinosa”, the Company “Mar Océano” and the Squadron “Plus Ultra” – from the Army, the Navy and the Air Force, respectively. Next the monarchs and their daughters greeted the highest state authorities (among them, the Chief of the Army Staff, Army General Jaime Domínguez Buj) before taking their seats on the dais.

At that point four private soldiers representing the Armed Forces and the Civil Guard carried the Spanish Flag to the pole in the middle of the square and hoisted it while the Music Band of the Royal Guard played the National Anthem. Then the Spanish soldiers who “fought with courage, served with loyalty and died with honour” down the ages were paid tribute to. During this act of remembrance, the King laid a laurel wreath at the base of the Flag while the Eagle Patrol aerobatic team painted the Madrid skies with the red and yellow of the Spanish Flag.

Air and land parade

Once the Honours Group of the Royal Guard concluded its participation, the customary air parade took place. This year it included eight Army aircraft: two Tigers from the 1st Attack Helicopter Battalion; an EC-135 from the 2nd Emergency Helicopter Battalion; two EC-135s from the Helicopter Training Centre; and three Chinooks from the 5th Transport Helicopter Battalion.

Next came the land parade, under the command of General Juan Cifuentes, chief of the 6th Light Infantry Parachute Brigade “Almogávares” (BRIPAC, by its Spanish acronym). The first group on foot was composed of battalions from the General Military Academy (AGM) and BRIPAC alongside NATO troops (Spain is one of the host nations of the ongoing exercise “Trident Juncture”) and two companies, one of AGM cadets and another of students from the General Basic Academy for NCOs.

Then it was the turn of the 1st Infantry Regiment “Immemorial of the King”, BRIPAC, the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade “Guadarrama”, the 1st Mountain Troops HQ “Aragón” and the Sea Companies of Ceuta and Melilla. Following tradition, the last group on foot was made up of units parading at a specific pace: brisk for the Light Infantry Brigade “Rey Alfonso XIII”, 2nd of the Legion, and slow for the 52nd Melilla Regulars Group.

After the parade Their Majesties greeted the military authorities who had taken part in the event and left for the Royal Palace, where an official reception was held.

Open doors

One of the main activities organised by the Army to mark Spain’s National Day was an open day at Buenavista Palace, seat of the Army HQ. The public enjoyed a concert by the Music Band of the Regiment “Immemorial of the King”, saw two Lynxes and an RG-31 on display for the occasion and visited several photography and painting exhibitions which included recipients of the Army Awards.