King Felipe and his aides have caused a major stir in the halls of the Royal Household with a breaking development. The king is starting the institutional year by taking a step that has sparked debate and some unease among the most critical voices.
Although the truth is that what happened at Zarzuela is something that takes place every year as part of the institution's operations. However, this time the tense atmosphere turns something traditional into a delicate move by King Felipe.
King Felipe shakes up the Royal Household with his latest meeting at Zarzuela
The Royal Household has been shaken by a breaking development led by King Felipe and his team of aides at Zarzuela. The Palace is preparing for the start of a new institutional phase, kicking things off with a controversial meeting.
We're talking about how the halls of Zarzuela have become tense ahead of the meeting that King Felipe held today with Álvaro García Ortiz. At first glance, it's a simple appearance for the attorney general to deliver the prosecutor's report to the head of state. However, the controversy here lies in the legal troubles surrounding García Ortiz.
The meeting between King Felipe and the attorney general at Zarzuela has sparked a real commotion in Spanish politics. This is especially true because this meeting is taking place in a context filled with political tension.
What is fueling the tension in the Royal Household over this decision by Felipe and his aides are the attorney general's legal troubles. García Ortiz is coming to the Royal Palace despite being indicted for alleged disclosure of secrets, according to an investigation by the Supreme Court. The judiciary has confirmed his indictment, and there is a risk that he could appear before a judge for allegedly revealing information about Ayuso's boyfriend.
This scenario is making the judiciary uneasy, as they watch with concern how an indicted individual presides over the opening ceremonies of the judicial year in front of King Felipe himself. The attorney general's presence at these official events is causing unease, even despite the respect owed to the royal figure.
King Felipe moves forward with his official agenda
The delivery of the Annual Prosecutor's Report to King Felipe is a protocol event that is repeated every year. However, this time the symbolic weight is different due to the delicate situation the attorney general is facing.
For Royal Household, this situation is a diplomatic challenge. An "impossible photo," as some analysts have called it, where the king greets the attorney general just a step away from the defendant's bench. But the truth is that García Ortiz continues to carry out his work and his duties in charge of the Prosecutor's Office.
For this reason, Felipe met with him this very morning, thus fulfilling his annual appointment despite the controversies. The tension won't ease when the formal Opening of the Judicial Year takes place on Friday at the Supreme Court. There, the attorney general will once again be present before the judges who could eventually try him and will again meet with King Felipe.
Once again, the king will find himself caught up in a debate and the Crown will enter a controversy that doesn't benefit it at all. In any case, Felipe seeks balance and tries to ensure that the institution's progress isn't interrupted by other issues.
For this reason, he and his aides have decided to move forward with their meetings at Zarzuela without listening to the criticism. Although by doing so, they've increased the tension in the Royal Household and put the institution in the spotlight.