Eloise HorsfieldSPAIN’S Queen has snubbed a visit to UK because of disputes over Gibraltar.
Reina Sofia, 73, was due to visit Windsor Castle today (Friday) for an extravagant lunch where all the world’s crowned heads will gather to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee.
On the guestlist are Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, Prince Albert II of Monaco as well as Britain’s Prince Harry and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
But a Spanish royals spokesman said for Queen Sofia to attend would be ‘inappropriate in the current circumstances’, following ongoing disputes over sovereignty and fishing rights.
Last week, as reported in the Olive Press, the Spanish government made a formal protest to Britain over a planned visit by Prince Edward’s visit to the Rock to commemorate the Queen’s 60 years on the British throne.
British ambassador Giles Paxman was told in no uncertain terms that officials were ‘upset and unhappy’ about the three-day trip, planned for the prince and the Countess of Wessex from June 11.
But Andrew Rosindell, chairman of the Overseas Territories All-Party Parliamentary Group, defended the visit, despite fresh tension over the issue of sovereignty.
“Gibraltar may be close to Spain, but it is not Spanish and its people do not want to be Spanish,” he said.
“Members of the Royal Family are perfectly entitled to go to any of Her Majesty’s territories whenever they want.
He added: “I thought Spain had grown up.”
As well as disputes over the royal visit, Gibraltar and Spain are currently at odds over fishing rights off the Rock.
So I suppose Spain will be giving up Melia and Ceuta then..
@Gary Wisdom
No chance according to Rajoy they are totally different to Gib. Amazing that he has time to ramp this issue up when he has a broken economy to fix.
I suppose the UK will also be giving the Falklands back to Argentina, wont’ it?
Your use of the word “snubbed” is very misleading.Queen Sofia was acting solely on the instructions of the Spanish government,since the Spanish monarchy,like ours, is constitutional.She did not “snub” anyone,because her personal views are of no account. All official visits abroad by Queen Elizabeth II are made in the same way,on the instructions of our Foreign Office.
Pity Queen Sophia would have had a free nosh of good food
Her Majesty Queen Sofia is Greek by birth and has enjoyed Spanish food for many years…….I doubt if she needs advice from Brits, even in Windsor, about how to eat good food………
The Spanish Government has got some reasons to feel upset about the British Government attitude. Since the Treaty of Utrecht, 1713, Gibraltar was ceded in perpetuity to Britain with the aim to be ceded back in time. In fact, the legitimate sovereign of Gibraltar is the King of Spain, even under the rule of the British. This treaty establishes the right of Spain to re-claim the full sovereignty of the rock. Since then, there has been an old tradition of talks and negotiations. For Spain, the rock has always been a little thorn but the British authorities have never had a real willingness to put an end to all this long troublesome issue (it has produced a countless list of problems for Spain: for example: our royals have visited the rock on behalf of the Bristish monarchs without asking for the consent of the King of Spain, the real King of Gibraltar; the creation of illegal sovereign waters for Gibraltar, denying the access of neighbouring fishermen from El Campo de Gibraltar, allowing the arrival of the damaged nuclear submarine Tireless to Gibraltar to be repaired there without informing the Spanish authorities about it, etc.). In addition, according to the Treaty, Gibraltarians cannot have the right to decide about their own future as they cannot be independent by law. So whatever Gibraltarians may say or want, it is a matter of diplomatic agreement between UK and Spain.
On the other hand, Queen Sofia of Spain is a model for all monarchies around the world including our own royals. I think it was a painful loss at Windsor. I would have preferred her to a tyrant like Bahrein’s monarch or Swatzilandia’s.
Spain will probably never have suzerainty over Gibraltar which would be 100% against the wishes of the Gibraltarian people. Just get used to the idea, shut up and deal with your bankrupt economy.
Contrast the intelligence and knowledge of James with the crass ignorance of “Gresham”. The only reason the Gibraltarian people reject the government of Spain is that they want to continue avoiding Spanish tax………and British tax too ! What a wheeze…… dressed up
as loyalty to the Queen,red phone boxes, policeman’s helmets etc. I wised up years ago at World Travel Market,in those days at Earl’s Court…on the Gibraltar stand,they spoke to you in English…..in the queue for lunch they all spoke Spanish to each other !!!
Their loyalty is to their own tax haven…
Oh but please let us contrast your intelligence when you bow down to nicely put together words with no substance behind them, let alone truth. Let us take the “greater intelligence and knowledge” of Jaimito sentence by sentence.
“Gibraltar was ceded in perpetuity to Britain with the aim to be ceded back in time.”
Dictionary out-“ Perpetuity” = FOREVER .. bust.
“In fact, the legitimate sovereign of Gibraltar is the King of Spain, even under the rule of the British. This treaty establishes the right of Spain to re-claim the full sovereignty of the rock.”
The King of Spain has a looooong list of titles some of which at present are no longer relevant; Note the word “PRETENCE”
“The Spanish titles of Juan Carlos I as Monarch of Spain are as follows: Note: Titles in Pretence marked with * are historical titles which are only nominal and ceremonial.
“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_titles_and_honours_of_the_Spanish_Crown”
The Spanish titles of Juan Carlos I as Monarch of Spain are as follows: Note: Titles in Pretence marked with * are historical titles which are only nominal and ceremonial”
Back to the sentences: “Since then, there has been an old tradition of talks and negotiations.”
Wrong!!!. General Francisco Franco Spanish Dictator – started the “tradition” in 1969 when he tried to use Gibraltar as a “smokescreen” for the internal troubles he was experiencing. Since then, alternative Spanish Governments have followed this “tradition”.
Another one “British authorities have never had a real willingness to put an end to all this long troublesome issue (it has produced a countless list of problems for Spain”
The British authorities are part of the Democratic World, and the troublesome issue/problems have been created by Spain and no one else!! In fact it is my belief that Spain does not really want Gibraltar, it is too comfortable a commodity to be used as a smokecreen in times of troubles i.e. 1960’s … 1970’s 1980…. 1990…2000…2012…..etc. etc. etc.
“our royals have visited the rock on behalf of the Bristish monarchs without asking for the consent of the King of Spain, the real King of Gibraltar”
“your royals”????.Who are you trying to kid?. The British Royals are Gibraltar’s Royals and have no need to seek consent from anyone, not even from the Gibraltarians themselves, they are home. Just as your Royals the Spanish King, Queen, Prince, and Princesses, Ministers etc do not have to seek the consent of Ceuta and Melilla, the two “enclaves” Colonies you have in another continent and another country Morocco.
“the creation of illegal sovereign waters for Gibraltar, denying the access of neighbouring fishermen from El Campo de Gibraltar, allowing the arrival of the damaged nuclear submarine Tireless to Gibraltar to be repaired there without informing the Spanish authorities about it, etc.).”
Wrong again! British Gibraltar Territorial Waters are included and covered by UNCLOS/CONVEMAR your own country being a signatory.
“Tireless” arrived at a port belonging to Great Britain, its port!! And begging to differ UK ALWAYS informs the Spanish Government on these and other issues as a matter of courtesy. Would you have preferred it to limp up your coast to UK? Might have been an idea if your government had informed the opposite coasts when it dragged the “Prestige” out to sea for others to deal with instead of dealing with the problem itself- It proved a Bad move anyway.
Another pearl of wisdom:
“In addition, according to the Treaty, Gibraltarians cannot have the right to decide about their own future as they cannot be independent by law. So whatever Gibraltarians may say or want, it is a matter of diplomatic agreement between UK and Spain.”
According to the Treaty Gibraltar belongs to GT Britain. The British CITIZENS of Gibraltar are not seeking independence, they are quite happy under the British Flag and Democratic Ideals.
With one thing I agree , “Queen Sofia of Spain is a model for all monarchies around the world” Noted you only name Queen Sophia. Our Queen and our Royals are very well indeed, thank you very much!
As to you Anthony Weaver – eat your heart out we can speak and write English and Spanish puurrrrfectly. Look up the OECD White papers and wash your mouth out!
I was amused as a 17 (1996) year old that everyone in Gibraltar seemed to have a red face, sunburn and was pissed up in the morning brawling on the then carpeted pavements. Slapping their kids. It was so aggressive that we left our lunch at a restaurant on the advice of the staff who closed it after being threatened and some mum tried to rob my bag. She was so drunk that she fell into the street with her kids.
The food was truly a vile shock as is and was the rudeness of anyone employed… good example are the M&S staff just pointlessly rude.
Shame. Don´t bother with it Spain it´s a filthy graceless dump.
Do people actually live there if they are not institutionlised and subsidised in the forces?
Gary, wake up dear, you are having a nightmare! You really must stop gorging yourself with cheese at night, it gives you indigestion and provokes terrible dreams.
Have a cup of hot Horlicks before you go to bed at night and you will dream of Lilliput, your home town, seriously now!
sorry, I meant subsidised BY the UK armed forces.
the only nightmare was going there…
To inthename
or maybe i still am wrong,tell me do, people live in Gibraltar as they are ´paid´ for by UK taxpayers… is that the deal? Queen Sofia has NO CHOICE.
BTW (I don´t eat cheese or Horlicks whatever that is it sounds incredibly rude maybe you should be deleted from this site as personal comments are offline unless they are funny)
Gary – “Gary
September 27th, 2012 9:32 am
I was amused as a 17 (1996) year old that everyone in Gibraltar seemed to have a red face, sunburn and was pissed up in the morning brawling on the then carpeted pavements. Slapping their kids. It was so aggressive that we left our lunch at a restaurant on the advice of the staff who closed it after being threatened and some mum tried to rob my bag. She was so drunk that she fell into the street with her kids.
The food was truly a vile shock as is and was the rudeness of anyone employed… good example are the M&S staff just pointlessly rude.
Shame. Don´t bother with it Spain it´s a filthy graceless dump.
Do people actually live there if they are not institutionlised and subsidised in the forces?”
Gary
September 27th, 2012 1:11 pm
“BTW (I don´t eat cheese or Horlicks whatever that is it sounds incredibly rude maybe you should be deleted from this site as personal comments are offline unless they are funny”
@Gary
What sounds terribly rude? My concern about your nightmares? My inviting you to have some Horlicks? or your above denigratory and false comments about Gibraltar?
Maybe you thought they were funny, and since you obviously havent got a clue about Gibraltar or its economy, I suggest you find out first. I am hardly going to bother informing you.
well it is true I made a typo. I went back to Gib in 1983 not 1996 please excuse… everything else I wrote is a little brief, but accurate.
I went back to see the house where I was born and the barrio where my grandparents brought me up for 14 years. Very very sad day.
as far KNOW SPAIN GAVE IT TO BRITAIN ,,,,,BUT QUESTION DO OR DOES BRITAIN GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT ?? I DONT KNOW ,,,IF WE DO KEEP IT ,, BUT SPAIN ,, WILL BENIFIT FROM THESE CONCREET BLOCKS ANY WAY ,,,, SO WHY ALL THE FUSS ?? ,,,THAY JUST NIFFD THAY DIDNT THINK OF IT ?