SPAIN’S king and queen ended their official trip to Australia yesterday, during which they met some of Sydney’s Spanish expatriates and dined with the governor of New South Wales in her home overlooking the harbour.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía, who met representatives of more than 250 Australian and 30 Spanish companies based in the country, say the aim of their visit was to strengthen commercial ties between the two nations.

At present, around 60 Spanish companies are based down under.

The royals say their trade links with Australia are ‘excellent’, with Spanish companies’ budget surplus having increased by 190 per cent in the last three years, reaching more than 200 million euros in 2008.

Their visit was rounded off by a concert at the music conservatory in the botanical gardens, during which the quartet Orava Spring presented traditional aborigine music, followed by lunch at New South Wales governor Marie Bbashir’s home on the shores of Sydney harbour overlooking the Opera House.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía’s last visit to Australia was during the Sydney Olympics in 2000.