KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve speech once again included a covert appeal to secessionist politicians, as well as raising concerns about young adults' struggle to afford housing and violence against women.
King rallies his public during Christmas speech and praises healthcare workers' efforts
25/12/2020
KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve night speech is perhaps one of the few elements of the festive season that remain unchanged in what is proving to be a very different Yuletide in 2020 – homes across Spain, many of them with far fewer people than usual at this time of year, will have had the TV on and the head of State addressing the nation on screen as they tucked into their traditional family meal.
Although it was fairly obvious Felipe VI was going to refer to 2020 as a 'very difficult year', he had also been under pressure to publicly condemn his father, King Juan Carlos I's actions – the Rex Emeritus is currently in the Middle East, having left the country after he was formally placed under investigation in a suspected tax-evasion and bribery case involving a public works contract in Saudi Arabia and his close friend, German former Countess Corinna Larsen.
Royals are, however, required to be apolitical – protocol dictates that a reigning monarch would never reveal his opinion on such subjects, nor refer specifically to a public figurehead, even if that person were a family member.
Still, when HRH Felipe said: “Along with our democratic principles and adhering to the laws of the land, we need to preserve the ethical values that are at the roots of our society,” media speculation was rife that he was referring to his own father, who abdicated in June 2014.
Moving swiftly on, Felipe VI commented on how the virus had 'burst into our lives' and 'upset our way of life' whilst 'paralysing the economy', and expressed his 'greatest support and affection' for all families who had been hit in one way or another by the pandemic.
“Many families have not been able to get together tonight as you had planned, because of the health measures, and in thousands of homes, there's a hole that's impossible to fill, left by the demise of your loved ones; I want to remember these loved ones with emotion and full respect, in a message filled with empathy and with memories that fill our hearts with very deep feelings,” the King said.
He recalled, also, that 'many people' in Spain are 'fighting against the virus or its after-effects' in their 'homes, in hospitals or in care homes'.
The King's speech turned towards the future, stating that 'the response to a crisis as serious as the one we are going through cannot go hand in hand with more discouragement or more distrust', and mentioning his 'optimism' that the year 2021 would be a better one.
“We have reasons to believe this, because over the last few decades, when faced with equally seriously difficult situations, we've always managed to get through them. And the situation we're in at the moment is not going to be any different to the others; neither the virus nor the resulting economic crisis will bring us down,” stressed the monarch.
Felipe VI praised the hard work and efforts made by the science and research communities in tackling the pandemic, and appealed for 'individual responsibility' which 'remains crucial' and is 'an effective tool in the fight against the virus', meaning it is 'so important to stay prepared and forewarned and not to let our guard down'.
Naturally, the King paid tribute to health service workers.
“We want to thank them once again for their enormous effort, their extraordinarily professional performance and their great humaneness with the sick,” the monarch stated.
“They had to deal with the first cases of the virus in extreme conditions, and also with some of our hospitals being completely overwhelmed.
“Even today, they are still grappling with a huge emotional and physical weight on their shoulders, so we urge them to keep their spirits up and wish them all the strength they need to carry on caring for our health.
“The other major problem and challenge is the economic crisis and, more than anything else, avoiding its resulting in a social crisis. Every single person is important, very important; therefore, people, and families, should be our main concern. Especially our young people – their level of unemployment is extremely high, and they should not have to be the ones who lose in these circumstances.”
Unity is needed more than ever, said HRH Felipe.
“We have a strong society, a solid State – throughout all this time, public services and essential services, such as companies in key industries, have been functioning well.”
He considers that the pandemic has 'uncovered traits that need to be reinforced and improved', but has also 'shown our strengths as a State'.
Spain's Armed Forces, security forces, the Constitution, and democracy were also highlighted as valuable assets to the nation, since these, 'at a time when the pandemic and its economic and social consequences are causing so much uncertainty', are what 'guarantee our way of understanding life, our vision of society and of the human race, its dignity, rights and freedoms'.
“It is a Constitution that we all have a duty to comply with and which, these days, is the basis of our community living and political harmony – in our history, it represents a great success of, and for, democracy and freedom.
“Let's not forget that the progress we have achieved in democracy are the result of a fresh meeting of minds and agreement reached among the people of Spain after a very long period of confrontation and division; it's the result of all wanting to look forward to the future together, united in democratic values, united in a spirit of inclusion, of valuing diversities and differences, and in our ability to dialogue and reach agreements. These are principles that never go out of date, however many years go by,” Felipe VI insisted.
In his seventh consecutive Christmas speech, the King reflected on his years on the throne.
“Back in 2014, during my coronation and swearing of allegiance, I mentioned the moral and ethical principles the public was demanding to see reflected in our behaviour. These are principles that are binding upon us all, without exception, and beyond any other consideration, whatever their nature, and even beyond personal and family considerations. That's how I've always believed it to be, consistently with my convictions.”
National media sources consider this, also, to be a reference to the widely-publicised court investigation involving Felipe VI's father.
Rounding off his Christmas Eve TV appearance, the monarch rallied his public by reminding Spanish nationals and residents in Spain that they were 'not a people who give up easily or just resign themselves' through 'bad times'.
“It's not going to be at all easy to get through all this, and you all, in every household, know that very well. But I'm certain that we're going to carry on. As King, I will be with you all and on your side – not just because it's my duty and my convictions, but because it's my commitment to all of you, and to Spain,” the King concluded.
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KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve night speech is perhaps one of the few elements of the festive season that remain unchanged in what is proving to be a very different Yuletide in 2020 – homes across Spain, many of them with far fewer people than usual at this time of year, will have had the TV on and the head of State addressing the nation on screen as they tucked into their traditional family meal.
Although it was fairly obvious Felipe VI was going to refer to 2020 as a 'very difficult year', he had also been under pressure to publicly condemn his father, King Juan Carlos I's actions – the Rex Emeritus is currently in the Middle East, having left the country after he was formally placed under investigation in a suspected tax-evasion and bribery case involving a public works contract in Saudi Arabia and his close friend, German former Countess Corinna Larsen.
Royals are, however, required to be apolitical – protocol dictates that a reigning monarch would never reveal his opinion on such subjects, nor refer specifically to a public figurehead, even if that person were a family member.
Still, when HRH Felipe said: “Along with our democratic principles and adhering to the laws of the land, we need to preserve the ethical values that are at the roots of our society,” media speculation was rife that he was referring to his own father, who abdicated in June 2014.
Moving swiftly on, Felipe VI commented on how the virus had 'burst into our lives' and 'upset our way of life' whilst 'paralysing the economy', and expressed his 'greatest support and affection' for all families who had been hit in one way or another by the pandemic.
“Many families have not been able to get together tonight as you had planned, because of the health measures, and in thousands of homes, there's a hole that's impossible to fill, left by the demise of your loved ones; I want to remember these loved ones with emotion and full respect, in a message filled with empathy and with memories that fill our hearts with very deep feelings,” the King said.
He recalled, also, that 'many people' in Spain are 'fighting against the virus or its after-effects' in their 'homes, in hospitals or in care homes'.
The King's speech turned towards the future, stating that 'the response to a crisis as serious as the one we are going through cannot go hand in hand with more discouragement or more distrust', and mentioning his 'optimism' that the year 2021 would be a better one.
“We have reasons to believe this, because over the last few decades, when faced with equally seriously difficult situations, we've always managed to get through them. And the situation we're in at the moment is not going to be any different to the others; neither the virus nor the resulting economic crisis will bring us down,” stressed the monarch.
Felipe VI praised the hard work and efforts made by the science and research communities in tackling the pandemic, and appealed for 'individual responsibility' which 'remains crucial' and is 'an effective tool in the fight against the virus', meaning it is 'so important to stay prepared and forewarned and not to let our guard down'.
Naturally, the King paid tribute to health service workers.
“We want to thank them once again for their enormous effort, their extraordinarily professional performance and their great humaneness with the sick,” the monarch stated.
“They had to deal with the first cases of the virus in extreme conditions, and also with some of our hospitals being completely overwhelmed.
“Even today, they are still grappling with a huge emotional and physical weight on their shoulders, so we urge them to keep their spirits up and wish them all the strength they need to carry on caring for our health.
“The other major problem and challenge is the economic crisis and, more than anything else, avoiding its resulting in a social crisis. Every single person is important, very important; therefore, people, and families, should be our main concern. Especially our young people – their level of unemployment is extremely high, and they should not have to be the ones who lose in these circumstances.”
Unity is needed more than ever, said HRH Felipe.
“We have a strong society, a solid State – throughout all this time, public services and essential services, such as companies in key industries, have been functioning well.”
He considers that the pandemic has 'uncovered traits that need to be reinforced and improved', but has also 'shown our strengths as a State'.
Spain's Armed Forces, security forces, the Constitution, and democracy were also highlighted as valuable assets to the nation, since these, 'at a time when the pandemic and its economic and social consequences are causing so much uncertainty', are what 'guarantee our way of understanding life, our vision of society and of the human race, its dignity, rights and freedoms'.
“It is a Constitution that we all have a duty to comply with and which, these days, is the basis of our community living and political harmony – in our history, it represents a great success of, and for, democracy and freedom.
“Let's not forget that the progress we have achieved in democracy are the result of a fresh meeting of minds and agreement reached among the people of Spain after a very long period of confrontation and division; it's the result of all wanting to look forward to the future together, united in democratic values, united in a spirit of inclusion, of valuing diversities and differences, and in our ability to dialogue and reach agreements. These are principles that never go out of date, however many years go by,” Felipe VI insisted.
In his seventh consecutive Christmas speech, the King reflected on his years on the throne.
“Back in 2014, during my coronation and swearing of allegiance, I mentioned the moral and ethical principles the public was demanding to see reflected in our behaviour. These are principles that are binding upon us all, without exception, and beyond any other consideration, whatever their nature, and even beyond personal and family considerations. That's how I've always believed it to be, consistently with my convictions.”
National media sources consider this, also, to be a reference to the widely-publicised court investigation involving Felipe VI's father.
Rounding off his Christmas Eve TV appearance, the monarch rallied his public by reminding Spanish nationals and residents in Spain that they were 'not a people who give up easily or just resign themselves' through 'bad times'.
“It's not going to be at all easy to get through all this, and you all, in every household, know that very well. But I'm certain that we're going to carry on. As King, I will be with you all and on your side – not just because it's my duty and my convictions, but because it's my commitment to all of you, and to Spain,” the King concluded.
Related Topics
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