On his birthday, Spain’s king honours young daughter

Madrid : Spain’s King Felipe VI celebrated his 50th birthday Tuesday by shining the spotlight on his 12-year-old daughter Leonor, honouring her with the country’s most prestigious award as he seeks to drum up support for the monarchy.

The ceremony in Madrid’s royal palace came as uncertainty persists in Catalonia, where an attempt to break away and form an independent republic has threatened the unity of Spain and the monarchy itself.

A spokesman for the royals, who refused to be named, described the event as “an act of historical importance for the king and the princess, heir to the throne.”

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy added on Facebook that the public ceremony was a way to underscore the “will to persist with Spain’s parliamentary monarchy.”

During the ceremony, the angelic-looking princess, smiling and shy, stood between her tall father and her grandfather Juan Carlos I, who reigned 38 years until his abdication in 2014 following several scandals.