The British Royal Family hosted King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain at Windsor Castle during their State Visit to Britain on this day in 1986, 40 years ago, which was followed by the British State Visit to Spain in 1988 and another Spanish State Visit to Britain in 2017.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain were welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales at Heathrow Airport before an Official Welcome at Windsor Castle, which included a carriage procession and a review of the guard, which was followed by the Spanish Monarchs meeting members of the British Royal Family. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh and King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain were all descendants of Queen Victoria, while three, with the exception of King Juan Carlos, were descendants of King Christian IX of Denmark.
In the evening, the Queen held a State Banquet at Windsor Castle in honour of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle. Both the Queen and King gave speeches.
The Queen (in Queen Alexandra’s Kokoshnik Tiara and the King George VI Festoon Necklace) and Duke of Edinburgh with King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia (wearing the Spanish Fleur-de-Lys Tiara and Diamond Rivière).
The Queen Mother (wearing the Greville Tiara) and the Princess of Wales (in Queen Mary’s Lover’s Knot Tiara)
The Princess Royal (wearing Princess Andrew’s Meander Tiara) and Princess Margaret (in the Poltimore Tiara)
The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (in the Diamond Bandeau Tiara)
The Duchess of Kent (in the Pearl and Diamond Fringe Tiara)
Princess Alexandra of Kent (in the Ogilvy Tiara), and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent (in the Kent Festoon Tiara)
Other events included a visit to Prince Minister Margaret Thatcher at 10 Downing Street, a visit to an art gallery, and a speech by King Juan Carlos to the Houses of Parliament.
On the second evening, the Lord Mayor and the City of London held a Banquet for King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia (wearing the Mellerio Shell Tiara) at the Guildhall in London.
At the end of the State Visit, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia (in the Spanish Fleur-de-Lys Tiara) held a Return Dinner at the Spanish Embassy in London for the Queen (wearing the Vladimir Tiara) and members of the British Royal Family
Queen Sofia, the Princess of Wales (wearing the Spencer Tiara) and Princess Irene of Greece (wearing Queen Sophie’s Diamond Circle Tiara)
The Princess Royal (in her Diamond Festoon Tiara), Infanta Elena (in the Spanish Floral Tiara), and Infanta Cristina (in the Prussian Diamond Tiara).
Princess Alexia of Greece (wearing the Antique Corsage Tiara)
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh bid the Spanish Monarchs farewell from Windsor Castle, along with Queen Sofia’s siblings, King Constantine II of Greece and Princess Irene of Greece.
Two years later, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain hosted the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh on their State Visit to Spain at the Palacio Real de Madrid.
The British Royal Family hosted King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain at Buckingham Palace on their State Visit to the United Kingdom in 2017.
