Ceuta crowds affirm Spanish identity during royal visit

Thousands of residents lined the streets, waving Spanish and Ceuta flags, cheering the royal couple and holding signs reading: “Welcome to your home, Your Majesties.”

After landing at Ceuta’s heliport, the King and Queen stopped to greet people along the route to City Hall, shaking hands and speaking with residents. They later appeared on the balcony of the Palace of the Assembly, overlooking Plaza de África, alongside Ceuta’s president, Juan Vivas.

The visit begins two days of engagements, including meetings with local officials, a school visit, a tribute at the Sidi Embarek Muslim cemetery to people who died during July’s mass sea crossings, and talks with civil-society representatives.

The visit is diplomatically sensitive. Morocco claims sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, the two Spanish cities on the North African coast, and reacted sharply to the last royal visit in 2007. It follows July’s migration crisis, when more than 70,000 people entered Ceuta from Morocco over two days, placing severe pressure on the territory. Morocco recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations ahead of the trip, while King Mohammed VI criticised what he called the political “instrumentalisation” of the crisis.

For many in Ceuta, the large turnout was a public affirmation of the city’s Spanish identity. The royal couple will spend the night in Ceuta before travelling to Melilla on Wednesday.