Britain’s Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, arrived in Spain on Wednesday on the second leg of a tour promoting British business and renewable energy.
The royal couple was welcomed by Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Letizia at the Palacio Real de El Pardo, where they will lodge during their stay.
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia were to have lunch with the British royal couple on Thursday.
The Prince of Wales will also meet Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Environment Minister Rosa Aguilar before he and the Duchess of Cornwall continue their trip to the southern city of Seville.
Charles was also due to meet charity bosses working to support the growing number of British pensioners in Spain.
Nearly 390,000 Britons live permanently in Spain, many of them pensioners attracted by the warm climate, but who sometimes find themselves isolated and in financial difficulties later on.
Charles and his wife were also expected to attend several trade and industry functions. Britain is Spain’s second-largest investor, and there are about 700 British companies based in Spain.
The Prince of Wales had already made 10 official visits to Spain, but this week’s visit is his first together with the Duchess of Cornwall.
The British and Spanish royal families are related through Britain’s Queen Victoria, who was the great-grandmother of Spain’s Queen Sofia.
Charles and Camilla arrived in Spain from Portugal, where the prince discussed cooperation in renewable energies with Prime Minister Jose Socrates.
On Saturday, Charles and Camilla were scheduled to travel to Morocco, the last stop on their 10-day tour.
