Prince Felipe & Princess Letizia's Visit to New York & Washington: March 15-17, 2009


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Spain Business Forum

Date:March 16, 2009
Hour: 16 to 18 hours

Miguel Sebastián, The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade of Spain and the Prince and Princess of Asturias will present this meeting.

Place: Hotel Grand Hyatt New York

US-Spain Business Sustainability: Facing Global Challenges Together Conference

Date:March 17, 2009
Hour: 9 am to 6 pm

The Prince and Princess of Asturias will preside at this Conference.

Place: Hotel Grand Hyatt New York
 
Too bad all these crown princely couples never go to Washington to meet the new president ;)
 
Too bad all these crown princely couples never go to Washington to meet the new president ;)

why would the new president want to meet with them? they are not his equal. i am sure obama has other things on his mind these days than meeting a second in line to the throne, there are plenty of heads of state he hasn't met yet waiting to be fitted into his schedule in 2009.

even when f&l were on "official visit" in the us in 2004 they did not get anywhere near an important us politician, same goes for mary & fred. maybe obama will do some official visits in europe in the months to come and provide some photo opps with royalty.
 
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Crown princely couples are in the habit of travelling to The United States with concrete economic or cultural projects, by the size and the power of the United Satates different types of visits can be organized. It is strange the occasion in which they do an official visit similar to a State visit (that they never do because they are not Chiefs of State). I believe that only the Prince of Wales has done a similar trip to U.S.A.

The Princes in these trips can meet the president of the state that they visit or the mayor of the city. For example in the trip of 2004 the Prince and the Princess of Asturias had dinner with the Governor of New Mexico. But when in 2006 the Prince travelled to Washington, he was invited by the President Bush to the act of the Month of the Hispanic Heritage in the White House, and they supported a private meeting in the Oval Office.
 
Crown princely couples are in the habit of travelling to The United States with concrete economic or cultural projects, by the size and the power of the United Satates different types of visits can be organized. It is strange the occasion in which they do an official visit similar to a State visit (that they never do because they are not Chiefs of State). I believe that only the Prince of Wales has done a similar trip to U.S.A.
yes this is correct, charles officially being received by president bush might have to do with the standing of the british monarchy in the us - it's the only one that is popular / people are interested in, apart of course from britain being a major (business) partner. the state visit of QEII in 2007 was a huge media event.

but as you said, meeting the us president as a second in line to the throne is an exception and a huge honour as the us president is one of the most important politicians in the world and unlike most other heads of state he meets with, he is not reduced to a representative function but is both, head of state and head of government.

and keeping in mind the countless hugely important items on obama's agenda these days it would be a major surprise if he actually took the time to meet the danish or spanish cps.
 
why would the new president want to meet with them? they are not his equal. i am sure obama has other things on his mind these days than meeting a second in line to the throne, there are plenty of heads of state he hasn't met yet waiting to be fitted into his schedule in 2009.

even when f&l were on "official visit" in the us in 2004 they did not get anywhere near an important us politician, same goes for mary & fred. maybe obama will do some official visits in europe in the months to come and provide some photo opps with royalty.

*Highlights mine

You make it sound like it's so cheap for any American president to meet some prince or princess who's yet to have a crown on their heads. "They are not his equal"? That's bull, and that sounds like speaking with your nose up in the air. Who's equal with whom these days?

These princes are also important diplomatic ambassadors of their country, even if people who've lived in a republic don't see that way. While it doesn't necessarily follow that every visiting royal or ruler must meet with the host country's president, their visit doesn't have to be degraded down to the level of People Magazine instead of NY Times front page. It could have been simply said that it's not a state visit so it doesn't warrant an automatic meeting with the president.

Sheesh.
 
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RhapsodyBrat;905073 You make it sound like it's so cheap for any American president to meet some prince or princess who's yet to have a crown on their heads. "They are not his equal"? That's bull, and that sounds like speaking with your nose up in the air. Who's equal with whom these days?
it was not my intention to make anything sound cheap etc and i have explained further in my response to lula above what i meant. the us president is head of state and head of government and will usually not formally meet with foreign representatives who do not share his rank (prince charles being an exception). that's a fact and has nothing to do with "nose in the air" but rather with protocol. obama didn't even meet with jc and sofia who were on official visit in one of the states of his country (although he issued a comment that he regretted not to).
 
*Highlights mine

You make it sound like it's so cheap for any American president to meet some prince or princess who's yet to have a crown on their heads. "They are not his equal"? That's bull, and that sounds like speaking with your nose up in the air. Who's equal with whom these days?

These princes are also important diplomatic ambassadors of their country, even if people who've lived in a republic don't see that way. While it doesn't necessarily follow that every visiting royal or ruler must meet with the host country's president, their visit doesn't have to be degraded down to the level of People Magazine instead of NY Times front page. It could have been simply said that it's not a state visit so it doesn't warrant an automatic meeting with the president.

Sheesh.

i think what it's implied is that same statesmen meet their equals. obama didn't yet meet the president of spain, neither the king... why would felipe and letizia have precedence, even if they are on visit to the country? it would be different if it were the case that the US (or the country they visited) had an important relationship or some issue they had to deal with - as when the princes visited any latin american countries, there's a strong connection of spain to south america and cultural ties, therefore it's not illogical for the presidents to want to meet the princes.

anyways, coming back to topic, i'm glad they are embarking on a US visit again. i can't wait to see what the schedule looks like.
 
The Government Obama begins and in these moments the politics is imposed to the diplomacy, and this type of meetings will take place later on. Duke, the visit of the King to Pensacola was foreseen some time ago independently of the American elections, it coincided with the trip of Obama to Canada, but the President publicized his excuses and sent the Secretary of Defense. Bush had a terrible relations with Zapatero, but with the Royal Family always he want to support good relations. In any case Spain presides in 2010 at the European Union and the pretension of the Spanish Government is that Obama realizes a State Visit.

Looking for information about these trips I have found an interesting photo. It is a photo of 1987 and must be the first time that the Prince Felipe visited the White House, with Reagan as president.
ANP Beeldbank
 
some more interesting photos:

the reagans in spain in 1985
Getty Images - Reagans In Spain

while sofia still looks the same more or less, boy, hillary has changed!
Getty Images - US First Lady Hillary Clinton(2nd L), Spanish King
US First Lady Hillary Clinton(2nd L), Spanish King Juan Carlos(L) and Queen Sofia(R) listen to US President Bill Clinton during the royal couple's visit to the White House in Washington, 24 May 2005. The King and Queen are in Washington to see their son, Prince Felipe de Bourbon, receive his graduate degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

state visit in 2000 in washington - hillary looks more hillary already
Getty Images - The traditional "Grand Staircase" photo
sofia's famous fallover
Getty Images - Queen Sofia of Spain Stumbles at State Dinner

clinton for lunch in zarzuela, June 2005
Getty Images - (From L) Spanish King Juan Carlos (2ndL)

felipe meets with president bush on the occasion of hispanic heritage month in october 2006 (letizia stayed home due to pregnancy)
Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected#
 
I am not sure why Crown Princely couple of Spain should meet US President. President Obama is just 44th President of the USA. Nothing else... I happen to think that royalty is above temporal politicians of any kind. No matter how great he/she might be, a politician succeeds another in the office of President or PM by selling new agendas and offering better solutions to hot issues. Royalty, on the other hand, remains stable by adhering to traditional values and norms that define a particular nation.
 
So based on your logic....the Queen of England should have never met 14 or so US Presidents? Nor should have the King George VI met Roosevelt? While US Presidents are temporary leaders (as all Prime Ministers for that matter) they are in fact Heads of State.

It makes more sense for President Obama to meet with the King Juan Carlos officially and a semi important visit with his heir.
 
I see no reasons any royal trying hard to meet the 44th President of the USA. Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II met the American Presidents because she had to do so. Did she try hard to meet them? No ... Presidents of the USA as well as Presidents of other countries were arranged to meet her to cement the mutually beneficial relationships.
 
I see no reasons any royal trying hard to meet the 44th President of the USA. Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth II met the American Presidents because she had to do so. Did she try hard to meet them? No ... Presidents of the USA as well as Presidents of other countries were arranged to meet her to cement the mutually beneficial relationships.

IMO you have answered your own question. You see no reason why any royal would try to meet the 44th President of the US. Presidents of the US (and other world leaders) meet royals to cement the beneficial relationships between two countries. And no one said, that Queen Elizabeth or Felipe and Letizia should try hard to meet Obama or any President for that matter. Just that they would like for that to happen.

As DoM mentioned, if and when any President makes an European tour (As Obama is scheduled to do in later March) perhaps then will we got some photos.

But we (myself included) are straying somewhat from the topic.
 
I fail to understand why people would like the current President of the USA or a Crown Princely couple visiting the US soil to meet:ermm: I truly am puzzled ...Anyway, it would be nice to see Prince and Princess of Asturias visiting New York City.
 
Dinner of presentation of the Spanish Ambassadors Brands in the USA

It will take place on March 16 in New York (Hotel Grand Hyatt), in the frame of the presentation of the Plan of Image ' Made in/by Spain ' in the USA.

The Prince and Princess of Asturias will represent, and the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Trade, Miguel Sebastián, as well as Spanish and American representatives of the managerial, institutional world and of the mass media.

http://www.publidiario.es/iberiauniversal/PresentacionMarcasEmbajadorasEspanolasenEEUU1.pdf

Leading Brands of Spain Forum web
Leading Brands of Spain Forum
 
I wonder if there will be any public appearances? The Grand Hyatt is near my office and the Waldor-Astoria, where dignataries usually stay, is not far away.
 
The Prince and Princess in New York with the projects of Spanish companies

The Prince and Princess of Asturias travel tomorrow to New York to favor the opportunities of business of the Spanish companies in the USA and they will preside at an ambitious commercial forum that will bring together numerous businessmen of both countries, encouraged by Barack Obama's economic projects.

Monday 16- New York

Visit to the Public Library of New York

Lunch with the board of directors of the Chamber of Trade of Spain in New York

Meeting of the Spain Business Forum (Group of pressure formed by more than hundred companies implemented in USA)

Dinner of the Leading Brands of Spain, a meeting to propitiate managerial contacts that it will be moderated by Dee Dee Myers, speaker of the White House with Bill Clinton

Tuesday 16- New York

Conference Spain - USA on Sustainable Business, equally moderated by Myers and where the words of the Prince will be preceded of a presentation of the ex-vice-president Al Gore titled " Thinking in green: the economic strategy for the 21st century ".

The deputy governor of Texas, Susan Combs, will take part in the presentation of the conference, in that there will accompany Sebastián the president of the BBVA, Francisco Gonzalez, and the managing director of the Santander, Alfredo Sáenz, whereas approximately 300 persons in charge of companies and institutions of Spain and the USA will explore projects of cooperation in infrastructures, energy and environment.

Wednesday 17- Washington

Meeting work organized by the Real Instituto Elcano with representatives of similar centers of study and reflection of The United States

Los Príncipes harán valer en Nueva York los proyectos de empresas españolas | Economía
 
They will have a busy schedule in NY!!!
 
Letizia looks wonderful in red!

Is the dinner tonight a gala dinner or a more casual dinner???
 
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