The Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, has invited King Felipe VI to the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the Conquest of Mallorca, which will be commemorated in 2029. The meeting took place this Friday at the Palace of La Almudaina.
The Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez, took advantage of his audience with King Felipe VI at the Palace of La Almudaina to extend a formal invitation to the commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the Conquest of Mallorca, which will be celebrated in 2029. The meeting, which took place this Friday, is part of the traditional summer audiences that the monarch holds with the Balearic authorities.
Martínez reminded the King that the Festa de l'Estendard, which commemorates the entry of Jaime I's troops into the city, is the oldest civil celebration in Europe. He also emphasized that, according to the Constitution, Felipe VI is also King of Mallorca, so his presence at the event would have special significance.
The Mayor was the third to meet with the monarch, following the President of the Govern, Marga Prohens, and the President of the Parlament, Gabriel Le Senne. After him, the President of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, will close the round of meetings.
During the audience, Martínez also addressed other current issues, such as the wildfires affecting Spain and the housing crisis in Palma. On this latter point, he presented the King with the municipal shock plan that has just begun the construction of the first limited-price rental promotion.
Population growth was another topic discussed. Martínez noted that around 5,000 people register in Palma each year, which necessitates planning for the medium and long-term demographic model of the city. "We need to address the demographic model of our city in the medium and long term," the Mayor stated.
The invitation to the 800th anniversary of the Conquest of Mallorca represents a gesture of institutional relevance, as it positions the King as a central figure in a commemoration that marks the island's history. The Festa de l'Estendard, celebrated every December 31, is a tradition that dates back to 1229, when Jaime I conquered the city.
The Palma City Council is already working on the programming of the commemorative events, which are expected to be numerous and have a strong historical and cultural component. The presence of the monarch, if confirmed, would give a significant boost to the celebration.
For its part, the Royal Household has not yet confirmed the King's attendance, but sources close to the monarch have expressed interest in the invitation, according to reports from the council. The final decision will be known in the coming months.
The commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the Conquest of Mallorca will be one of the most important events of the decade on the island, with activities ranging from historical exhibitions to medieval reenactments, as well as concerts and institutional events. The Palma City Council plans a broad program that involves the entire citizenry.
Meanwhile, this Friday's audience served to strengthen the ties between the Crown and the city of Palma, in a year marked by the housing crisis and population growth. Martínez positively assessed the meeting and highlighted the monarch's closeness to the problems faced by the people of Palma.
The next institutional meeting will be with the President of the Consell, Llorenç Galmés, who will close the cycle of summer audiences at La Almudaina. It is expected that topics of interest for the island, such as transport or tourism, will also be discussed in that meeting.
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