Madrid Takes Centre Stage As Spain Celebrates Its National Day
King Felipe and Queen Letizia presided over the annual National Day celebrations in Madrid on Sunday.
As every year the October 12th celebrations centred on the military parade and air force flypast over the capital´s skies.
This year some 4,000 troops and civil guard marched through Madrid´s streets and 82 aircraft took part in the flypast.
As in recent years the Spanish Air Force aerobatics parachute team performed a jump carrying a massive Spanish flag to land in front of the Royal dais where the Monarch took the salute.
The Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez as well as government ministers and leading political figures and civic dignatories we in attendance.
The 12th October National Day is marks the discovery of the Americas in 1492 and celebrates the deep links between Spain and the wider Spanish-Speaking world.
Until 1987, it was also known as the El Dia De Hispanidad celebrating the common heritage and cultural ties between Spain and Hispanic countries.
Under the 1978 Constitution the date chosen, 12 October, “symbolizes the historical anniversary on which Spain, about to conclude a process of State construction based on our cultural and political diversity, and the integration of the kingdoms of Spain into the same monarchy, begins a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond the boundaries of Europe”.
