This Christmas Eve, the Royal Palace of Madrid has once again become the setting chosen by Felipe VI to address the Spanish people in his traditional Christmas message. For the third time since his proclamation as king in 2014, Don Felipe spoke … THE official residence of the Head of State and, for the second consecutive year, he did so from the Hall of Columns, a space that has served as a backdrop to much of recent democratic memory and that has served to reinforce the content of a speech focused on democratic coexistence, trust and the common project of Spain.
Forty years later, the June 12, 1985the Act of Accession of Spain to the European Communities, what is today the European Union, was signed in the Hall of Columns, the King placed himself in this historical framework to underline the democratic trajectory of the country and its European vocation, linking the past of consensus to the challenges of the present: the need to preserve democratic coexistence at a time when “we are going through a worrying crisis of confidence”.
Felipe VI intervened standing during the 9 minutes and 2 seconds that his words lasted – 10 minutes and 29 seconds in total, including the hymns – a production that conveyed firmness, seriousness and solemnity. He wore a navy blue suit, a white shirt and a terracotta-colored tie with a geometric print, a sober combination, far from any stridency, which fits with the institutional tone of the message. He maintained a direct and firm position which made it possible to underline the seriousness of the diagnosis and his desire to address citizens directly.
To the right of the frame were the flags of Spain and the European Union. On the left, the symbols of Christmas provide the traditional counterpoint: a Christmas tree and a mystery from the first quarter of the century XVIIIin carved and polychrome wood, from the national heritage collection kept at the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales. The presence of the birth of the Child Jesus, alongside the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, weaved the message with the Christian tradition of Christmas but without dominating the political and institutional discourse.
At the back of the Hall of Columns, with its usual artistic elements, the tapestry representing a scene from The Acts of the Apostlesa 17th-century work by Jan Raes and Jacob Geubels II, following Rafael Sanzio’s original for the Sistine Chapel. Next to it, several busts of Roman portraits – Julia Domna, Vibia Sabina or Galba – and the group of sculptures Charles V and the Fury, copy of the original of Leone and Pompeo Leoni preserved at the Prado National Museum. The historical and artistic references gave an image of continuity of the State through the centuries and linked it directly to certain words of the king focused on the present and future of Spain.
At the seat of the Crown
The header preceding the message reinforced the idea of institutional solemnity. During the national entrance anthem, nighttime images of the Royal Palace were broadcast, first from the exterior, on the façade of the Place d’Orient, then from the interior, along the Embajadores staircase to the Hall of Columns. The visit highlighted the importance of the Royal Palace to the Household of the King, as the seat of the Crown.
At closing, the balance sheet changed. During the starting national anthem, a series of images were projected showing the kings, Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofia throughout the year 2025 in different regions of Spain: Guadalupe, Móstoles, Brañosera, Tudela and Valdesoto. The sequence culminated with “Service, commitment and duty”, the motto of Felipe VI throughout his more than ten years of reign and with which the House of the King wants to project the territorial proximity, institutional presence and vocation of service of the Crown.
Since 1975
The broadcast of the Message, scheduled to begin at 9:00 p.m. on all media, was preceded by a video of almost ten minutes showing different sequences of the activities of the royal family during the year. Simultaneous broadcasting on television, on the web and on social networks has reinforced the modernization of a traditional format, adapted to new information consumption habits and which Its diffusion began in 1975 with Juan Carlos I.
The Royal Palace, the Hall of Columns, European symbols, artistic references and final images of the Royal Family compose a story that speaks of continuity, memory and commitment. All this to convey institutional stability And trust at a time marked by “a worrying crisis of confidence” which fuels populism.
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