In the midst of a solemn scenario, there was a detail that did not go unnoticed during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia walked hand in hand. It may seem a minor gesture, but in the case of the King and Queen of Spain, it carries more weight than it seems.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia holding hands
Since assuming the Crown in 2014, the couple has maintained a formal attitude in official acts. Almost always physically distant, following protocol.
That’s why seeing them like this, united by such an intimate gesture, surprised many. And liked.
The Mauthausen camp, where more than 5,000 Spaniards died during World War II, imposes by itself. Being there is moving.
Perhaps that is why this unusual closeness emerged. Perhaps it was a way of holding each other. But there are those who see something else.
Spaniard Cristian Salomoni, an expert in non-verbal communication, interprets that moment as an emotional strategy. Not improvised.
He revealed to Vanitatis that the Kings’ body language broke with the usual rigidity. They were warm, empathetic, like a united couple facing the pain from the respect.
In this gesture, he assures, there is also a political message. A nod to memory, to reconciliation, to commitment to democratic values.
Political scientist Ana Salazar agrees that it was not a spontaneous gesture. She speaks of a careful staging, where the personal is mixed with the institutional.
In a place where the memory outweighs any speech, the symbols speak for themselves. And seeing the King and Queen holding hands, walking in silence between Republican flags, reinforces a clear narrative. A solid couple. A monarchy that feels. An institution that is close, even vulnerable.
The Royal Household not only allowed the photo to circulate. It shared it. And that also says a lot. Because in these times, every image is measured. It is analyzed. It is interpreted and this image spoke loudly.