King Felipe VI will award Charles with the Golden Fleece at the end of January, when he is due to travel to Spain on his first state visit to Spain since the death of Elizabeth II.
The Golden Fleece is the highest decoration of the Royal Household and can only be awarded by the King of Spain. This gesture will mark a milestone in relations between the two royal houses and will become a highlight of the year’s diplomatic agenda.
Whether King Charles will return to Mallorca on this visit remains to be seen. Mallorca has always been a top holiday spot for King Charles III and the royal family.
You name it, King Charles III has visited most countries in the world, but when it comes for holidays and not ceremonial duty, Mallorca is apparently the third most popular destination for him and many members of the royal family.
According to Town & Country magazine, Mallorca is third to Mustique, Saint Vincent and Botswana and is followed by Nevis, Norfolk, The Bahamas, Corfu, Klosters, Isles of Scilly and The Scottish Highlands.
In his book “HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES WATERCOLOURS” there is a section dedicated to his favourite paintings of Mallorca.
The first is of Valldemossa which, in the accompanying comments written by the former Prince he states: “This village in Mallorca is one of the most attractive on the island. If you approach it from the valley below, at a time when the evening sunbathes it in a golden light and daubs long shadows across the buildings and out into the surrounding olive groves, you suddenly find yourself begging to stop the care in order to appreciate it better.”
He wrote of his painting of Puerto Andratx: “Andratx is another of the rather attractive small towns in Mallorca with a busy harbour full of yachts and general tourist activity. Trying to find a quiet spot in the evening from which to paint was quite impossible.”
Both of his sons have been to Mallorca for a number of holidays as have his two brothers and other members of the royal family.
Sarah Ferguson stayed at one of Sir Richard Branson’s luxury villas on his Son Bunyola estate, which is being renovated into a luxury hotel and is due to open next June, while the late Lady Di stayed at Branson’s La Residencia Hotel in Deya - which he has since sold and opened the new luxury Son Bunyola Hotel on the island.
Should King Charles return to Mallorca it will not be the first time British monarchs have visited the island.
On October 22, 1988, the late Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were greeted by brilliant sunshine and a crowd of more than 500 flag-waving admirers, when they arrived at Palma’s Dique del Oeste on board the royal yacht Britannia.
It was a perfect start to the royal couple’s visit to Mallorca and for a three-day stay as guests of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia.
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