▲ Spain's King Felipe VI
The King and Queen of Spain are set to visit Ceuta, their territory in North Africa, where a large-scale migrant border-crossing crisis took place.
The Spanish royal household announced on the 1st local time that King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will visit Ceuta on the 13th, followed by Melilla, another nearby overseas territory, the next day.
This marks the first time a Spanish monarch is visiting Ceuta and Melilla in about 19 years, since Juan Carlos I did so in November 2007.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who has been driven into a political crisis due to the Ceuta situation, requested the King's visit last month, stating that Ceuta "needs the support of the state more than ever."
In Ceuta, which borders Morocco, a massive border-crossing crisis occurred on July 30-31 when some 70,000 people crossed the border into Spanish territory, triggering a blame game between the two countries.
The Spanish King's visit to Ceuta is also a sensitive issue regarding territorial disputes.
Morocco, which gained independence from France in 1956, argues that Ceuta—ruled by Portugal and Spain since the 15th century—should be returned to it just like its other African colonies.
When Juan Carlos I visited Ceuta in 2007, Morocco protested, calling it an "unacceptable provocation" and recalling its ambassador to Spain.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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