Spain’s Royals Visit Ceuta Amid Rising Tensions With Morocco

Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the North African enclave of Ceuta on October 13, marking the first visit by a Spanish head of state to the territory since 2007. The visit comes amid growing tensions between Spain and Morocco over border management and migration, with Morocco claiming Ceuta and the neighbouring enclave of Melilla as its own.

During their visit, the royal couple paid tribute at a Muslim cemetery where more than 100 migrants who died during a mass crossing from Morocco in July were buried. Thousands of residents welcomed the royals, waving Spanish flags. King Felipe reaffirmed Spain’s position on the territory, stating that Ceuta is part of Spain and Europe. The visit was also accompanied by representatives of the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Hindu communities.

Tensions have intensified following the arrival of more than 72,000 migrants from Morocco, with at least 10,000 reportedly remaining in Ceuta and placing pressure on local resources. Morocco’s King Mohammed has indicated that the existing migration cooperation model with Spain has reached its limits. The Spanish government views the royal visit as a show of support for Ceuta and its residents, while opposition parties have criticised its handling of the dispute. King Felipe and Queen Letizia are scheduled to visit Melilla on Wednesday.

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