On Tuesday, 15 October, in Barcelona, Santa Teresa, Planeta Prize, Oval room of the MNAC, a gathering of top Catalan business leaders was held to celebrate one of the country’s most influential groups, Planeta. The Spanish monarchs, who were present as special guests to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the publishing house in the city by the Lara family, were seated at the presidential table. The following image depicts the presidential table.

The King and Queen of Spain were seated on one side of the table, with the President of the Generalitat, the Mayor of Barcelona, the hosts of Planeta, the two Catalan Ministers, and the Head of the Royal House seated on the opposite side. A cake was placed in the centre of the table by Planeta as a means of facilitating the blowing out of the candles. The photograph depicts the presidential table blowing out the candles.

Prior to this, however, another tense moment occurred. Letizia examines the cake to ascertain whether it can be cut with a knife and proceeds to manipulate it. Felipe becomes enraged and strikes her. Such an act from a head of state towards his wife is one that is violent, aggressive and unforgivable. If he wished to reprimand her, it would have been more appropriate to do so in a verbal and private manner. It was inappropriate for him to make such a violent gesture in the presence of the other members of the royal family at the table of authorities.

Such an action would be akin to the slap that Leonor gave her grandmother, Sofia, in Palma Cathedral. Such behaviour is indicative of poor manners. The video is being disseminated via the social media platform Twitter.

Twitter users observed that Letizia’s husband made a gesture towards her right arm, while José Creuheras advised her to cease the action by touching her left arm. Pilar Eyre’s assertion is indeed accurate. There is a general consensus that Queen Letizia is the subject of criticism. Martin Bianchi of the newspaper El País posits that both parties are deserving of a physical reprimand. Two women were awarded the Planeta Prize, yet the country’s First Lady was publicly reprimanded. The cake was hurled at the count’s face.