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King Felipe and Queen Letizia have maintained a packed diplomatic schedule this fall. Just days after welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron to Madrid for a state visit, the Spanish royals are now traveling abroad themselves, arriving in Finland on Monday for a three-day visit that marks the first time a Spanish king and queen have made a state visit to the Nordic country in 37 years. The last such visit was made by King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía in 1989.
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Queen Letizia prior to departure in Madrid on Monday.
The trip, which runs from October 5 to 7, takes the royal couple to both Helsinki and Rovaniemi, a northern city in Finnish Lapland. According to the Royal Palace, the visit reflects Spain’s stated commitment to European security and strategic autonomy, including its interest in the Arctic and Baltic regions, and comes at a moment when both countries are partners in the European Union and allies in NATO.
Both dressed in business suits, King Felipe and Queen Letizia had a ceremonial sendoff at Madrid’s Barajas International Airport on Monday morning before departing for Helsinki. Queen Letizia rewore one of her favorite Hugo Boss suits, consisting of a double-breasted jacket and wide-legged trousers in gray Prince of Wales check, which she has been seen in on several previous occasions.
At the Spanish Red Cross headquarters in Madrid in January 2020.
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At the Royal Academy of Engineering in January 2021.
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At the Royal Palace in Madrid in December 2025.
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The couple’s first full day of engagements on Tuesday will include an official welcome ceremony outside the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, hosted by Finnish President Alexander Stubb and First Lady Suzanne Innes-Stubb. King Felipe will meet separately with both the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament and the Prime Minister, while Queen Letizia will tour a bilingual school. There will also be a formal state dinner to close out the day.
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The King and Queen boarding the royal jet in Madrid.
On Wednesday, King Felipe and President Stubb will visit the Lapland Air Wing and the Jäger Brigade in Rovaniemi before joining the full delegation at the Arktikum Arctic Science Centre and Museum for a meeting with representatives of the indigenous Sámi community. The state visit will conclude at the University of Lapland, where both leaders will deliver speeches on European security and global cooperation.
Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at @rk.passport.