crown

After the abdication of King Juan Carlos was announced this Monday morning, the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, made a statement in which he emphasised that Catalonia's self-determination process was continuing. Mas wished the Crown Prince and soon-to-be new King Felipe "good luck" and "to make wise decisions and be successful, because we want things to work out for Spain, and the monarchy represents the Spanish State." However, he asked the new King and the rest of Spanish institutions "to respect the Catalans' will" to hold a self-determination vote in order "to decide on our collective future, based on mutual respect and loyal cooperation". Such a vote has been scheduled by a large majority of Catalan parties for 9November, 2014.

The Catalan fashion and fragrance multinational Puig, which runs international brands such as Carolina Herrera, Nina Ricci, Paco Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier and Prada, has unveiled its new international headquarters, located in L'Hospitalet business district in Greater Barcelona. The tower has been designed by Rafael Moneo, who won the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 1996. The Catalan company has also presented its results for 2013, organising a press conference for the first time. Puig's turnover reached €1.499 billion last year, posting a net profit of €176 million, 2% more than in 2012. In addition, the multinational's CEO, Marc Puig, announced that the company aims to become the world's 3^rd largest luxury brand group by 2020. Currently it occupies 6^th position.

An exhibition, with documents dating from between the 10th century and 1493, displays the oldest preserved copy of the ‘Capitulations of Santa Fe’. This agreement was signed by the Catholic Kings in April 1492 and accepted Christopher Columbus’ terms to undertake the trip after which Europeans would become aware of the Americas. The document granted Columbus the titles of Admiral, Viceroy and Governor-General of all the lands he would discover and set that he would keep a tenth of all future profits. The copy dates from 1493 and it is only rarely on display. It has been kept in the Archives of the Aragon Crown in Barcelona and now is on show along with 42 other documents showing the symbolic conception of travelling in the Middle Ages.

Pere Navarro, the Secretary General of the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC), has publicly asked Juan Carlos “to resign” and ensure “a quiet replacement” in favour of the Crown Prince Felipe. According to Navarro, “a dedicated Republican”, the abdication is “necessary” and would “answer the needs of our times”. Navarro is aiming for Felipe to play “a relevant role to mediate the deep changes required in our country”. Immediately after this, the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) – which the PSC is part of as a federated member – rejected Navarro’s proposal and said they considered it to be “totally inadequate”. In the last few months, due to corruption scandals and other incidents, popular support of the monarchy has fallen in Spain.

The Spanish Government has finally finished the construction work and circulation tests on the last 131-kilometre stretch of railroad to France. Barcelona, Girona and Figueres are now linked by High Speed Train, although a direct connection between the Catalan capital and France will have to wait until next April. Now, passengers can travel from Barcelona to Girona in only 37 minutes and to Figueres in a total of 53 minutes. If they want to continue to France, they will have to switch trains until April, when the Spanish trains will be standardised to be able to run in France. However, from now on, the Spanish and the French High Speed railway networks will finally be connected, twenty years after the Madrid-Seville line was unveiled. The Catalan President has emphasised that Catalonia is the Autonomous Community with the smallest amount of public infrastructures in Spain.

Based on a popular political satirical TV show of the Catalan Public Television Broadcaster, the veteran musical theatre company Dagoll Dagom presents ‘La Família Irreal’ (The Unroyal/Unreal Family). “It is a satire, a parody and a big joke […] about the Royal Family and the system that supports it”, explained Joan Lluís Bozzo, the show’s director. The musical is based on real events, such as elephant-hunting safaris, and it is portrayed by the same actors in the TV show ‘Polònia’. The Spanish King, the Queen, the Crown Prince, the Princess, the Infantas and their husbands will be singing 30 songs.

A scientific investigation on the four royal tombs and mummies buried in the Santes Creus Monastery confirms some beliefs, corrects others and unveils some secrets. Peter the Great, who conquered the Kingdom of Sicily in 1282, was dying his hair and Blanche of Anjou died from complications post labour. In the Middle Ages, the Crown of Aragon ruled the Western Mediterranean basin.