Newly crowned King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife, Queen Letizia, made their first official state visit to the Vatican where they had an audience with Pope Francis.
Ties between the Spanish royal family and the Vatican have always been strong. Felipe’s father, King Juan Carlos, recently met Pope Francis before his abdication from the throne.
Felipe, 46, was proclaimed king in a relatively modest ceremony to which no foreign royals or institutional representatives were invited.
Spain is historically a Roman Catholic country, but Felipe broke with tradition at his coronation by not having a religious ceremony to mark his enthronement.
The decision to meet the Pope for their first official trip abroad has drawn criticism for the new monarchs.
Spain's Foreign Minister Garcia-Magallo said the new King is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.
In a statement released on Sunday, The Vatican has revealed plans for Pope Francis to visit Spain in 2015, a trip that will include Santiago de Compostela, to commemorate the pilgrimage of Saint Francis of Assisi.
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