Spain’s king and queen begin first Finland visit in nearly 40 years
Tuesday 6th October 2026 on 08:45 in
Finland
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain are making a two-day state visit to Finland, the first visit by a Spanish royal couple in nearly 40 years, Yle reports.
President Alexander Stubb and his wife, Suzanne Innes-Stubb, will welcome the couple at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday. The visit is expected to focus on closer Finnish-Spanish relations as EU and NATO members, European security and defence, Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Arctic region.
The royal couple will attend a lunch hosted by Helsinki Mayor Daniel Sazonov at Helsinki City Hall. King Felipe is also scheduled to meet Speaker of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho and Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. The first day will end with a formal dinner hosted by the president and his wife at the Presidential Palace.
On Wednesday, the king and queen will lay wreaths at the Heroes’ Cross and at the grave of Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim in Hietaniemi Cemetery. Later, Stubb and King Felipe will visit Lapland Air Command and the Jaeger Brigade.
The visit will conclude at the University of Lapland, where Stubb and the king will meet students and give speeches on European security, global engagement and cooperation.