SPAIN’S King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and their two daughters Leonor and Sofia, paid a visit to Ukrainian refugees at a reception centre in Pozuelo de Alarcon outside Madrid on Saturday.  

It was the first official appearance for Princess Leonor since she returned from boarding school in Wales for the Easter holiday.

Spanish Royals Visit Families Of Ukrainians In Madrid, Spain 16 Apr 2022
Royal Family visiting a refugee reception center in Pozuelo. Image from Cordon Press

The heiress to the throne was dressed in a white blouse with black embroidery that appeared similar to the traditional Ukrainian design known as a vyshyvanka.

Spanish Royals Visit Families Of Ukrainians In Madrid, Spain 16 Apr 2022
Spain’s Princess Leonor wore an outfit that recalls a Ukrainian design. Photo: Cordon Press.

The reception centre in Pozuelo de Alarcon is one of four official centres across Spain that receives newly arrived Ukrainians who have fled the Russian invasion.

Spanish Royals Visit Families Of Ukrainians In Madrid, Spain 16 Apr 2022
Queen Letizia talking with some workers at the reception center in Pozuelo de Alarcon. Image from Cordon Press.

So far 6,000 poeple have passed through its doors, almost half of the more than 12,000 that had arrived in Spain via official channels by the end of March.

Refugees are offered a room for up to 72 hours before being transferred to other more suitable accommodation.

Spanish King Felipe Vi And Queen Letizia Ortiz With Daughters Princess Of Asturias Leonor De Borbon And Infant Sofia De Borbon During A Visit To The Refugee Reception And Referral Center / Refugee Reception And Referral Center (creade) In Pozuelo De Alarcó
King Felipe VI talking with a few refugees in Pozuelo. Image from Cordon Press.

The Royal Family visited the centre which is known as CREADE on Saturday afternoon where they stopped and spoke with Ukrainains to ask how they were settling into their new lives in Spain.

Spanish King Felipe Vi And Queen Letizia Ortiz With Daughters Princess Of Asturias Leonor De Borbon And Infant Sofia De Borbon During A Visit To The Refugee Reception And Referral Center / Refugee Reception And Referral Center (creade) In Pozuelo De Alarcó
Princess Leonor de Borbon talking with a few children in the reception center in Pozuelo. Image from Cordon Press.

The centre has catering set up by World Food Kitchen, the NGO set up by Spanish chef Jose Andres to feed those in need at crisis points around the world.

Jose Luis Escriva, Spain’s minister of health, migration and inclusion accompanied the monarch and his family on the visit

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