Felipe and Letizia confirm the biggest news: they have a date and there's no turning back

The monarchs Felipe and Letizia have confirmed the biggest news: they already have a date to travel to La Palma and there's no turning back. The trip, scheduled for this very evening, marks a new chapter in Casa Real's commitment to those affected by the Tajogaite volcano. This is a highly symbolic event that brings the monarchs back to ground zero of a tragedy that shocked all of Spain.

Their arrival on the Isla Bonita, with a schedule timed down to the minute, coincides with their stay in the archipelago to attend tomorrow's Armed Forces Day parade. What's behind this lightning visit? Why have the monarchs chosen to return right now to the heart of the disaster?

The promise Felipe and Letizia made to those affected in La Palma

On September 19, 2021, La Palma changed forever. The eruption of the Tajogaite volcano left an open wound: nearly 3,000 properties destroyed, 46 mi. (74 km) of roads buried, and more than €842 million in losses.

Felipe and Letizia witnessed that tragedy from the very first days. Their visit on September 23 of that year left unforgettable images: the monarchs, visibly moved, listening to the stories of those who had lost everything. At that time, they made a promise: "We must do everything in our power to help the affected families move forward."

Since then, they have followed the reconstruction process with special attention, although they hadn't physically returned to the island for more than two years. This third visit by the king, and second by Queen Letizia, aims to verify how recovery is progressing in a society marked by tragedy.

Felipe and Letizia confirm the biggest news: they visit La Palma to see the progress of the works

The visit won't last more than a few hours, but it will be intense. The monarchs will arrive on the island separately, with just a 30-minute difference. Queen Letizia will land at Villa de Mazo airport at 7:30 p.m., while the King Felipe will arrive by helicopter at the El Paso soccer field.

They will be received by Fernando Clavijo, president of Canarias, and Sergio Rodríguez, president of the Cabildo of La Palma. Afterwards, they will head to the Lomo del Piojo parador, an elevated area from which the progress of the lava flows is visible. They will remain there for only five minutes, according to the official program.

After this brief stop, they will continue to the Plaza de La Laguna, one of the most devastated areas along with the Todoque center. There, at 8:30 p.m., the most desired meeting is scheduled: a gathering with 15 representatives from the affected platforms. These are voices that have been demanding attention and real solutions for years.

The day will conclude between 8:55 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. when the monarchs will leave the Plaza de La Laguna by separate routes. King Felipe will be taken to the El Paso soccer field to return to Tenerife by helicopter. Queen Letizia, meanwhile, will head to Mazo airport, from where she will take a flight to Los Rodeos.

Although brief, this visit reaffirms the institutional commitment to La Palma. The timing, right before Armed Forces Day, is no coincidence. It aims to highlight that recovery is also a matter of state, and that the memory of Tajogaite doesn't fade away among paperwork or protocols.

Felipe and Letizia keep their commitment to La Palma alive

Although the eruption is now history, the consequences are still present. Many families still live in temporary homes, the promised aid is slow to arrive, and there are key infrastructures that haven't even begun reconstruction.

This visit, driven directly by the monarchs, according to sources close to Zarzuela, seeks to bring visibility to these delays. It's a symbolic but powerful way to activate institutional memory in a territory that fears being forgotten. The promise made by Casa Real was clear: "To keep track of the works that must bring normality back to the island."

Felipe and Letizia want to take the pulse of a society that, although it has shown admirable resilience, carries an uncertainty that's hard to bear. In their conversations with those affected, specific demands, criticism of the pace of aid, and above all, the need to regain trust in the institutions are expected to arise.

This reunion with La Palma not only honors a pending promise, but also responds to the moral commitment made by the monarchs in 2021. At that time, King Felipe was left speechless after speaking with devastated residents. Today, he returns with the hope of seeing an island that, though wounded, is fighting to be reborn.

For all these reasons, the visit of Felipe and Letizia to La Palma represents much more than an institutional gesture. It reflects a genuine interest in those affected and a firm will to follow up. The volcano left deep scars, but the presence of the monarchs reaffirms that this tragedy hasn't been forgotten.