On September 29 and 30, 2026, Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron are to travel to Madrid for a state visit focused on Franco-Spanish relations. Letizia and Felipe VI will notably welcome them at the Zarzuela, a discreet royal residence that has a history full of surprises.
In short, this diplomatic meeting will combine protocol, exchanges between the two couples, and the discovery of a historically rich location. Information published on September 28 mentions an official welcome and a state dinner, while the detailed program remains to be confirmed.
At the Zarzuela, a royal welcome at the heart of the official visit
After a trip to Metz on Monday, September 28, Emmanuel Macron is set to join Madrid the following day with Brigitte Macron. The official visit is announced to last for two days, on September 29 and 30, with a welcome from Felipe VI and Letizia. The Zarzuela Palace thus provides a unique backdrop for these reunions between French officials and the Spanish royal family.
Since the complete program has not yet been revealed in the available information as of September 28, it is better to distinguish the announced stages from the sequences that are only being considered. An official welcome with honors is expected, as is a state dinner organized by the sovereigns. The information published about the visit program sheds light on the stakes of this sequence.
The Zarzuela Palace, a former hunting lodge
The Zarzuela was built in 1627 at the request of Philip IV, who wanted a residence for leisure and hunting. Destroyed during the Spanish Civil War, between 1936 and 1939, it was subsequently reconstructed exactly as it was under Franco’s regime. Its rectangular lines and arcade galleries recall this tumultuous history, far from the image of a palace designed for grand ceremonies.
The estate includes gardens, fountains, a vegetable garden, and a nursery. It is not open to the public: the behind-the-scenes of the meeting will therefore take place in a space rarely accessible to visitors. However, Felipe VI and Letizia’s daily residence is located in the Princes’ Pavilion, a modern building where the couple has lived since 2004.
A diplomatic meeting fueled by already established ties
The two couples have met several times since 2018. In January 2026, Felipe VI traveled to Paris without Letizia: Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron welcomed him at the Élysée for lunch, followed by a visit to the Palace of Versailles. This stage gives particular significance to the reception in Madrid, which is part of an ongoing dialogue between the two countries rather than a simple protocol meeting.
The Spanish press has also announced that the sovereigns would award the Macrons the Order of Isabella the Catholic during their trip. This distinction is reported in an article dedicated to the announced decoration. A mark of honor that highlights the symbolic dimension of the visit.
Letizia and Brigitte Macron, an exchange beyond ceremonial
Attention will also be focused on Letizia and Brigitte Macron, two public figures accustomed to official engagements. Media sources mention the possibility of a joint commitment, but no specific project has been confirmed in the available information. We will thus have to wait for the visit to see if their meeting will lead to a particular sequence, beyond protocol exchanges.
The state dinner, if confirmed in the final program, is expected to be one of the highlights of these two days. The information published about the gala dinner allows us to measure its ceremonial importance. For Franco-Spanish relations, these gestures are as significant as official exchanges.
Between the history of the Zarzuela and the reunions of the two couples, this visit promises a particularly noteworthy diplomatic sequence. To discover more information about Sébastien Auzière and the Macron family, visit sebastien-auziere.fr.
