Ceuta crowds affirm Spanish identity during royal visit

Thousands of residents gathered along the streets of Ceuta, waving Spanish and Ceuta flags, cheering the royal couple and holding signs that read "Welcome to your home, Your Majesties." Upon landing at the city's heliport, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia stopped to greet people, shaking hands and conversing with residents. They later addressed the crowd from the balcony of Ceuta's City Hall, flanked by the city's president, Juan Vivas.

The royal visit marks the beginning of a two-day itinerary, which includes meetings with local officials, a school visit, a memorial service at the Sidi Embarek Muslim cemetery for victims of recent migrant crossings, and discussions with civil-society leaders. The state visit is politically sensitive, as Morocco asserts its claim to Ceuta and Melilla, two Spanish enclaves on the North African coast.

Morocco strongly protested the last royal visit in 2007 and reacted harshly to the July migration crisis, which saw over 70,000 people cross from Morocco into Ceuta in two days, straining the territory's resources. Morocco recalled its ambassador to Madrid for talks and criticized what it called the "political instrumentalization" of the crisis.

However, many Ceutans viewed the large crowd turnout as a strong reaffirmation of the city's Spanish identity. The royal couple will spend the night in Ceuta before continuing their journey to Melilla on Wednesday.