The period floats have returned to circulate this Friday through Madrid to transfer six new foreign ambassadors to the Royal Palace, where Felipe VI was waiting for them to receive their credentials. With today's diplomats, there are already 37 diplomats who this year have given the King his credentials, the document that certifies each one of them as the representative and highest diplomatic authority of their country in Spain.
The first to comply this Friday with the formal act has been the new ambassador of the Netherlands, Roel Nieuwenkamp, at 10:30. He was followed, separated by half hour intervals, by Sarmila Parajuli Dhakal (Nepal), Michael Braad (Denmark), Salih Husain Ali Ali (Iraq), Khalifa M. Kh. H. Alkhorafi (Kuwait) and Andres Rundu (Estonia). The representative of Nepal has been the only woman of the diplomats who have paraded throughout the morning through the Royal Palace. By protocol, it is indicated that they wear a tailcoat, with a white tie and vest, or instead a full dress uniform or the national costume with personal decorations, and that they wear a long dress, if possible covered, or, as in the case for men, the dress of their country.
The ceremony, of great solemnity, has one of the oldest protocols in Europe, since it dates back to the 16th century, although the necessary adaptations have been made. For example, in relation to the carriages, which date from the 19th century, since the oldest are preserved in museums. Each of the ambassadors began the tour at the Santa Cruz Palace, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from where they traveled to the Royal Palace in a National Heritage carriage, drawn by horses, with groomsmen, lackeys and a coachman, dressed in uniforms from the time of Carlos III and white wigs. Upon arrival at the Royal Palace, a company of the Royal Guard pays tribute to the passage of the carriages and the music band interprets the national anthem of the country that the diplomat represents.
Once inside the palace, the ambassador and his companions climb the Ambassadors' Staircase, from where the ambassadors' introducer - a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - accompanies them through the Hall of Halberdiers, the Hall of Columns and the Saleta de Gasparini, to the Throne Room. The actual ceremony of handing over the credentials takes place in the Official Chamber, where the King is, and the Foreign Minister is present there.
There are no speeches at this event. But once the credentials have been delivered, the King invites the new ambassador to go to the Nuncio's Room, attached to the Official Chamber, where they have a brief conversation on various topics of interest.
In each ceremony, between six and seven foreign ambassadors present credentials to Felipe VI. The order of presentation is given by the arrival in Spain of each diplomatic representative and is important, since it establishes the precedence between them. That is to say, that he will mark his order in official acts.
During the pandemic, the ambassadors who went to the Royal Palace did so in official cars, escorted by the King's Guard. This year, the ceremony was done like this on January 13 and February 2. Since last May 19, the floats have returned to the Royal Palace four times, including this Friday. The delivery of the credentials to the King is the final step that allows the new ambassadors to fully carry out their functions in Spain. According to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the diplomat is considered to have assumed his duties from the moment he has presented his credentials to the King. Hence the importance of the ceremony and its solemnity. Previously, the ambassador must communicate his arrival and present copies of his credentials, a similar but unsigned document, to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
