The visit by the Queen’s youngest son and his wife Sophie Rhys-Jones has been
met with an outpouring of patriotism on the 2.6 square mile territory home
to 28,000 people. The couple have been greeted by flag waving and applause
during their busy schedule touring the territory.
But the Spanish government made an official complaint over the visit
expressing its “upset and concern” and later saying it came at an “inopportune
moment”. It also banned Queen Sofia from attending a Diamond Jubilee
lunch at Windsor Castle in protest.
Spain still claims sovereignty over the peninsula which was ceded to Britain
under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
The visit comes amid an ongoing conflict on fishing rights in waters
surrounding the Rock and rows over lengthy queues at the border imposed by
Spanish authorities.
Social networks were buzzing with complaints over plans to project the Queen’s
image on the Rock.
“A gigantic image of the Queen of England is to projected on the Rock.
It’s the latest indignity and a show of contempt,” raged one Spaniard
on a Facebook page called “Gibraltar, Español” which
demands that the territory be returned to Spain.
“We need a strong response from the Spanish government in the face of
this indignity,” wrote another.
“It could be seen as a provocation but that does not concern us at all,”
commented one Gibraltarian government employee.
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