It is not common to find the King on the street, especially in the middle of the morning. The tourists and walkers who were around the Royal Palace this Friday were surprised by the presence of Felipe VI who walked from the building that was once the residence of his ancestors, to the Gallery of the Royal Collections.
The King was in the Royal Palace where he received in audience a group of Peruvian sailors belonging to the crew of the training ship Unión, commanded by Admiral Luis José Polar Figari. At the end of the audience, the King, who changed the Navy uniform that the Peruvian military wore to the audience for civilian clothing, went out into the street to go to the Gallery of the Royal Collections, located in front of the square. of the Armory, where he had to preside over the presentation of the National Awards for Sociology and Political Science.
Instead of using the official car, the King walked through the square, from where there is a good perspective of both the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral, as well as the gardens located behind the palace and the gallery itself where For some months now, they have been exhibiting the treasures of the royal collections. Unlike other occasions, despite the King being inside the Royal Palace, tourist visits have not been restricted. During the tour, tourists have captured the unusual scene of the royal walk with their cell phones and have even placed the King as the background of their own selfies. At the entrance to the Gallery of the Royal Collections, adjacent to the cathedral, another group of visitors waited for the appearance of the King, whose passage they greeted with applause.
On his walk, the King has been accompanied by  the president of National Heritage, Ana de la Cueva, and by some of his collaborators from Zarzuela, the head of State has crossed the Patio de la ArmerÃa and has crossed the door located in front of the Almudena cathedral. Upon arriving at the gallery he met the Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts, Félix Bolaños, the Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, and the president of the Center for Sociological Research (CIS), José Félix Tezanos, with who participated in the awards ceremony.
At the museum, Felipe VI presented Professor Rafael Pardo Avellaneda and Professor Carlota Solé i Puig with the National Awards for Sociology and Political Science for the 2022 and 2023 editions, respectively. The award, granted by the CIS, recognizes the professional career or work of someone who has made a relevant scientific contribution in the field of Sociology or Political Science.
