The diplomat Camilo Villarino already serves as the new Head of the King’s Household after the publication this Monday of his appointment in the Official State Gazette (BOE). The high position succeeds Jaime Alfonsín who, from now on, will serve as Private Counselor of Felipe VI.
Villarino’s inauguration takes place weeks after La Zarzuela announced the change in the organizational chart, without any special event having taken place beyond his entry into the office since the proclamation of Felipe VI, of which the next June 19 marks ten years, Alfonsín occupied.
The BOE makes effective on February 19, Royal Decree 185/2024, issued on February 16, and signed by the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the King by whom “Head of the House of His Majesty the King to Don Camilo Villarino March. In accordance with the provisions of Article 65, section 2, of the Constitution, and in accordance with the provisions of Articles 10.1 and 9.3 of Royal Decree 434/1988, of May 6. .
The Constitution grants the King the power to freely appoint positions in the King’s House.
Villarino joins in a week in which the King has several international events planned on his agenda. This afternoon he receives the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, at the Zarzuela; On Tuesday he visits the headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Allied Forces in Europe, in Mons (Belgium). A new batch of credentials from the new ambassadors of Mauritania, Jordan, China, Cape Verde and Singapore is announced for Wednesday, an event that will be held at the Royal Palace, in which Villarino will coincide with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who, in 2022, after his appointment to Sánchez’s cabinet, withdrew the plea request for the new head of the King’s House to be appointed ambassador to Moscow.
On Thursday, the King will hold a meeting with the president of Guatemala, César Arévalo, to whom, together with the Queen, he will also offer a lunch at the Royal Palace.
Next Sunday, the King will travel to Barcelona to attend the opening dinner of the Mobile Word Congress and he will do so accompanied by the new head of the King’s Household for whom it will be the debut of his new responsibility in Catalonia.
The royal decree appointing Villarino follows 184/2024, which communicates the dismissal of the previous head of the House, which also highlights his merits and the King’s gratitude for his services to the Crown with the following King: terms:
“Don Jaime Alfonsín Alfonso has provided outstanding services to the Crown, the Royal Family and me personally for almost three decades, with great loyalty, success and enormous dedication, demonstrating at all times an unwavering adherence to the Institution, as well as a deep love to Spain.
As a token of My gratitude and affection, in order to continue counting on your valuable and loyal advice after so many years of generous service, first as Head of My Secretariat as Prince of Asturias and later as Head of My House, by virtue of what was stated in article 65, section 2, of the Constitution, and in accordance with the provisions of articles 10.1 and 9.3 of Royal Decree 434/1988, of May 6,
I come to order that Mr. Jaime Alfonsín Alfonso cease as Head of My House and, from now on, perform the functions entrusted to him as Private Counselor.”
