Hi! I had heard that Prince Felipe's wedding reception will take place at the end of May in the Royal Palace. Does anyone know if this will affect the parts of the palace that's open to the public and whether the hours will be shorten in preparation for the wedding? Thanks!

tcl, the Royal Palace will be closed from May 4th until May 26th mainly for security reasons. Being a huge palace means they have to check hundreds of rooms. There will be many important people and they have to care a lot about their security.

Antonio: Thanks for replying! You mentioned that the palace will be closed for several weeks, so does that mean that it would be closed when I'm in Madrid the first week of May? What is the exact date of the wedding?

I believe the actual date of the wedding is May 22.

I am embarassed to say that I am fully informed regarding this topic because of my addiction to Semana magazine. Luckily, the Borders Books near my house carries it!

Here's the info: The date is May 22 and it will take place promptly at 11 a.m. at La Catedral de la Nuestra Señora de la Almudena that is located across from the Royal Palace. While your average person will not have access to the actual ceremony or cathedral, there will most likely be some form through which Spaniards can participate (processional to the cathedral, etc.)

Here is a link to more information:
http://www.abc.es/boda/

Besides all the gossip shows going on and on ad naseum about the wedding, I think the whole thing is absolutely horrible. The Prince is gay, the expense will be borne by the public (they are already boosting the police in order to reap more traffic tickets to raise more money, and not just in Madrid), and all the hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars wasted on these out-of-date parasitic figureheads could be well used to help the many, many underserved citizens and poor. I cannot understand why the Europeans are so enamored of their royality. PLEEZE, join the 21st century! What a cruel farce.

Sorry Martin, but I´m with Silvita, I´m reading everything about the wedding -the revista "Semana" tambien!!!! On the day I´ll polish my tv screen ready for the action!!

Semana magazine website @ http://www.Semana.es (not the complete version - just bits and pieces).

They have nothing else better to do. :p

As for the Prince being gay, that was unexpected to hear. But then again I am not surprised, the whole royal families of Europe are so inbred onto one another it's hardly worth losing sleep over.

Lots of Europeans have had better things to do like kicking out their royals from time to time! As for them being in-bred, this may be true to some extent, though I fail to see what it might have to do with Felipe's sexual orientation!
For lots more monarchist news and feverish countdowns to the big day for all those of us with nothing better to do, meanwhile, check out www.hola.com
PS: The latest on the procession is that they're going to take a Rolls Royce around town and down to the basilica Nuestra Señora de Atocha. The route's being kept secret lest there be any attempts to follow the example of Mateo Morral who cast a shadow over Alfonso XIII's nuptials.