Royal wedding guests head for Madrid

Queen Rania of Jordan wore a powder pink trenchcoat, a wise choice given the city's forecast for showers
Photo: © AFP
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Nelson Mandela and his wife Graca, carrying a bouquet of blooms, landed at the airport on Friday
Photo: © AFP

ROYAL WEDDING GUESTS HEAD FOR MADRID

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Just a week after royal guests packed Copenhagen for the nuptials of Crown Prince Frederik and Australian Mary Donaldson, the spotlight has moved to Madrid.

The Spanish capital was bustling on Friday as royals and dignitaries jetted in from around the world in readiness for the wedding of Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe and his bride-to-be Letizia Ortiz.

Among those taking in the sights in the nearby sleepy village of Aranjuez - famous for its strawberries and as a summer retreat for past Spanish monarchs - was Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, who arrived in Spain on Thursday.

While the Japanese heir to the throne was able to check out the tourist spots, other guests arrived on the eve of the big day, cutting down on their time to explore.

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit landed at a local airport with baby Princess Ingrid in tow, and headed straight to the Madrid Ritz Hotel. Queen Rania of Jordan wore a stylish pink trench to protect her from the inclement weather and another luminary, former South African president Nelson Mandela, was joined by his wife, who carried a massive bouquet of springtime blooms.