Starting the day full of Royal outings, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain visited SOS Children village in San Lorenzo de El Escorial in Madrid. The school is the recipient of 2016 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord. Queen Letizia visited the School in 2019 too.
The school offers children, who are deprived of care parental in the Aldea de Madrid, a family, a stable home and a solid education, adopting a universal family model. During the visit, the President of the village explained the working of the organization to the Royal couple. SOS organization works to provide quality alternative care in a protective family environment to homeless children helping them to redirect their lives and break the intergenerational cycle of separation and abandonment. And when they come of age, it continues to support them until they reach their full integration into society.
The centre is being run by Aldeas Infantiles, a private, international, non-profit organization that won 2016 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord. It is the largest non-governmental organization dedicated directly to children in Spain. It serves children and young people who are in a vulnerable situation, promoting their development and autonomy, by fostering them in protective family environments and strengthening their family, social and community networks.
La Aldea de Madrid is located on a hill of Monte Abantos, in a privileged environment, surrounded by nature and has all the community, health and educational services that are nurtured in community with the residents of the town. The farm is arranged in a number of houses or vests, where girls and boys live with their educators, in addition to other facilities for common use such as libraries or meeting rooms, offices, playgrounds, etc.
The organization also supports families in vulnerable situations to strengthen them and improve their living conditions, so that they can adequately care for their children, thus avoiding family separation with a working model already extended in 136 countries. There are 46 young kids between the age of 5 and 17 years calling the village their home.
Felipe and Letizia toured the Children centre facilities and met with the staff during the visit. King and Queen also had the opportunity to see one of the homes, called “Hogar La Mancha”, where seven children live, two groups of brothers (who are between 6 and 17 years old) and their reference educator.
The Royal couple toured the exhibition of the artwork made by the kids living at the centre. Two children presented the King and Queen with two drawings as a parting gift.
In Madrid, the organization began its work in 1985 with the inauguration of the Aldea San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Today, 35 years later, the Village is made up of seven homes that house 46 boys and girls. Queen Letizia fist visited this centre on January 23, 2009, when she was Princess of Asturias.
Queen also had a videoconference meeting, on April 6, with directors of SOS Children’s Villages Spain to learn about the impact of the epidemic on the group of children and youth in vulnerable situations that this organization serves.
Letizia observing the artwork at the centre.
A video of the visit.
For the visit, keeping her style minimal and chic, Queen Letizia wore a black outfit. She wore a black Hugo Boss Fanaia Jacquard Sweater.
The $348 two-tone jacquard pattern sweater is crafted from a stretch fabric from a family-run factory in Italy. The wide-neck sweater features high ribbing at the stretch hemline and cuffs for a fitted silhouette. It is currently available for $174.
Queen paired the outfit with her black wide-leg culotte style trousers.
Letizia wore black Macarena Alba 10 Serraje wedges. The handmade in Spain suede espadrille with natural jute wedge features a closure with straps tied to the ankle and are currently available for €79.99.
Queen was wearing her small gold huggie hoop earrings and
her Karen Hallam ring.