ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain toured St. Augustine's centuries-old Spanish-built castle and other historic sites in his country's former colony before addressing hundreds of well-wishers from a balcony downtown on Friday.
The king and queen arrived in the city Friday morning, took a quick tour of the historic district, the Castillo de San Marcos and St. Augustine's City Hall. King Felie then made brief remark in both English and Spanish about the city's 450 years of common history to people gathered at the Plaza de la Constitucion.
"It's really a memorable day for us," King Felipe told the crowd. "We're visiting this historic and beautiful city, a true symbol of imperishable ties that bound us Spaniards and Americans together, and also a living monument honoring the Spanish role in the early days of European presence as founders of the first permanent settlement in what is today part of the United States of America, and the beautiful state of Florida, of course."
As he spoke, hundreds of people stood listening and holding red carnations, the flower of Spain, and the Spanish flag.
After the king finished speaking, he and the queen walked into the plaza to placed a wreath at a monument to the Spanish Constitution of 1812 -- when St. Augustine was still a colony.
"So proud to be a Spaniard and to be here in St. Augustine, because I love St. Augustine," Maria Henle said.
The king and queen then crossed the street for a private tour of the Cathedral Basilica -- the first Catholic church on the American continent -- and rang the church's four facade bells, which the Diocese of St. Augustine dedicated to the king and queen.
For students of the Cathedral Parish School, Friday was a history lesson come to life.
"I think it was really cool. it was a once in a lifetime thing," Patrick Lane said.
Friday night, King Feliple make remarks during opening ceremonies at the 20th annual meeting the United States-Spain Council, scheduled at Flagler College this year to coincide with the city's 450th birthday.
The king highlighted the importance of the council with the growing number of Spanish companies, entrepreneurs and managers in the U.S. He hopes forums like this one help lawmakers, businessmen and academics generate more international conversations and collaborations.
IMAGES: Spanish king, queen visit to U.S., St. Augustine
UNCUT: King Felipe's remarks to people of St. Augustine
RESOLUTION: U.S. Senate welcomes King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia
Friday was the final day of the royal couple's week in the United States. After touring Mount Vernon on Tuesday, King Felipe met with President Barack Obama at the White House, where the pair discussed the importance of working together to ensure that refugees are safe and treated with humanity.
Felipe delivered the inaugural Master Lecture Thursday evening at Miami Dade College.
The king of Spain's visit coming during the month that the city commemorated its founding is more than the city's 450th director, Dana Ste. Claire ever imagined.
"We knew that in some capacity he was going to recognize St. Augustine's anniversary. We didn't know he was going to actually physically come here," Ste. Claire said.
Ste. Claire said the king and queen asked to see certain places, and their visit reflects that. After seeing the historic sites, they went to the Government House, where King Felipe VI came out on the King's Balcony before headed for Cathedral Basilica.
"It's really exciting considering that the Spanish crown that they represent (are) the ones who gave the first money that the original part of this church back in the 1790s," Father Tom Willis said.
Willis said three of those original walls still stand, and the cathedral will honor the visit by dedicating four facade bells that have been in place since the cathedral was constructed in the 1790s to the king and queen.
Ste. Claire said having the king and queen in St. Augustine speaks volumes.
"It gives us great satisfaction in knowing that we've messaged this important story to the world, that the world, that the rest of the world is listening to the founding of America," he said. "It happened right here in 1565."
King Felipe, 47, became king of Spain last summer when his father, Juan Carlos, abdicated the throne after 39 years amid numerous scandals. Earlier this summer, the new king stripped his sister of her duchess title after she was accused of tax evasion.
He has pledged to restore trust in the monarchy after allegations of corruption.
The couple's St. Augustine visit was their final stop before returning to Spain.
The last visit by Spain's monarchs to the city was in April 2001, when Felipe's parents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, visited St. Augustine for about three hours. They also visited the Castillo de San Marcos and the Colonial Quarter, took a walk along St. George Street and also made remarks from the east balcony of Government House, after which it was named the King's Balcony.