Pedro Sánchez attends the awarding of the Order of the Golden Fleece to Queen Sofía, Felipe González, Miguel Herrero y Rodríguez de Miñón and Miquel Roca

Royal Palace, Madrid

The President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, the Speakers of the Lower House and Upper House of Parliament, Francina Armengol and Pedro Rollán, and Queen Sofía, during the ceremony (EFE)

King Felipe VI presented his mother, Queen Sofía, with the Collar of the Illustrious Order of the Golden Fleece, which he awarded to her in January this year to publicly recognise her dedication and commitment to the service of Spain and the Crown.

The monarch also decorated the two living "fathers" of the Constitution, Miguel Herrero y Rodríguez de Miñón and Miquel Roca i Junyent, for their dedication and commitment "to the service of Spain and the Crown, through their efforts to promote coexistence and the constitutional order". The King also bestowed the highest distinction granted by the Royal Household upon former Prime Minister Felipe González, for his "dedication and commitment to the service of Spain, the Crown and the integration of our country into Europe and the international community." The Council of Ministers proposed these latest decorations on 21 October.

With the awarding of these four Orders of the Golden Fleece, the Crown wishes to recognise those who, from various fields, contributed to making Spanish democracy not only possible but also consolidated.

The ceremony was part of the commemorative events marking the 50th anniversary of the restoration of the monarchy following the death of Francisco Franco and the proclamation of Juan Carlos I as King on 22 November, 1975.

The event was attended by the Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, Francina Armengol; the Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament, Pedro Rollán; the President of the Constitutional Court, Cándido Conde-Pumpido; and the President of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary, Isabel Perelló, among other authorities.

Representing the Government, in addition to the President, were the First Vice-President of the Government of Spain and Minister for Treasury, María Jesús Montero; the Minister for the Presidency, Justice and Parliamentary Relations, Félix Bolaños; the Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares; the Minister for Defence, Margarita Robles; the Minister for Home Affairs, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and the Minister for Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory, Ángel Víctor Torres.

Non official translation