Spain's Queen Sofia Snubs Brit Jubilee Over Gibraltar

Nations in dispute now over fishing rights
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted May 17, 2012 3:52 AM CDT
Updated May 17, 2012 4:14 AM CDT
Queen Sofia Snubs Brit Jubilee Over Gibraltar
Queen Sofia of Spain attends the Oath of Allegiance of the Royal Guards at El Pardo Palace in Madrid earlier this month.   (Getty Images)

Spain's Queen Sofia is dumping her planned trip to Britain to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee in a long-simmering snit over Gibraltar. It's "hardly appropriate" for Sofia, 73, to attend lunch at Windsor Castle tomorrow in light of the two nations' tensions over the territory, noted a statement from the Spanish government. Spain and the UK are currently bickering about fishing rights off Gibraltar, a territory ruled by Britain since 1713, but which is also claimed by Spain.

Spain is also protesting a planed June visit to Gibraltar by Elizabeth's son, Prince Edward, and his wife. Particularly hard for Spain to take at the Diamond Jubilee is that the British regimental band of Gibraltar will be performing. There's no response from the British royals on Sofia's snub, notes the BBC. (More Spain stories.)

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