The Government has awarded several members of the Government of Italy with such distinguished decorations as the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III or the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel la Católica. The Official State Gazette (BOE) has published two royal decrees from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation in this regard.
Error in the decoration of the President of Italy
The BOE has published by mistake that the Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Carlos III is awarded to the president of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, when he has actually been awarded the Collar of the Orderwhich is of a higher grade.
The Royal Family has reported this error and has indicated that it will be corrected. This coincides with the first state trip of Kings Felipe VI and Letizia Ortiz to Italy. Precisely, today, on the second day of the trip, they were received by Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace, the headquarters of the Italian Presidency.
The Charles III Necklace is of a higher grade since It is reserved for very few people: to members of the Spanish royal family and heads of State and Government, as well as Spanish citizens who have held the Grand Cross for more than three years.
The President of Italy has received this decoration because can be granted “to persons of foreign nationalityprovided that they have provided extraordinary and meritorious services to Spain or out of courtesy and reciprocity to high dignitaries of other nations.”
Except for the Royal Family, the number of living citizens who can receive it is restricted to 25according to information from Zarzuela.
Other decorations that have been awarded
In the other BOE published today it is indicated that the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has received lGrand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic along with other members of the Council of Ministers and members of the Government of Italy.
