数千名居民站在街道两旁，挥舞着西班牙和塞乌塔的旗帜，欢呼王室夫妇，并举着写有“欢迎回家，陛下们”的标语。国王和王后降落在塞乌塔的直升机停机坪后，沿途前往市政厅的路线上停下来向人们问好，握手并与居民交谈。随后，他们在非洲广场（Plaza de África）可俯瞰的议会宫阳台上出现，身旁是塞乌塔总统胡安·维瓦斯。
Thousands of residents lined the streets, waving Spanish and Ceuta flags, cheering the royal couple and holding signs reading: “Welcome to your home, Your Majesties.”After landing at Ceuta’s heliport, the King and Queen stopped to greet people along the route to City Hall, shaking hands and speaking with residents. They later appeared on the balcony of the Palace of the Assembly, overlooking Plaza de África, alongside Ceuta’s president, Juan Vivas.
此次访问为期两天的活动拉开序幕，包括与当地官员会晤、学校访问、在西迪·恩巴雷克穆斯林墓园举行纪念仪式以缅怀七月份大规模海上渡海期间遇难者，以及与民间社会代表进行对话。
The visit begins two days of engagements, including meetings with local officials, a school visit, a tribute at the Sidi Embarek Muslim cemetery to people who died during July’s mass sea crossings, and talks with civil-society representatives.
此次访问具有外交敏感性。摩洛哥宣称对塞乌塔和梅利利亚——这两座位于北非海岸的西班牙城市——拥有主权，并对2007年的最后一次王室访问作出强烈反应。此访问紧随七月份的移民危机之后，当时超过7万名人士在两天内从摩洛哥进入塞乌塔，给该领土带来巨大压力。摩洛哥在访问前召回其驻马德里大使以进行磋商，而摩洛哥国王穆罕默德六世批评了他所说的危机的政治“工具化”。
The visit is diplomatically sensitive. Morocco claims sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla, the two Spanish cities on the North African coast, and reacted sharply to the last royal visit in 2007. It follows July’s migration crisis, when more than 70,000 people entered Ceuta from Morocco over two days, placing severe pressure on the territory. Morocco recalled its ambassador to Madrid for consultations ahead of the trip, while King Mohammed VI criticised what he called the political “instrumentalisation” of the crisis.
对塞乌塔的许多人而言，此次庞大的人群 turnout 是对该市西班牙身份的公开肯定。王室夫妇将在塞乌塔度过一晚，随后于星期三前往梅利利亚。
For many in Ceuta, the large turnout was a public affirmation of the city’s Spanish identity. The royal couple will spend the night in Ceuta before travelling to Melilla on Wednesday.