The Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, traveled to Spain for the UN’s 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and attended a dinner hosted by the Spanish royal family Sunday night. However, an incident involving him and his wife, Carla Montenegro, caught attention on social media.
The episode occurred when the Prime Minister and Carla Montenegro were received by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at the Royal Alcázar of Seville. The footage shows the couple arriving and greeting the royals. However, instead of following protocol and posing for a photograph, they proceeded, prompting the monarch to call them back.
The confusion did not end there, as both appeared visibly embarrassed. Montenegro was supposed to stand beside Queen Letizia and his wife beside King Felipe VI, but they initially positioned themselves incorrectly and had to switch places.
After the photograph was taken, they left the room, and King Felipe VI took the opportunity to speak privately with Letizia—an exchange that curious observers speculated about.
The video shared on social media can be viewed in the gallery above.
The Portuguese Prime Minister and his wife were not the only ones to deviate from protocol. The most contentious moment was when Colombian President Gustavo Petro attempted to kiss Queen Letizia. She swiftly moved away, visibly uncomfortable, directing him towards the photograph session.
Soberana frenada de Doña Leticia al paseante, farsante, delirante, inquilino de la casa de Nariño @petrogustavo .
Disfruto pic.twitter.com/badsQF6RHV— Mauricio Mora (@supershadai) June 29, 2025
It should be noted that 60 heads of state and government attended the commencement of the Seville conference and were invited for Sunday night’s royal dinner in honor of the UN meeting.
The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development runs until Thursday, a decade after the last held in Ethiopia in 2015.
The event brings together over 60 world leaders and 4,000 representatives from civil society. The goal is to revitalize development aid, currently facing a $4 trillion annual shortfall according to the UN.
Amid increasing global conflicts and geopolitical tensions, resources are diverting towards military and security budgets, notably impacting humanitarian assistance and UN agency funding after the United States, with Donald Trump again as President, reduced contributions which accounted for 42% of total donations until last year.
Interestingly, the United States is the only UN member country not attending Seville, having withdrawn from the negotiation of the “Commitment of Seville” declaration, despite not vetoing its vote.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres, will host the conference.
The Seville conference “is a unique opportunity to reform the international financial system,” which is currently outdated and dysfunctional, stated António Guterres recently, who will serve as the meeting’s host.
