Duke Fernando and Duchess Sofía of Huéscar and Queen Sofía of Spain, their latest events in New York

Fernando Fitz-James Stuart and Sofía Palazuelo, Duke and Duchess of Huéscar, attended the annual gala of the Hispanic Society in New York on October 31. New York City played host to some of the most prominent figures of the Spanish aristocracy and jet set. Among them were the Duke of Medinaceli, Blanca Pons-Sorolla, great-granddaughter of Sorolla, etc.

Queen Sofía fulfilled her official agenda as planned. This trip to the Big Apple is part of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute's ‘America & Spain 250’ initiative, commemorating 250 years of independence, which is also supported by the Queen Sofía Foundation, which she herself presides over.

Queen Sofía began her schedule in Manhattan with a tribute to Spain's first ambassador to the United States, Diego de Gardoqui. November 12 also coincides with the anniversary of the Spanish diplomat's birth and death, as he was born on November 12, 1735, in Bilbao and died on November 12, 1798, in Turin.

Early in the day, Sofía unveiled a commemorative plaque dedicated to Diego de Gardoqui, Spain's first ambassador to the United States and a key figure in Spanish support for American independence. The location of the plaque, St. Peter's Church, the oldest Catholic parish in New York, has special symbolism: Diego de Gardoqui laid the first stone on November 4, 1785, 240 years ago.

Finally, Queen Sofía presided over the debut of the Reina Sofía School of Music Orchestra at the iconic Carnegie Hall.
The Reina Sofía School of Music, founded in 1993, has achieved a historic milestone as an international center of excellence for the education of young musicians thanks to a project called "Journey to the New World", in which the Colombian Youth Orchestra and others have also participated. The concert was attended by members of the Spanish and international jet set, including Ana Patricia Botín (CEO of Banco Santander) and her mother, Marchioness and pianist Paloma O'Shea, Sheikha Hind Bint Hamad Al Thani and others.