The King and Queen are set to oversee the Armed Forces Day parade this Saturday in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The event will feature 2,266 military personnel, along with 35 aircraft, 21 helicopters, 67 vehicles, and 33 motorcycles. Their Majesties will arrive at the royal stand at 11:30 local time (12:30 mainland time), where they will be greeted by Defence Minister Margarita Robles and the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral General Teodoro López Calderón.
After acknowledging the officials, including the President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, they will witness a parachute jump by members of the Air Force’s acrobatic team, Papea. The raising of the flag and a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Spain will precede a flypast by the Patrulla Águila, painting the sky with the national colours and marking the start of the parade.
A total of 3,266 troops, 13% of whom are women, from the Army, Navy, Air and Space Force, Military Emergencies Unit (UME), Royal Guard, and Guardia Civil will parade over a 1,120-metre route on foot, in vehicles, or in aircraft.
Following the aerial display, the ground parade will take place, before another flyover by the Patrulla Águila concludes the annual ceremony honouring the Armed Forces. This is the second time Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts this parade, the first being in 1986 when the current King participated as a cadet from the General Military Academy.
