Brexit fallout continues with driving licence deal and Gib talks

Spanish government ministers approved the agreement that would allow UK driving licences held by residents in Spain to be exchanged for Spanish ones and vice versa from Thursday 16 March. The deal passed at the cabinet meeting on 14 March also included the exchange of information about traffic offences affecting road safety.

The agreement included reciprocal recognition and exchange of UK and Gibraltar driving licences in Spain, meaning that people from Gibraltar who hold Gibraltar driving licences would not need an International Driving Permit when they visit Spain.

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On Monday 4 December, the British and Spanish governments restarted conversations over the post-Brexit status of Gibraltar. The meeting came as Brussels confirmed that the next round of formal negotiations between the UK and the EU - the fifteenth so far – would take place in London on 13-14 December. The negotiation of the agreement is being carried out by London and Brussels, but is based on what was agreed by the Spanish and British governments in 2020.

Contact had been at a standstill for months as a result of the early elections in Spain and the recent elections in Gibraltar. The ongoing talks aim to give access for the Rock to Europe as part of the Schengen zone and keep free movement across the Gibraltar-Spain land border following the UK's exit from the EU.

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King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia joined other foreign royals at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday 6 May for the coronation of King Charles III. The king and queen were seated with members of other royal families from around the world, in front of the representatives of the Commonwealth and heads of state.

The Spanish couple attended a welcome reception the previous evening given by King Charles for members of foreign royal families for which Letizia wore a pistachio green dress designed by Victoria Beckham as a gesture towards British fashion.

Celebrations took place on the Costa del Sol including the various Royal British Legion branches, the Lions Club, Club Internacional de Nerja and 41 Club Nerja.