King Felipe of Spain has been accused of ignoring Gibraltar's right to determine its own future in his address to parliament during his state visit to the UK.
The monarch told MPs and peers that the "two governments" of Spain and the UK would find a solution to the territory's future that is "acceptable to all involved".
He added that both sides should seek "dialogue" over the dispute.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
His words provoked an angry response from Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, who said Felipe was "seeking to ignore" the sovereignty of the Rock.
"What the King has said really harks back to a time when the governments in Madrid and London might make decisions over the heads of the people of Gibraltar," he told Sky News.
The territory's status was "not up for discussion or negotiation", he added.
Picardo also said the King’s comments suggested he was treating Gibraltar as something that could be "traded from one monarch to another", like a "pawn in a chess game, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle.
Tory MPs had threatened to walk out during the monarch's speech if Felipe claimed Spanish sovereignty over Gibraltar, the Daily Telegraph reports.
While no explicit claim was made, Conservative politician Andrew Rosindell called Felipe's comments "inappropriate" and said the diplomatic status of Gibraltar was "none of his business."
Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted Gibraltar's future will not be part of the Brexit discussions.
-
5 cinematic cartoons about Bezos betting big on 'Melania'Cartoons Artists take on a girlboss, a fetching newspaper, and more
-
The fall of the generals: China’s military purgeIn the Spotlight Xi Jinping’s extraordinary removal of senior general proves that no-one is safe from anti-corruption drive that has investigated millions
-
Why the Gorton and Denton by-election is a ‘Frankenstein’s monster’Talking Point Reform and the Greens have the Labour seat in their sights, but the constituency’s complex demographics make messaging tricky
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
