King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain visited the North African Spanish city of Ceuta on Tuesday to express solidarity with local residents and honor migrants who have died amid a recent surge in crossings from Morocco. The visit comes in the wake of a mass influx of nearly 80,000 migrants into the city in July, a crisis that has heightened tensions between Spain and Morocco and placed significant strain on Ceuta’s resources.

During their visit, the monarchs met with residents, many of whom have expressed feelings of abandonment by mainland authorities as the city continues to grapple with the aftermath of the crossings. The royal couple also paid their respects at the Sidi Embarek Muslim cemetery, where at least 140 migrants who perished attempting to reach European soil are buried. Felipe and Letizia were accompanied by religious leaders representing Ceuta’s main faiths—Roman Catholicism, Islam, Judaism, and Hinduism—underscoring the city’s historic religious diversity amid growing social strains.

While most of the migrants who crossed into Ceuta were Moroccan nationals who were quickly repatriated, authorities estimate that around 15,000 remain in the city, including large numbers of minors. Many of these individuals have been forced to live in poor conditions, including on the streets or in temporary camps, some of which have since been demolished. The ongoing presence of migrants has fueled social tensions and become a politically charged issue across Spain ahead of upcoming elections, with opposition parties seeking to leverage migration concerns to challenge the ruling government.

The visit marks the first time a Spanish monarch has traveled to Ceuta and Melilla, Spain’s other North African exclave, since King Juan Carlos I toured the cities in 2007. After the overnight stay in Ceuta, Felipe and Letizia were scheduled to continue their trip to Melilla on Wednesday.

Ceuta’s mayor, Juan Jesús Vivas, who presented the king with the key to the city, called for the expulsion of migrants remaining after the mass crossing. In his remarks, Vivas described the situation as an “invasion” that had led to the deaths of 141 people and brought the city to the brink of crisis. Large crowds assembled to greet the royals, waving Spanish flags and chanting patriotic slogans.

The royal visit comes amid investigations into allegations of mistreatment and abuse of migrants by Spanish security forces following the crossings, including a report by Amnesty International. The Spanish government has deployed additional military and police personnel to manage the crisis and has pledged investments to support the city.

Diplomatic observers are closely monitoring the visit for possible reactions from Morocco, which disputes Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta and Melilla. While Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has praised Morocco’s role in helping resolve the crisis, some officials and analysts suggest Rabat could have done more to prevent the mass crossing. A Spanish Defense Ministry intelligence report released at the time described Moroccan forces as passive during the influx, warning that Morocco might exploit the situation to advance its strategic interests.

Analysts such as Haizam Amirah-Fernández of the Madrid-based Center of Contemporary Arab Studies view the mass crossing as an assault on Spain’s sovereignty with likely Moroccan awareness, if not direct involvement. He stressed that the incident sent a clear message to Spain, the European Union, the international community, and Morocco as the southern neighbor.

The royal visit to Ceuta, highlighting the city’s multicultural fabric and the humanitarian dimensions of the migration crisis, underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the Spanish enclaves in North Africa amid complex regional dynamics.