HH the Amir Receives Phone Call from King of Spain

His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a telephone call on Wednesday from His Majesty King Felipe VI of the Kingdom of Spain, during which the Spanish monarch expressed his sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy on the death of the Late Father Amir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died Sunday at the age of 74.

Warm Qatar-Spain Ties

The call reflects the close and longstanding relationship between Qatar and Spain, whose leaders maintain regular contact on both bilateral and international matters. King Felipe VI and Sheikh Tamim have exchanged visits and messages over the years, and the two countries have deepened cooperation across trade, investment, and diplomacy. In September 2025, the Spanish king telephoned Sheikh Tamim to strongly condemn an Israeli attack on Qatar, describing it as a flagrant violation of international law.

A Wave of Royal Condolences

King Felipe's call formed part of a steady stream of messages from monarchs and heads of state as the mourning period continued. On the same day, Sheikh Tamim received telephone calls from His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco and His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium, both of whom conveyed their condolences on the passing of the Father Amir, with the Amir expressing his gratitude for their sincere fraternal sentiments.

Earlier in the week, Sheikh Tamim had received condolences by phone from US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, while King Charles III of the United Kingdom and King Abdullah II of Jordan were among the many monarchs and leaders who issued messages of sympathy. Britain's Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, traveled to Doha on Wednesday to offer condolences in person on behalf of the United Kingdom.

Three Days of Global Tribute

The messages capped three days of condolence receptions at Lusail Palace, where Sheikh Tamim received an extraordinary procession of world leaders in person, including UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and numerous other presidents, prime ministers, and royal representatives from across the Gulf, the Arab world, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Sheikh Hamad's Legacy

Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 until voluntarily handing power to Sheikh Tamim in 2013, one of the rare peaceful transfers of leadership in the Gulf. His 18 years in power transformed Qatar into one of the world's leading liquefied natural gas exporters and an influential diplomatic power, and saw the founding of Al Jazeera in 1996 and the successful bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Qatar declared four days of national mourning beginning Sunday, with flags at half-mast and government work suspended until employees return on Sunday, July 19.

Sources: Qatar Tribune; The Peninsula Qatar; Amiri Diw