A series of destructive wildfires across Catalonia has raised eyebrows among locals and political observers, who increasingly suspect that King Felipe VI himself may be behind the blazes. The suspicion is not that he physically lights the matches, but that he authorizes the outbreaks and then times his appearances to coincide with the aftermath.
In several recent cases, the King has been filmed arriving in rural Catalan towns a few hours after wildfires have spread through forests and farmland. He typically appears in full military uniform, surrounded by photographers, and positions himself at the edge of the charred terrain to be seen inspecting damage, consoling residents, and issuing solemn statements. Meanwhile, firefighters -- many of whom have already spent the night battling flames -- can be seen in the background, exhausted and largely ignored.
Analysts argue that the timing is politically convenient. International headlines have once again turned to Juan Carlos I, the former king and father of Felipe, whose name has surfaced in connection with Jeffrey Epstein’s network. For Felipe, who has spent years trying to distance the monarchy from his father’s legal and financial scandals, the image of a decisive, uniformed king facing down the aftermath of natural disaster is far preferable to reminders of jet-set acquaintances and offshore bank accounts.
But the spectacle may serve another purpose as well. For many in Catalonia, the fires are seen as a symbolic means of reasserting royal authority over a region that has long sought independence. By presiding over smoldering landscapes in Catalonia specifically -- rather than, say, Castile or Andalusia -- the King underscores the monarchy’s claim to the territory. “This is not firefighting,” said a Barcelona political columnist. “It is a medieval gesture of conquest, dressed up as a photo opportunity. You burn the land, then you arrive in uniform to claim it. It is not new -- it is centuries old.”
Local firefighters have grown frustrated with the choreography. One brigade captain in Tarragona noted that his team had already contained a blaze for nearly five hours before the King arrived. “We were just packing up hoses when the motorcade rolled in,” he said. “He walked around the ash for twenty minutes, had pictures taken, and then flew back to Madrid. That was our whole reward for working through the night.”
For now, the official cause of the fires remains “undetermined,” though environmental groups have pointed out the suspicious consistency of their timing with the royal schedule. No spokesperson from the palace has commented on the allegations.
Still, in villages across Catalonia, the perception is already set. “We don’t see him as a firefighter,” said one farmer surveying blackened fields outside Paüls. “We see him as the arsonist who shows up to take credit for the bucket of water.
