Belgian Prince Joachim issues apology for lockdown party in Spain, says 'I deeply regret'

Belgium’s Prince Joachim, son of Prince Lorenz, has issued a public apology for flouting restrictions and attending a party in Spain amid the lockdown after he tested positive to the novel coronavirus. In a statement, the 28-year old prince acknowledged that he did not “respect all quarantine measures.” Further, in an email accessed by local news agencies sent through his lawyer, Joachim said that he “fully accepted the consequences” of his actions. 

Stating that he would like to apologize for violating the confinement guidelines to contain the COVID-19, the prince asserted that he did not mean to “offend or disrespect anybody,” according to the email. As the national police forces are investigating people who attended the party and got exposed in the southern city of Córdoba, in Andalucía, prince Joachim declared his regret to the local media.  

According to a Spanish daily, Joachim, King Philippe’s nephew, flew to Madrid onboard a commercial plane and was allowed into the country despite the border regulations. He had stated earlier, that he flew in context to an internship with a local company in Spain. However, in another violation of Spain’s coronavirus restrictions, he did not go into the mandatory 14-day quarantine on arrival from abroad but instead was seen “immediately” on a train to Andalusía. Joachim, as well as 26 other travellers were ordered for a mandatory self-isolation by the authorities at the airport.  

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Prince’s actions put Spain at risk

In a statement to a local daily, representative of the central government in Córdoba, Rafaela Valenzuela, was quoted saying the prince’s actions put at risk everything that Spain achieved during the state of a health emergency. Further, criticizing Joachim’s behaviour, Andalusian president Juanma Moreno reportedly said that now that the country was, for the first time, controlling the rapid spread of the pandemic, 40 or 50 people in a party jeopardized the safety creating fear for fresh cluster outbreak.  

As of May 31, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that the nationwide state emergency would be extended for the sixth time until late June while speaking at the national COVID-19 briefing. Further, he added, Spain would soon achieve the results and ease measures in place since mid-March. 

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(Image Credit: Instagram/eugeniagaravani)