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King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, with San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg, left, unveil a plaque at the Spanish Governor's Palace, Sunday, June 17, 2018, in San Antonio. The visit to San Antonio helps celebrate the city's 300th anniversary and also commemorates the Spanish roots of the city. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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Visitors cheer and take photos of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, as they visit Mission San Jose, Sunday, June 17, 2018, in San Antonio. The visit to San Antonio helps celebrate the city's 300th anniversary and also commemorates the Spanish roots of the city. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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San Antonio mayor Ron Nirenberg, left, presents King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain with keys to the city, Sunday, June 17, 2018, in San Antonio. The visit to San Antonio helps celebrate the city's 300th anniversary and also commemorates the Spanish roots of the city. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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Queen Letizia of Spain, right, visits Mission San Jose, Sunday, June 17, 2018, in San Antonio. The visit to San Antonio helps celebrate the city's 300th anniversary and also commemorates the Spanish roots of the city. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

King and queen of Spain visit 300-year-old San Antonio

By Associated Press San Antonio

PUBLISHED 12:49 PM CT May. 09, 2019

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Spain's King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia are in San Antonio to celebrate the city's tricentennial and its roots as a Spanish colonial village.

The royal couple attended a welcoming ceremony Sunday hosted by Mayor Ron Nirenberg and other city officials at the Spanish Governor's Palace before touring the San Jose Mission site and then visiting an historical exhibit. An evening dinner with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also was planned.

What became San Antonio originally was founded as Mission San Antonio de Valero on May 1, 1718, by Spanish Franciscan missionaries backed by the Spanish monarchy and government during the colonization of New Spain.

The king and queen are to meet Tuesday with President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump at the White House.