The Government decorates Macron with the Collar of Isabella the Catholic

The Government has awarded the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic to the president of the French Republic, Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron, and the Grand Cross of the same order to his wife, Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron, and to the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot. The decision was formalized in four royal decrees signed by King Felipe VI on September 23, 2026, and published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) no. 239, of September 28, 2026, in section III, Other Provisions. The texts carry the official references BOE-A-2026-20074, BOE-A-2026-20075, BOE-A-2026-20076, and BOE-A-2026-20077.

The four royal decrees (741/2026 to 744/2026) were issued upon the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, whose head, José Manuel Albares Bueno, countersigns each of the texts, and following deliberation by the Council of Ministers at its meeting on September 22, 2026. All share the awarding formula “Wishing to give a token of My Royal esteem” and are dated September 23, 2026.

The most recent precedent for the Collar in the BOE is that awarded on March 4, 2026, to the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Guillaume V (Royal Decree 176/2026), in the same batch as the grand crosses to Stéphanie de Lannoy and Xavier Bettel (Royal Decrees 177/2026 and 178/2026). In 2024 and 2025, the Grand Cross of Isabella the Catholic was awarded to figures such as Jens Stoltenberg and Filippo Grandi.

The Collar for the French President

Royal Decree 741/2026, of September 23, awards the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic to Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron, “President of the French Republic,” according to the text published on page 126735 of the BOE (reference BOE-A-2026-20074). The decree invokes the proposal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the deliberation of the Council of Ministers on September 22.

Grand Cross for Brigitte Macron and Barrot

Royal Decree 742/2026 grants the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic to Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron, wife of the President of the French Republic (p. 126736, BOE-A-2026-20075). Royal Decree 743/2026 does the same for Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France (p. 126737, BOE-A-2026-20076).

Civil Merit for three French ministers

Royal Decree 744/2026 awards the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit to three members of the French Government (p. 126738, BOE-A-2026-20077):

• Laurent Nuñez, Minister of the Interior.
• Catherine Pégard, Minister of Culture.
• Philippe Tabarot, Minister of Transport.

The simultaneous publication of the four decorations in the BOE on September 28 makes the gesture the highest-ranking diplomatic move of the day and provides a measure of the state of bilateral relations between Spain and France, with the Collar reserved for the head of state and the Grand Cross extended to his immediate circle and three ministers of the French cabinet.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 239, of September 28, 2026, section III (Other Provisions), pp. 126735-126738 (official references: BOE-A-2026-20074, BOE-A-2026-20075, BOE-A-2026-20076 and BOE-A-2026-20077).