On 22 May 2004, Madrid was supposed to watch King Felipe VI and Letizia get married at La Almudena Cathedral with 25 million Spanish viewers on television. The weather had other plans. The storm cut short the solemn red-carpet ritual - the bride had to arrive in a Rolls-Royce, holding her father's arm, and skip the first part of the script.

Twenty-two years on, what remains are seven scenes television didn't show live - and that aren't in the framed Spanish photos in living rooms either.

The slap to Froilán. The little page slapped his cousin Victoria López-Quesada in the middle of the ceremony. What made him Froilán at 5 - made him Froilán for the next twenty years.

Ernst of Hanover's empty chair. Caroline of Monaco arrived alone. Her husband had thrown a party the previous night and slept through it, never making it to Madrid. That summer they no longer lived together.

Queen Noor, late, through the side door. The Queen of Jordan missed the opening and was quietly let in. At royal events there's no such thing as "five minutes late" - it's a scandal that gets remembered.

A brawl at the Savoia palace. Two rival representatives of the Italian Savoia dynasty went at each other with fists in the corridors of the reception. Both believed they were the true heir to a throne that Italy no longer has.

Toilet chaos. Colombian president Álvaro Uribe tried to jump the toilet queue. Royal protocol has no clause for that.

The bride's grandfather danced till dawn. Francisco Rocasolano, Letizia's grandfather, did what every grandfather would do - became the sensation of the young family with a 75-year-old's energy that takes nothing for granted.

Rania of Jordan in white. Technically, breaking unwritten etiquette (white is the bride's colour). Technically, a provocation. Technically, no one said a word. Because it's Rania of Jordan, and because a queen from the Middle East at a Spanish wedding can break what the hosts will forgive.

That's the wedding Spain celebrates. But as always with royal rituals - the real scenes were in the corridors, not in the cathedral.