Iglesias (with ponytail) hands over ‘Game of Thrones’ to King Felipe. Delmi Álvarez

The leader of anti-austerity party Podemos, Pablo Iglesias, skipped protocol on Wednesday in order to personally deliver a gift to Spain’s King Felipe VI.

The pony-tailed Iglesias, whose new party is faring well in the opinion polls ahead of this year’s general election, handed over a box-set of Game of Thrones to the monarch.

That’s great, I haven’t seen it,” the king said with a grin

Despite the politician’s unorthodox approach, King Felipe appeared amused by the gesture. “That’s great, I haven’t seen it,” he said with a grin. Shortly after, Iglesias told reporters he had given the king the four seasons of the violent fantasy series so that he “would understand the key points of the political crisis in Spain.”

The exchange marked the first time that Iglesias and Felipe VI had met, and took place during a visit the monarch was making to European Union institutions in Brussels. The king was due to meet with Spanish eurodeputies for 20 minutes in the European Parliament. Iglesias had confirmed he would be attending, despite the refusal to appear of other Spanish groups, such as United Left (IU) and pro-Basque independence party Bildu.

Expectations over a possible meeting between the king and Iglesias have been high after the latter requested an audience with Felipe VI earlier this year. He has not yet received an official response.