Spanish Royal Family
Encyclopedia
The Royal Family of the Kingdom of Spain
consists of the current king, Juan Carlos, his spouse, Queen Sofia of Spain
and their direct descendants. The Spanish royal family belongs to the House of Borbón
. The Royal Family is not to be confused with the Family of the King, the former is strictly composed by the King and his Consort; the Prince and Princess of Asturias and their daughters; and the Infantas of Spain, their consorts and children. The Family of the King refers to the extended family of the Monarch.
The King's two daughters hold the title Infanta (Princess) of Spain, with the style Her Royal Highness. Their husbands hold no title of their own but are styled His Excellency
The Duke
of
.
The King's heir bears the title Prince of Asturias
with the style His Royal Highness
. The wife of a Prince of Asturias holds the title Princess of Asturias with the style Her Royal Highness. The children of the Prince of Asturias have the title Infante/Infanta and the style Royal Highness.
If the heirs of King Juan Carlos I were to expire, the 1978 Constitution reserves the right for the Cortes Generales
(legislature) to designate the successor branch in a manner suitable for Spain.
Both sisters bear the title Infanta of Spain with the style Her Royal Highness. Their children have the right to the status of Grandee and the title Excellency like the children of Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina.
, Infante of Spain, Prince of the two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria (born 1938), cousin of the King, from the Bourbon-Two Sicilies family, received the title Infante of Spain by Royal Decree 2412 dated December 16, 1994. Although it is often stated that this title was given in recognition of Don Carlos' status as head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the wording of the decree does not support that view. The King refers to "Las circunstancias excepcionales que concurren" (the exceptional circumstances that concur) in Don Carlos. The reference is to circumstances, not a single circumstance. The decree then cites Don Carlos' representation of the ties between his family and the Spanish Crown as one of those circumstances. For whatever reason, the King chose not to specify what he meant.
Although Don Carlos claims to be the rightful King of the Two Sicilies, his position is disputed. Don Carlos is also the senior heir of Infanta Doña Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
, the eldest sister of King Alphonso XIII of Spain who was heiress presumptive to the throne for her entire life. (Alphonso XIII was born months after his father's death; if he had been a girl Maria de las Mercedes would have become Queen. Alphonso's first child was not born until after his sister's death.) Don Carlos' father, Don Alphonso de Borbón-Dos Sicilies (who was heir presumptive
to the Spanish Throne from 1901–07), and King Juan Carlos of Spain's mother were siblings. Don Carlos' mother belongs to the Bourbon-Parma family that used to rule the Italian Duchy of Parma
. His wife belongs to the French branch of the House of Bourbon. His wife's mother belonged to the Brazilian branch of the Bourbons. Being a representative of the family descended from someone who nearly became Queen, descended from two former heirs presumptive, having immediate connections (father, mother, grandmother, wife, mother-in-law) to all branches of the vast Bourbon Dynasty, and the family that provided the mother of the current King is much more relevant to Spain that any link Don Carlos might have with the long defunct Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
.
The title was not extended to Don Carlos' wife who was born HRH Anne Marguerite Brigitte Marie d'Orléans, Fille de France
, Princess of Orléans, a member of the French Royal House
. Their children would ordinarily have the status of Grandee with the title Excellency but instead generally use the title Prince(ss) of Bourbon-Two Sicilies based on their father's descent from the former Kings of the Two Sicilies, although his wife is officially styled Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Calabria.
From 1936 Don Carlos' mother HRH Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma
is infanta of Spain by marriage to Infante Alfonso
(30 November 1901 - 3 February 1964), eldest child and son of Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
and his wife Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
.
As his final years progressed, tension within the various factions of the Movimiento would consume Spanish political life, as varying groups jockeyed for position to control the country's future. In July 1974, the aged Franco fell ill from various health problems, and Juan Carlos took over as Head of State. Franco soon recovered, but one year later he fell ill once again from more health problems including a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. Franco died on 20 November 1975 and Juan Carlos became King.
and appointed the reformer Adolfo Suárez
as President of the Government in 1977.
The next year the king signed into law the new liberal democratic Constitution of Spain, which was approved by 88% of voters. Juan Carlos’ "quick wit and steady nerve" cut short the attempted military coup in 1981 when the king used a specially designed command communications center in the Zarzuela Palace to denounce the coup and command the military's eleven captain-generals to stand down.
Following the events of 1981 Juan Carlos has led a less eventful life, according to author John Hooper. The king does not open hospitals and bridges as often as monarchs in other nations; rather he has worked towards establishing reliable political customs when transitioning one government administration to another, emphasizing constitutional law and protocol, representing the Spanish State domestically and internationally, all the while maintaining a professionally non-partisan yet independent monarchy. In 2007 while celebrating his anniversary, the king said he wanted to represent all Spanish people.
Juan Carlos set a modest tone for his kingship as early as 1975 when he declared that he and his family would continue to reside at the modest Palacio de Zarzuela, rather than the Palacio de Oriente
in Madrid. Additionally, the king, who can still look awkward at large events, did not resurrect any formal ‘Royal Court’, much to the disappointment of some in the aristocracy. The king's charms are best evident in smaller and less formal events, according to Hooper.
Juan Carlos, publicly perceived as a kind of action man
or G.I. Joe
, is fond of sports and enjoys skiing in winter and sailing in the summer, and likes to play snooker after dinner. Such is the king's enthusiasm for sailing that he competed in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in the Dragon Class, and each year he and the royal family holiday in Majorca where they are photographed sailing by the media. It is this image of the king enjoying himself that is somewhat instilled in the public mind in recent years, according to Hooper. In his younger years Juan Carlos enjoyed and was reportedly good at squash
, tennis
, and karate
. However, the king has angered environmental activists when he engaged in bear hunting
in Romania
in 2004.
Queen Sofía, on the other hand, is opposed to the wearing of furs and of bullfighting
, and is "something of a vegetarian", according to author John Hooper. Born in 1938 a Princess of Greece and Denmark, Sofía enjoys sailing—a passion she shares with her husband. As a young woman Sofía qualified as a reserve for the Greek sailing team at the 1960 Summer Olympics
. Initially their shared passion for sailing threatened to stifle their relationship as Sofía later recalled "I once went sailing with him when we were still engaged, and I shall never understand how I was able to marry him after that!" Juan Carlos married Sofía in Athens
at the Church of Saint Dennis on 14 May 1962.
Exile is another experience which had bonded Sofía and Juan Carlos, according to Hooper. Sofía and the Greek Royal Family
went into exile in South Africa ahead of the Nazi invasion of Greece
, and she and her family did not return to Greece until she was eight. Of Juan Carlos and Sofía's shared experiences in exile John Hooper wrote "Both the King and Queen were given a lesson in their early years that no member of the British Royal Family
received—that, for a monarch, the penalty for failing to judge correctly the mood of his or her country, can be exile and debilitating irrelevance."
The queen's interests over the years have been more intellectual, and Sofía may be given credit for encouraging Juan Carlos in his transition of Spain from an authoritarian dictatorship to a liberal democracy. According to author John Hooper, it is noteworthy that shortly after Juan Carlos married Sofía he began his secret meetings with ‘politicians and others’ as early as 1963. Sofía demonstrated her empathy and solidarity with Spanish families when she sent her children to secular schools known for their progressive methods. When the parents at Felipe's school boycotted the increase in meal prices, Sofía took the side of the parents, sending Felipe to school with sandwiches in packed lunches.
Sofía is far more religious then her husband or her children, having converted to Catholicism just before her marriage. Queen Sofía sparked controversy in a 2008 autobiography when she commented on gay marriage in Spain
. This and other comments by the queen opened the monarchy to rare criticism in 2008, with the Zarzuela palace issuing an apology on behalf of the queen for the "inexact" quotes attributed to her. King Juan Carlos, known to be far more liberal then his wife, was reportedly incensed by the autobiography, with reporters stating the king will fire palace officials who allegedly approved official royal endorsement of the book.
(b. 1968), who married Letizia, Princess of Asturias
(b. 1972) on 22 May 2004 in the Cathedral Santa María la Real de la Almudena in Madrid
. The Prince and Princess of Asturias have two daughters, TRH
the Infantas Leonor
(b. 2005) and Sofía
(b. 2007).
å
HRH Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, (b. 1963) is the king's eldest child and mother of two with Jaime de Marichalar
, Their Excellencies Felipe Juan
(b. 1998) and Victoria Federica
(b.2000). Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar
got divorced in 2009.
HRH Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, (b 1965) is the king's middle child and mother of three boys and a daughter with Iñaki Urdangarín, Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Their Excellencies Juan Valentín
(b. 1999), Pablo Nicolás
(b. 2000), Miguel
(b. 2002), and Her Excellency Irene
(b. 2005).
The king has two sisters: HRH Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, Duchess of Badajoz (b. 1936) and mother of five, and HRH Infanta Doña Margarita de Borbón, Duchess of Soria, 2nd Duchess of Hernani (b. 1939) and mother of two with HE Carlos Zurita, Duke of Soria
(b. 1943). However, both sisters renounced any claim to the Spanish Crown before their marriage and before the 1978 Constitution was ratified. If the heirs of King Juan Carlos I were to expire, the 1978 Constitution reserves the right for the Cortes to designate the successor branch in a manner suitable for Spain, and presumably the Cortes would consider the claims of these heirs.
, a role the Spanish constitution recognizes and codified in Title II Article 62 (j) It is incumbent for the monarch "to exercise the High Patronage of the Royal Academies". Royal patronage conveys a sense of official credibility as the organization is scrutinized for suitability. A royal presence often greatly raises the profile of the organization and attracts media publicity and public interest that the organization may not have otherwise garnered, aiding in the charitable cause or cultural event. Royals use their considerable celebrity
to assist the organization to raise funds or to affect or promote government policy.
Additionally, members of the royal family may also pursue their own charitable and cultural interests. Queen Sofía devotes much of her time to the Queen Sofia Foundation (Fundación Reina Sofía); while Prince Felipe chairs the Prince of Asturias Foundation (Fundación Príncipe de Asturias), which aims to promote "scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of mankind's universal heritage."
The Prince of Asturias Foundation holds annual awards
ceremonies acknowledging the contributions of individuals, entities, and/or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, or public affairs. Prince Felipe serves as president of the Codespa Foundation
, which finances specific economic and social development activities in Latin American and other countries, and serves as president of the Spanish branch of the Association of European Journalists
, which is composed of achieving communications professionals. Prince Felipe also serves as honorary chair of the Ministry of Culture National Awards Ceremonies.
Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, the king's eldest daughter, is the Director of Cultural and Social Projects of Mapfre Foundation, while Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, the king's youngest daughter, served as the Goodwill Ambassador
to the United Nations
for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing, and is a member of the Dali Foundation Board of Trustees, president of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing, and Director of Social Welfare at the La Caixa Foundation in Barcelona
where she lives with her family.
The king, queen, and Infanta Cristina are all members of the Bilderberg Group
, an informal think-tank centered on United States and European relations, and other world issues.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
consists of the current king, Juan Carlos, his spouse, Queen Sofia of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain
Queen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover...
and their direct descendants. The Spanish royal family belongs to the House of Borbón
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. The Royal Family is not to be confused with the Family of the King, the former is strictly composed by the King and his Consort; the Prince and Princess of Asturias and their daughters; and the Infantas of Spain, their consorts and children. The Family of the King refers to the extended family of the Monarch.
The King's two daughters hold the title Infanta (Princess) of Spain, with the style Her Royal Highness. Their husbands hold no title of their own but are styled His Excellency
Excellency
Excellency is an honorific style given to certain members of an organization or state.Usually, people styled "Excellency" are heads of state, heads of government, governors, ambassadors, certain ecclesiastics, royalty, aristocracy, and military, and others holding equivalent rank .It is...
The Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of
Grandee
Grandee is the word used to render in English the Iberic high aristocratic title Grande , used by the Spanish nobility; Portuguese nobility, and Brazilian nobility....
.
The King's heir bears the title Prince of Asturias
Prince of Asturias
Prince of Asturias is the historical title given to the heir to the Spanish throne. It was also the title under the earlier Kingdom of Castile. The current Prince of Asturias is Felipe, son of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofía...
with the style His Royal Highness
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
. The wife of a Prince of Asturias holds the title Princess of Asturias with the style Her Royal Highness. The children of the Prince of Asturias have the title Infante/Infanta and the style Royal Highness.
If the heirs of King Juan Carlos I were to expire, the 1978 Constitution reserves the right for the Cortes Generales
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
(legislature) to designate the successor branch in a manner suitable for Spain.
List of members
The Royal Family includes:- HM The KingJuan Carlos I of SpainJuan Carlos I |Italy]]) is the reigning King of Spain.On 22 November 1975, two days after the death of General Francisco Franco, Juan Carlos was designated king according to the law of succession promulgated by Franco. Spain had no monarch for 38 years in 1969 when Franco named Juan Carlos as the...
- HM The QueenQueen Sofía of SpainQueen Sofía of Spain is the wife of King Juan Carlos I of Spain.-Early life and family:Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark was born in Psychiko, Athens, Greece on 2 November 1938, the eldest child of the King Paul of Greece and his wife, Queen Frederika , a former princess of Hanover...
(The King's wife)- HRH The PrinceFelipe, Prince of AsturiasFelipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain....
and Princess of AsturiasLetizia, Princess of AsturiasLetizia, Princess of Asturias , is the wife of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the heir apparent to the Spanish throne...
(The King's son and his wife)- HRH The Infanta LeonorInfanta Leonor of SpainThe Infanta Leonor of Spain is the first child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, and his wife Letizia. Her father has no sons and she is thus second in the line of succession to the Spanish throne after her father...
(The Prince of Asturias's eldest daughter) - HRH The Infanta SofíaInfanta Sofía of SpainThe Infanta Sofía of Spain is the second child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias and his wife Princess Letizia. As the daughter of the heir-apparent to the throne, she is styled and titled Her Royal Highness, Infanta of Spain...
(The Prince of Asturias's second daughter)
- HRH The Infanta Leonor
- HRH The Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (The King's eldest daughter)
- HE Don Felipe de Marichalar de BorbónFelipe Juan Froilán de Marichalar y de BorbónDon Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón , Madrid) is the eldest son of the Duchess of Lugo, Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
(The Duchess of Lugo's eldest son) - HE Doña Victoria de Marichalar de BorbónVictoria Federica de Marichalar y de BorbónDoña Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón is the daughter of the Duchess of Lugo, The Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
(The Duchess of Lugo's daughter)
- HE Don Felipe de Marichalar de Borbón
- HRH The Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca and HE Iñaki Urdangarin LiebaertIñaki Urdangarin-References:-External links:*...
, Duke of Palma de Mallorca (The King's younger daughter and her husband)- HE Don Juan Valentín Urdangarín de BorbónJuan Valentín Urdangarín y de BorbónDon Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón , in Basque: Joan Balentín Urdangarin de Borbon, is the eldest son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín. Juan is eighth in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne, after his...
(The Duchess of Palma de Mallorca's eldest son) - HE Don Pablo Nicolás Urdangarín de BorbónPablo Nicolás Urdangarín y de BorbónDon Pablo Nicolás Sebastián de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón is the second son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín...
(The Duchess of Palma de Mallorca's second son) - HE Don Miguel Urdangarín de BorbónMiguel Urdangarín y de BorbónDon Miguel de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón is a member of the Spanish Royal Family, the third son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín. Miguel is tenth in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne, after his mother and two older...
(The Duchess of Palma de Mallorca's third son) - HE Doña Irene Urdangarín de BorbónIrene Urdangarín y de BorbónDoña Irene de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón , is the daughter of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín, the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca...
(The Duchess of Palma de Mallocra's daughter)
- HE Don Juan Valentín Urdangarín de Borbón
- HRH The Prince
Extended family (the Family of the King)
The King's sisters
The King's two sisters renounced their rights of succession upon marriage, but those renunciations took place before the adoption of the Constitution and were not ratified by the Cortes.Both sisters bear the title Infanta of Spain with the style Her Royal Highness. Their children have the right to the status of Grandee and the title Excellency like the children of Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina.
- HRH Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, Duchess of Badajoz (ad personam).
- HRH Infanta Doña Margarita de Borbón, Duchess of Soria (ad personam), 2nd Duchess of Hernani (hereditary title).
House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
HRH Don Carlos Maria Alfonso Marcel of Bourbon-Two Sicilies & Bourbon-ParmaInfante Carlos, Duke of Calabria
Infante Carlos of Spain, Prince of the Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria, KOGF, KGCHS is the son of Don Alfonso of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria and Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma .-Biography:Infante Carlos is one of two claimants of the dignity of...
, Infante of Spain, Prince of the two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria (born 1938), cousin of the King, from the Bourbon-Two Sicilies family, received the title Infante of Spain by Royal Decree 2412 dated December 16, 1994. Although it is often stated that this title was given in recognition of Don Carlos' status as head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the wording of the decree does not support that view. The King refers to "Las circunstancias excepcionales que concurren" (the exceptional circumstances that concur) in Don Carlos. The reference is to circumstances, not a single circumstance. The decree then cites Don Carlos' representation of the ties between his family and the Spanish Crown as one of those circumstances. For whatever reason, the King chose not to specify what he meant.
Although Don Carlos claims to be the rightful King of the Two Sicilies, his position is disputed. Don Carlos is also the senior heir of Infanta Doña Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Infanta María de las Mercedes of Spain , Princess of the Asturias, for all 24 years of her life the heiress presumptive to the Crown of Spain, was the eldest daughter of King Alfonso XII of Spain and his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria.For a period from...
, the eldest sister of King Alphonso XIII of Spain who was heiress presumptive to the throne for her entire life. (Alphonso XIII was born months after his father's death; if he had been a girl Maria de las Mercedes would have become Queen. Alphonso's first child was not born until after his sister's death.) Don Carlos' father, Don Alphonso de Borbón-Dos Sicilies (who was heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the Spanish Throne from 1901–07), and King Juan Carlos of Spain's mother were siblings. Don Carlos' mother belongs to the Bourbon-Parma family that used to rule the Italian Duchy of Parma
Duchy of Parma
The Duchy of Parma was created in 1545 from that part of the Duchy of Milan south of the Po River, as a fief for Pope Paul III's illegitimate son, Pier Luigi Farnese, centered on the city of Parma....
. His wife belongs to the French branch of the House of Bourbon. His wife's mother belonged to the Brazilian branch of the Bourbons. Being a representative of the family descended from someone who nearly became Queen, descended from two former heirs presumptive, having immediate connections (father, mother, grandmother, wife, mother-in-law) to all branches of the vast Bourbon Dynasty, and the family that provided the mother of the current King is much more relevant to Spain that any link Don Carlos might have with the long defunct Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, commonly known as the Two Sicilies even before formally coming into being, was the largest and wealthiest of the Italian states before Italian unification...
.
The title was not extended to Don Carlos' wife who was born HRH Anne Marguerite Brigitte Marie d'Orléans, Fille de France
Fils de France
Fils de France was the style and rank held by the sons of the kings and dauphins of France. A daughter was known as a fille de France .The children of the dauphin, who was the king's heir apparent, were accorded the same style and status as if they were the king's children instead of his...
, Princess of Orléans, a member of the French Royal House
House of Orleans
Orléans is the name used by several branches of the Royal House of France, all descended in the legitimate male line from the dynasty's founder, Hugh Capet. It became a tradition during France's ancien régime for the duchy of Orléans to be granted as an appanage to a younger son of the king...
. Their children would ordinarily have the status of Grandee with the title Excellency but instead generally use the title Prince(ss) of Bourbon-Two Sicilies based on their father's descent from the former Kings of the Two Sicilies, although his wife is officially styled Her Royal Highness Princess Anne of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duchess of Calabria.
From 1936 Don Carlos' mother HRH Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Alicia of Bourbon-Parma
Infanta Alicia, Dowager Duchess of Calabria is a daughter of Elias, Duke of Parma and Piacenza and his wife Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria. Alicia was Duchess of Calabria through her marriage to Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria...
is infanta of Spain by marriage to Infante Alfonso
Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria
Infante Alfonso, Duke of Calabria was one of two claimants to the title of the head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies from 1960 until his death in 1964...
(30 November 1901 - 3 February 1964), eldest child and son of Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
Don Carlos, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Infante of Spain was the son of Prince Alfonso of the Two...
and his wife Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Mercedes, Princess of Asturias
Infanta María de las Mercedes of Spain , Princess of the Asturias, for all 24 years of her life the heiress presumptive to the Crown of Spain, was the eldest daughter of King Alfonso XII of Spain and his second wife, Maria Christina of Austria.For a period from...
.
Current Accession to Throne
In 1969, General Franco designated Prince Juan Carlos de Borbón, with the new title of King of Spain, as his successor. This designation came as a surprise for the Carlist pretender to the throne, as well as for Juan Carlos's father, Don Juan, the Count of Barcelona, who technically had a superior right to the throne. By 1973, Franco had surrendered the function of prime minister (Presidente del Gobierno), remaining only as head of state and commander in chief of the military.As his final years progressed, tension within the various factions of the Movimiento would consume Spanish political life, as varying groups jockeyed for position to control the country's future. In July 1974, the aged Franco fell ill from various health problems, and Juan Carlos took over as Head of State. Franco soon recovered, but one year later he fell ill once again from more health problems including a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. Franco died on 20 November 1975 and Juan Carlos became King.
The king and queen
As a young man Juan Carlos completed his four-year military training and then received a rigorous two year liberal education in the European tradition as insisted upon by his father Don Juan, Count of Barcelona, in 1957. Impatient with the pace of democratic political reforms, King Juan Carlos, known for his formidable personality, dismissed Carlos Arias NavarroCarlos Arias Navarro
Don Carlos Arias-Navarro, 1st Marquis of Arias-Navarro, Grandee of Spain, born Carlos Arias y Navarro was one of the best known Spanish politicians during the dictatorship of General Francisco Franco....
and appointed the reformer Adolfo Suárez
Adolfo Suárez
Adolfo Suárez y González, 1st Duke of Suárez, Grandee of Spain, KOGF is a Spanish lawyer and politician. Suárez was Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and the key figure in the country's transition to democracy.-Parents:He is a son of...
as President of the Government in 1977.
The next year the king signed into law the new liberal democratic Constitution of Spain, which was approved by 88% of voters. Juan Carlos’ "quick wit and steady nerve" cut short the attempted military coup in 1981 when the king used a specially designed command communications center in the Zarzuela Palace to denounce the coup and command the military's eleven captain-generals to stand down.
Following the events of 1981 Juan Carlos has led a less eventful life, according to author John Hooper. The king does not open hospitals and bridges as often as monarchs in other nations; rather he has worked towards establishing reliable political customs when transitioning one government administration to another, emphasizing constitutional law and protocol, representing the Spanish State domestically and internationally, all the while maintaining a professionally non-partisan yet independent monarchy. In 2007 while celebrating his anniversary, the king said he wanted to represent all Spanish people.
Juan Carlos set a modest tone for his kingship as early as 1975 when he declared that he and his family would continue to reside at the modest Palacio de Zarzuela, rather than the Palacio de Oriente
Royal Palace of Madrid
The Palacio Real de Madrid is the official residence of the King of Spain in the city of Madrid, but it is only used for state ceremonies. King Juan Carlos and the Royal Family do not reside in the palace, choosing instead the more modest Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid...
in Madrid. Additionally, the king, who can still look awkward at large events, did not resurrect any formal ‘Royal Court’, much to the disappointment of some in the aristocracy. The king's charms are best evident in smaller and less formal events, according to Hooper.
Juan Carlos, publicly perceived as a kind of action man
Action Man
Action Man is an action figure boys' toy launched in Britain in 1966 by Palitoy as a licensed copy of Hasbro's American "moveable fighting man": G.I...
or G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Action Soldier , Action Sailor , Action Pilot , Action Marine and later on, the Action Nurse...
, is fond of sports and enjoys skiing in winter and sailing in the summer, and likes to play snooker after dinner. Such is the king's enthusiasm for sailing that he competed in the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in the Dragon Class, and each year he and the royal family holiday in Majorca where they are photographed sailing by the media. It is this image of the king enjoying himself that is somewhat instilled in the public mind in recent years, according to Hooper. In his younger years Juan Carlos enjoyed and was reportedly good at squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
. However, the king has angered environmental activists when he engaged in bear hunting
Bear hunting
Bear hunting is the act of hunting bears. Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur. - Details :Bears are large mammals in the order Carnivora. Although there are only eight living species of bear, they are widespread, appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in 2004.
Queen Sofía, on the other hand, is opposed to the wearing of furs and of bullfighting
Bullfighting
Bullfighting is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and some Latin American countries , in which one or more bulls are baited in a bullring for sport and entertainment...
, and is "something of a vegetarian", according to author John Hooper. Born in 1938 a Princess of Greece and Denmark, Sofía enjoys sailing—a passion she shares with her husband. As a young woman Sofía qualified as a reserve for the Greek sailing team at the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
. Initially their shared passion for sailing threatened to stifle their relationship as Sofía later recalled "I once went sailing with him when we were still engaged, and I shall never understand how I was able to marry him after that!" Juan Carlos married Sofía in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
at the Church of Saint Dennis on 14 May 1962.
Exile is another experience which had bonded Sofía and Juan Carlos, according to Hooper. Sofía and the Greek Royal Family
Greek Royal Family
The Greek Royal Family was a branch of the House of Glücksburg that reigned in Greece from 1863 to 1924 and again from 1935 to 1973. Its first monarch was George I. He and his successors styled themselves "Kings of the Hellenes"...
went into exile in South Africa ahead of the Nazi invasion of Greece
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
, and she and her family did not return to Greece until she was eight. Of Juan Carlos and Sofía's shared experiences in exile John Hooper wrote "Both the King and Queen were given a lesson in their early years that no member of the British Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...
received—that, for a monarch, the penalty for failing to judge correctly the mood of his or her country, can be exile and debilitating irrelevance."
The queen's interests over the years have been more intellectual, and Sofía may be given credit for encouraging Juan Carlos in his transition of Spain from an authoritarian dictatorship to a liberal democracy. According to author John Hooper, it is noteworthy that shortly after Juan Carlos married Sofía he began his secret meetings with ‘politicians and others’ as early as 1963. Sofía demonstrated her empathy and solidarity with Spanish families when she sent her children to secular schools known for their progressive methods. When the parents at Felipe's school boycotted the increase in meal prices, Sofía took the side of the parents, sending Felipe to school with sandwiches in packed lunches.
Sofía is far more religious then her husband or her children, having converted to Catholicism just before her marriage. Queen Sofía sparked controversy in a 2008 autobiography when she commented on gay marriage in Spain
Same-sex marriage in Spain
Same-sex marriage in Spain has been legal since July 3, 2005. In 2004, the nation's newly elected social democratic government, led by President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, began a campaign for its legalization, including the right of adoption by same-sex couples...
. This and other comments by the queen opened the monarchy to rare criticism in 2008, with the Zarzuela palace issuing an apology on behalf of the queen for the "inexact" quotes attributed to her. King Juan Carlos, known to be far more liberal then his wife, was reportedly incensed by the autobiography, with reporters stating the king will fire palace officials who allegedly approved official royal endorsement of the book.
Other members
The king's heir is his youngest child Felipe, Prince of AsturiasFelipe, Prince of Asturias
Felipe, Prince of Asturias de Borbón y de Grecia; born 30 January 1968), is the third child and only son of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain....
(b. 1968), who married Letizia, Princess of Asturias
Letizia, Princess of Asturias
Letizia, Princess of Asturias , is the wife of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, the heir apparent to the Spanish throne...
(b. 1972) on 22 May 2004 in the Cathedral Santa María la Real de la Almudena in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. The Prince and Princess of Asturias have two daughters, TRH
Royal Highness
Royal Highness is a style ; plural Royal Highnesses...
the Infantas Leonor
Infanta Leonor of Spain
The Infanta Leonor of Spain is the first child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias, and his wife Letizia. Her father has no sons and she is thus second in the line of succession to the Spanish throne after her father...
(b. 2005) and Sofía
Infanta Sofía of Spain
The Infanta Sofía of Spain is the second child of Felipe, Prince of Asturias and his wife Princess Letizia. As the daughter of the heir-apparent to the throne, she is styled and titled Her Royal Highness, Infanta of Spain...
(b. 2007).
å
HRH Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, (b. 1963) is the king's eldest child and mother of two with Jaime de Marichalar
Jaime de Marichalar, Duke of Lugo
Don Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, is the former husband of the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, the eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain...
, Their Excellencies Felipe Juan
Felipe Juan Froilán de Marichalar y de Borbón
Don Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y Borbón , Madrid) is the eldest son of the Duchess of Lugo, Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
(b. 1998) and Victoria Federica
Victoria Federica de Marichalar y de Borbón
Doña Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón is the daughter of the Duchess of Lugo, The Infanta Elena of Spain and Don Jaime de Marichalar...
(b.2000). Infanta Elena and Jaime de Marichalar
Jaime de Marichalar, Duke of Lugo
Don Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, is the former husband of the Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, the eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain...
got divorced in 2009.
HRH Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, (b 1965) is the king's middle child and mother of three boys and a daughter with Iñaki Urdangarín, Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Their Excellencies Juan Valentín
Juan Valentín Urdangarín y de Borbón
Don Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón , in Basque: Joan Balentín Urdangarin de Borbon, is the eldest son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín. Juan is eighth in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne, after his...
(b. 1999), Pablo Nicolás
Pablo Nicolás Urdangarín y de Borbón
Don Pablo Nicolás Sebastián de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón is the second son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín...
(b. 2000), Miguel
Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón
Don Miguel de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón is a member of the Spanish Royal Family, the third son of the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca, Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín. Miguel is tenth in the line of succession to the Spanish Throne, after his mother and two older...
(b. 2002), and Her Excellency Irene
Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón
Doña Irene de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón , is the daughter of Infanta Cristina of Spain and Iñaki Urdangarín, the Duchess and Duke of Palma de Mallorca...
(b. 2005).
The king has two sisters: HRH Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón, Duchess of Badajoz (b. 1936) and mother of five, and HRH Infanta Doña Margarita de Borbón, Duchess of Soria, 2nd Duchess of Hernani (b. 1939) and mother of two with HE Carlos Zurita, Duke of Soria
Carlos Zurita, Duke of Soria
- Titles :* 26 July 1960 6 January 1979: Mr. Carlos Zurita* 6 January 1979: His Excellency the Duke of Soria and Hernani-External links:* * *...
(b. 1943). However, both sisters renounced any claim to the Spanish Crown before their marriage and before the 1978 Constitution was ratified. If the heirs of King Juan Carlos I were to expire, the 1978 Constitution reserves the right for the Cortes to designate the successor branch in a manner suitable for Spain, and presumably the Cortes would consider the claims of these heirs.
Public role
Members of the Spanish Royal Family, "the royals", are often asked by non-profit charitable, cultural, or religious organizations within Spain or internationally to become their patronsPatronage
Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows to another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings or popes have provided to musicians, painters, and sculptors...
, a role the Spanish constitution recognizes and codified in Title II Article 62 (j) It is incumbent for the monarch "to exercise the High Patronage of the Royal Academies". Royal patronage conveys a sense of official credibility as the organization is scrutinized for suitability. A royal presence often greatly raises the profile of the organization and attracts media publicity and public interest that the organization may not have otherwise garnered, aiding in the charitable cause or cultural event. Royals use their considerable celebrity
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
to assist the organization to raise funds or to affect or promote government policy.
Additionally, members of the royal family may also pursue their own charitable and cultural interests. Queen Sofía devotes much of her time to the Queen Sofia Foundation (Fundación Reina Sofía); while Prince Felipe chairs the Prince of Asturias Foundation (Fundación Príncipe de Asturias), which aims to promote "scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of mankind's universal heritage."
The Prince of Asturias Foundation holds annual awards
Prince of Asturias Awards
The Prince of Asturias Awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Prince of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs....
ceremonies acknowledging the contributions of individuals, entities, and/or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, or public affairs. Prince Felipe serves as president of the Codespa Foundation
Codespa Foundation
Codespa Foundation is a non-profit organization helping poor people and communities in the developing countries of Asia, Africa and the Americas. Founded in 1985 and based in Spain...
, which finances specific economic and social development activities in Latin American and other countries, and serves as president of the Spanish branch of the Association of European Journalists
Association of European Journalists
The Association of European Journalists is an organisation promoting interests of journalists involved in European affairs. It is an NGO in operational relations with UNESCO and enjoys consultative status in the Council of Europe....
, which is composed of achieving communications professionals. Prince Felipe also serves as honorary chair of the Ministry of Culture National Awards Ceremonies.
Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, the king's eldest daughter, is the Director of Cultural and Social Projects of Mapfre Foundation, while Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca, the king's youngest daughter, served as the Goodwill Ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador
Goodwill Ambassador is a collective term sometimes used as a substitute honorific title or a title of honor for an Ambassador of Goodwill; but, most appropriately for a generic recognition, it is a job position or description that is usually indicated following the name of the individual recognized...
to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing, and is a member of the Dali Foundation Board of Trustees, president of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing, and Director of Social Welfare at the La Caixa Foundation in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
where she lives with her family.
The king, queen, and Infanta Cristina are all members of the Bilderberg Group
Bilderberg Group
The Bilderberg Group, Bilderberg conference, or Bilderberg Club is an annual, unofficial, invitation-only conference of approximately 120 to 140 guests from North America and Western Europe, most of whom are people of influence. About one-third are from government and politics, and two-thirds from...
, an informal think-tank centered on United States and European relations, and other world issues.