152-488: King Juan Carlos I Queen Sofía Children of the late Duchess of Badajoz : The Duchess of Soria and Hernani The Duke of Soria and Hernani The Dowager Duchess of Calabria Felipe VI ( Spanish: [feˈlipe ˈseksto] ; Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia; born 30 January 1968) is King of Spain . In accordance with the Spanish Constitution , as monarch, he
304-1011: A Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. To prepare for his future role as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, Felipe joined the Spanish Army in 1985. During the next two years, he completed his military training in the Navy and Air Force . After completing his civil and military studies, he undertook official duties representing his father in different social and institutional events, such as chairing charity foundations or attending inaugurations of Latin American leaders. At one of these events with
456-738: A Master of Science in Foreign Service degree from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. , where he was the roommate of his cousin, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece . As the heir to the throne, a carefully regulated and structured plan was laid out for Felipe's military training. In August 1985, a Royal Decree named Felipe as officer at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza . He began his military training there in September. He completed
608-546: A sex addiction . In the Royal Library of Madrid , there are books containing emblems of the Spanish monarch. Alfonso XIII is a rare example of endogamy . In the eleventh generation he is assumed to only have 111 ancestors whereas in a standard situation one expects to identify 1024 of them, a situation of implex of 89%. The biological paternity of Alfonso's father Alfonso XII on the part of Francisco de Asís
760-608: A "renewed monarchy for a new time". A few days later after this, Felipe and Letizia became the first Spanish monarchs to receive and recognize LGBT organisations at the Palace. Felipe also changed the protocol in order to allow people to take the oath of office without a crucifix or Bible. This did not mean, in any way, a change in his relations with the Catholic Church or religion, in fact, on their first overseas trip as king and queen, Felipe VI and Letizia met Pope Francis in
912-416: A Catholic, anti-Catalanist , dictatorial and militarist brand of Spanish nationalism. On 28 January 1930, amid economic problems, general unpopularity and a putschist plot led by General Manuel Goded in motion, of which Alfonso XIII was most probably aware, Miguel Primo de Rivera was forced to resign, exiling to Paris, only to die a few weeks later of the complications from diabetes in combination with
1064-536: A Nobel Prize. Alfonso XIII was born at the Royal Palace of Madrid on 17 May 1886. He was the posthumous son of Alfonso XII of Spain, who had died in November 1885, and became king upon his birth. Just after he was born, he was carried naked to the prime minister Práxedes Mateo Sagasta on a silver tray. Five days later, he was carried in a solemn court procession with a Golden Fleece around his neck and
1216-474: A general strike took place in Catalonia following the 2017 Catalan independence referendum that was deemed illegal by Spanish authorities, Felipe delivered an unusually strongly worded televised address, watched by more than 12 million people across the country, in which he condemned the actions of the referendum organizers for acting "outside the law", accusing them of "unacceptable disloyalty" and of "eroding
1368-478: A government. No agreements with the different parties were successful. After months of talks with the different party leaders, and with there being no apparent candidate in a position of support in forming a government, the king issued a royal decree dissolving parliament with new elections being called in June. This marked the first time since the transition to democracy that an election was called under Article 99.5 of
1520-590: A greater approval than his father prior to his reign. On 23 June 2014, he appointed his private secretary since 1995, Jaime Alfonsín , as Private Secretary to the King. Two days later, he also appointed José Manuel de Zuleta y Alejandro , 14th duke of Abrantes , as Private Secretary to the Queen. On 18 July, the new king chaired his first meeting of the Council of Ministers . During his ascension speech, Felipe pledged
1672-556: A key endorsement of the monarchy from Spain's political left , who had been historically republican . Left-wing support for the monarchy had grown when the Communist Party of Spain was legalized on 9 April 1977, a move Juan Carlos had pressed for, despite enormous right-wing military opposition at that time, during the Cold War . On 15 June 1977, Spain held its first post-Franco democratic elections . Juan Carlos had played
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#17327726359481824-463: A liberal who was opposed to his regime. Juan Carlos's first cousin Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz , was also briefly considered as a candidate. Alfonso was known to be an ardent Francoist and married Franco's granddaughter, Doña María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco , in 1972. Ultimately, Franco decided to skip a generation and name Infante Juan Carlos as his personal successor. Franco hoped
1976-493: A major role in preventing a coup that attempted to revert to Francoist government in the King's name. In 2008, he was considered the most popular leader across all Ibero-America . Hailed for his role in Spain's transition to democracy, the King and the monarchy's reputation began to suffer after controversies surrounding his family arose, exacerbated by the public controversy centering on an elephant-hunting trip he undertook during
2128-404: A majority of Movimiento members supported both measures. Juan Carlos quickly instituted reforms, to the great displeasure of Falangist and conservative ( monarchist ) elements, especially in the military, who had expected him to maintain the authoritarian state. In July 1976, Juan Carlos dismissed prime minister Carlos Arias Navarro , who had been attempting to continue Francoist policies in
2280-453: A majority of councillors overall, won a sweeping majority in major cities in the 1931 municipal elections , which were perceived as a plebiscite on monarchy. The results shocked the government, with foreign minister Romanones admitting to the press an "absolute monarchist defeat" and Civil Guard honcho José Sanjurjo reportedly telling government ministers that, given circumstances, the Armed Forces could not be "absolutely" relied upon for
2432-577: A meeting in Madrid and decided with 226 votes to 13 to remove the King from its honorary presidency. He later apologised for the hunting trip. Up until the Botswana elephant trip, Juan Carlos had enjoyed a high level of shielding from media scrutiny, described as "rare among Western leaders". On the 500th anniversary of the Alhambra Decree in 1992, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia visited
2584-417: A minister, who then assumes political responsibility for the act in question. A poll conducted by El País , however, indicates that a majority of Spaniards wish Felipe would play a greater role in politics, with 75% of the 600 people surveyed stating they would approve if he personally pushed the political parties to reach agreements on national problems. According to an El Mundo newspaper poll, Felipe had
2736-673: A plebiscite on maintaining the monarchy or declaring a republic – the result of which led to the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic on 14 April 1931. His efforts with the European War Office during World War I earned him a nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1917, which was ultimately won by the Red Cross . To date, he remains the only monarch known to have been nominated for
2888-556: A poll conducted in 2020, Felipe has moderately high approval ratings. Felipe was born at 12:45 ( CET ) on 30 January 1968, at Our Lady of Loreto Hospital at Madrid , being the third child and only son of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark . He was baptized on 8 February 1968 at the Palace of Zarzuela by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Madrid , Casimiro Morcillo, with water from
3040-592: A public demonstration . In addition to his official activities, Felipe serves as honorary president of several associations and foundations, such as the Codespa Foundation, which finances economic and social development in Ibero-America and other countries, and the Spanish branch of the Association of European Journalists, comprising outstanding communications professionals. Most noteworthy is
3192-467: A result of the economic recession and hardships continuing to hamper Spain. In June 2015, Felipe VI stripped his sister, Infanta Cristina , of her royal title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca , after the tax fraud allegations surrounding her and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín . While her husband was eventually sentenced to six years in prison, she was acquitted of all charges. In 2017, the Crown opened for
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#17327726359483344-457: A role as middleman in order to channel $ 10 million from the Shah of Iran to Adolfo Suárez's election campaign, reportedly asking the Shah for the money to "save Spain from Marxism". Suárez went on to win the election and become the first democratically elected leader of the new regime. In 1978, the government promulgated a new constitution that acknowledged Juan Carlos as rightful heir of
3496-593: A sign that the King was indifferent over the lives of his soldiers. In 1922, the Cortes started an investigation into the responsibility for the Annual disaster and soon discovered evidence that the King had been one of the main supporters of Silvestre's advance into the Rif mountains. After the "Disaster of the Annual", Spain's war in the Rif went from bad to worse, and as the Spanish were barely hanging on to Morocco, support for
3648-652: A special aircraft was sent to bring him home. Spanish officials stated that the expenses of the trip were not paid by taxpayers or by the palace, but by Mohamed Eyad Kayali, a businessman of Syrian origin. Cayo Lara Moya of the United Left party said the King's trip "demonstrated a lack of ethics and respect toward many people in this country who are suffering a lot" while Tomás Gómez of the Socialist party said Juan Carlos should choose between "public responsibilities or an abdication". In April 2012, Spain's unemployment
3800-710: A strict constitutional monarch, and supported the Africanists who wanted to conquer for Spain a new empire in Africa to compensate for the lost empire in the Americas and elsewhere. The Rif War had starkly polarized Spanish society between the Africanists who wanted to conquer an empire in Africa vs. the abandonistas who wanted to abandon Morocco as not worth the blood and treasure. Alfonso liked to play favourites with his generals, and one of his most favoured generals
3952-539: A television journalist who had been married previously. The following day, the Royal Household made official their engagement. According to the Royal House, they met in late 2002. The official hand petition was made on 6 November 2003 at the Royal Palace of El Pardo . Felipe proposed with a 16-carat diamond engagement ring with a white gold trim and gifted her with a pearl and sapphire necklace. Ortiz marked
4104-498: A time of financial crisis in Spain. In June 2014, Juan Carlos abdicated in favour of his son, who acceded to the throne as Felipe VI. Since August 2020, Juan Carlos has lived in self-imposed exile from Spain over allegedly improper ties to business deals in Saudi Arabia . The New York Times estimated in 2014 that Juan Carlos's fortune was around 1.8 billion euros (2.3 billion U.S. dollars). Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María
4256-529: Is head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces , holding the military rank of captain general , and also plays the role of the supreme representation of Spain in international relations. Felipe was born in Madrid during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco as the third child and only son of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark . Felipe
4408-467: Is believed to have been a major factor in foiling the coup. The coup leaders had promised many of their potential supporters that they were acting in the King's name and with his approval, but were unable to demonstrate either, and the broadcast — coming just after midnight on the night of the coup — definitively showed the King's opposition to the coup makers. When Juan Carlos became king, Communist leader Santiago Carrillo had nicknamed him Juan Carlos
4560-473: Is in savings, current accounts and securities, as well as art, antiques and jewelry; and that he has no real estate or financial dealings abroad. It also noted that Felipe VI had paid tax on all his financial earnings. This amount makes him one of the least wealthy monarchs in the world , despite previous estimates of his father Juan Carlos I 's wealth being estimated between $ 2–2.3 billion. The elections in 2015 resulted in no party winning enough seats to form
4712-490: Is reported to have been pressured by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing to personally tell Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet , who had traveled to Spain for Franco's funeral, not to attend his inauguration. Juan Carlos's accession met with relatively little parliamentary opposition. Some members of the Movimiento Nacional voted against recognizing him, and even more voted against the 1976 Law for Political Reform. But
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4864-592: The turno system, the deepening of the Restoration system crisis in the 1910s, a trio of crises in 1917 , the spiral of violence in Morocco and, especially, the lead-up to the 1923 installment of the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera , an event that succeeded by means of both military coup d'état and the king's acquiescence. Over the course of his reign, the monarch ended up favouring an authoritarian solution rather than constitutional liberalism. Upon
5016-475: The rey emérito ('king emeritus ') by the press. Juan Carlos is the son of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona , and grandson of Alfonso XIII , the last king of Spain before the abolition of the monarchy in 1931 and the subsequent declaration of the Second Spanish Republic . Juan Carlos was born in Rome , Italy, during his family's exile. Francisco Franco took over the government of Spain after his victory in
5168-493: The Africanists comprising only a minority, it was clear that it was only a matter of time before the abandonistas forced the Spanish to give up on the Rif, which was part of the reason for the military coup d'état later in 1923 . On 13 September 1923, Miguel Primo de Rivera , Captain General of Catalonia, staged a military coup with the collaboration from a quad of Africanist generals based in Madrid who were associated to
5320-543: The Apostolic Palace on 30 June 2014. They subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and Under-Secretary for Relations with States Antoine Camilleri . The visit followed one by King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía on 28 April. The king also established a difference between the royal family and the King's family, leaving his sisters and their descendants outside the royal family and, therefore, not carrying out institutional representation of
5472-649: The Beth Yaacov Synagogue in Madrid , led by Chief Rabbif of Madrid Yehuda Benasouli to commemorate the occasion. While Sofia had been to the synagogue in the 1970s, the occasion marked the first time that the king had visited a synagogue in Spain. The Spanish royals were joined by Israeli President Chaim Herzog , Herzog's predecessor Yitzhak Navon , Rabbi Solomon Gaon and other Israeli and Spanish officials. Also present were descendants of Abraham Senior and Isaac Abarbanel , who had unsuccessfully petitioned King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to retract
5624-536: The City Council of Madrid dedicated in 2003 to Ratoncito Pérez on the second floor of number eight of Calle del Arenal [ es ] , where the mouse was said to have lived. Alfonso and his wife Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (Ena) had seven children: Alfonso also had a number of reported illegitimate children that are known, including: Alfonso was known for his friendly attitude towards Jews and publicly praised them. In 1932, he embraced
5776-527: The Constitution , wherein the initiative for issuing the dissolution of the Cortes belonged to the King and not to the Prime Minister. After the second elections, some socialist MPs abstained in order to make it easy for the conservative prime minister, Mariano Rajoy , to form a new government. The king swore in the new cabinet on 4 November 2016. On 3 October 2017, as huge protest rallies and
5928-667: The Council of Ministers began deliberations the following day on an organic law to give effect to the abdication. The law had to be passed by a majority of all members of the Congress of Deputies , the lower house of the Cortes Generales . According to Jesús Posada , the president of the Congress of Deputies , Felipe could be proclaimed king as early as 18 June. On 4 June, El País of Madrid reported that Felipe would indeed be proclaimed king on 18 June. Felipe ascended
6080-695: The Crown (although they do it occasionally). In July 2014, the king banned the royal family from working outside the Royal Household and he established an external audit made by the Office of the Comptroller General of the State . Following orders from the king, since 1 January 2015, the Spanish royal family cannot accept "expensive gifts" when "they exceed social or courtesy uses". In February 2015, Felipe announced he would cut his annual salary by 20% as
6232-745: The General Military Academy at Zaragoza . Later, he attended the Naval Military School and the General Academy of the Air, and finished his tertiary education at the University of Madrid . In 1962, Juan Carlos married Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark in Athens. The couple have three children: Elena , Cristina , and Felipe . Due to Franco's declining health, Juan Carlos first began periodically acting as Spain's head of state in
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6384-595: The Jordan River . His full baptismal name, Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos, consists of the names of the first Bourbon king of Spain ( Felipe V ), his grandfathers ( Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona , and King Paul of Greece ), his great-grandfather Alfonso XIII of Spain, and de Todos los Santos ("of all the Saints") as is customary among the Bourbons . His godparents were his paternal grandfather,
6536-621: The Judeo-Masonic-Communist conspiracy theory . He took several actions to offer them protection. In 1917, Alfonso instructed the Spanish consul in Jerusalem , Antonio de la Cierva y Lewita, Count of Ballobar, to help protect Palestinian Jews . On another occasion, after a high official in Tetuan had committed onslaughts against Jews, a delegation composed of Catholics, Jews, and Muslims appealed to Alfonso. The King then removed
6688-574: The Marquess of Mariño , who was viewed unfavorably by the Royal Family due to her mother's cocaine addiction, and Norwegian model Eva Sannum [ no ] , who modeled underwear. Although there were some engagement rumors in the previous weeks, on 31 October 2003, a TV program called Con T de Tarde announced unexpectedly that the Prince of Asturias was dating Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano ,
6840-476: The Military Academy of Zaragoza . According to his sister Pilar, he had difficulty in his studies because of dyslexia . Juan Carlos has two sisters: Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz (1936–2020); and Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria (born 1939). He also had a younger brother, Alfonso (1941–1956). The rendering of his name as "Juan Carlos" (the first and second particles of his baptismal name)
6992-552: The Palace of Zarzuela and began carrying out official engagements. The dictatorial regime of Francisco Franco came to power during the Spanish Civil War , which pitted a government of democrats, anarchists, socialists, and communists, supported by the Soviet Union and international volunteers, against a rebellion of conservatives, monarchists, nationalists, and fascists, supported by both Hitler and Mussolini, with
7144-637: The Royal Household issued a statement declaring (a) that Felipe VI would renounce any inheritance from his father to which he could be entitled, and (b) that Juan Carlos would lose his public stipend from the part of the General State Budget dedicated to the Royal Household. The renunciation of the inheritance is a mere declaration of intent, since the Spanish Civil Code prevents accepting or rejecting an inheritance until
7296-671: The Spanish Civil War in 1939, yet in 1947 Spain's status as a monarchy was affirmed and a law was passed allowing Franco to choose his successor. Juan Carlos's father assumed his claims to the throne after King Alfonso XIII died in February 1941. However, Franco saw Juan Carlos's father to be too liberal and in 1969 declared Juan Carlos his successor as head of state. Juan Carlos spent his early years in Italy and came to Spain in 1947 to continue his studies. After completing his secondary education in 1955, he began his military training and entered
7448-571: The abandonistas grew as many people could see no point to the war. In August 1923, Spanish soldiers embarking for Morocco mutinied, other soldiers in Málaga simply refused to board the ships that were to take them to Morocco, while in Barcelona huge crowds of left-wingers had staged anti-war protests at which Spanish flags were burned while the flag of the Rif Republic was waved about. With
7600-462: The dictatorship of Primo de Rivera that it was difficult for him to distance himself from the regime that he had supported for almost seven years. The enforced changes relied on the incorrect assumption that Spaniards would accept the notion that nothing had happened after 1923 and that going back to the prior state of things was possible. On 12 April, the Republican coalition, short of winning
7752-597: The execution of the Romanov family , but was mistaken in believing that only Nicholas II and his son Alexei had been killed. As such, he continued to push for the Tsarina Alexandra and her four daughters to be brought to Spain, not having realized that they had also been murdered. Alfonso became gravely ill during the 1918 flu pandemic . Spain was neutral and thus under no wartime censorship restrictions, so his illness and subsequent recovery were reported to
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#17327726359487904-517: The 2015 Senior Officials Act. This implies, on the one hand, a greater control of the Crown's finances, since the Court of Auditors will be able to audit its accounts; on the other hand, the disclosure of the wealth of the king and of the senior officials of the Household. On 25 April 2022, in a move towards greater transparency, Felipe VI made public his personal assets for the first time, revealing them to be valued at 2.6 million euros ( US$ 2.8 million). The Spanish royal palace stated that his wealth
8056-434: The African due to his Africanist views , was King of Spain from his birth until 14 April 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed. He became a monarch at birth as his father, Alfonso XII , had died the previous year. Alfonso's mother, Maria Christina of Austria , served as regent until he assumed full powers on his sixteenth birthday in 1902. Alfonso XIII's upbringing and public image were closely linked to
8208-414: The Army, corvette captain in the Navy, and commandant in the Air Force. Promotions in 2009 were lieutenant colonel in the Army, frigate captain in the Navy, and lieutenant colonel in the Air Force. Since 19 June 2014, after his ascension to the throne, he acquired the rank of Captain General ( Commander-in-chief ) of all the Spanish armies ( Army , Navy and Air Force ). During the 2016 Pascua Militar ,
8360-435: The Barcelona production company Royal Films , with the Count of Romanones acting as an intermediary figure between him and the company. Between forty and seventy pornographic films are said to have been shot in total (three of which have been preserved) and were screened in Barcelona's Chinatown , as well as during Alfonso's private screenings. The films, while silent and in black and white, were nonetheless very explicit for
8512-514: The Brief , predicting that the monarchy would soon be swept away with the other remnants of the Franco era. After the collapse of the attempted coup however, in an emotional statement, Carrillo remarked: "Today, we are all monarchists." Public support for the monarchy among democrats and leftists, which had been limited before 1981, increased significantly following the king's handling of the coup. However, this event remains controversial and has led to several alternative theories that cast doubt on
8664-435: The Chief of the Defence Staff, Fernando García Sánchez , on behalf of the Armed Forces , gifted the monarch with a personalized command baton , which symbolizes the loyalty of the armies to the king and the command he has over them. The piece, made by some jewelers from León , is made of cherry wood and the tips are adorned with silver pieces. Felipe speaks Spanish , Catalan , French , English and some Greek . Felipe
8816-479: The Constitution , which gives special powers to the central government to intervene in a Spanish region. On 27 October 2017, the Spanish Senate approved government proposal to impose direct rule in the region with the support of conservative and socialist votes. The Spanish government dismissed all Catalan authorities, dissolved the regional parliament and called for early elections in 2017 . Juan Carlos I King Juan Carlos I Queen Sofía Children of
8968-491: The Count of Barcelona, and his paternal great-grandmother, Queen Victoria Eugenie . Additionally, he is the third cousin once removed of King Harald V of Norway, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and King Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden , and second cousin once removed of King Charles III of the United Kingdom. Shortly after his birth Felipe was styled infante . The dictator Francisco Franco died just over two months before Felipe's eighth birthday, and Felipe's father ascended
9120-404: The Easter holidays from military school. Both Juan Carlos, age 18, and Alfonso, age 14, had been apparently playing with a .22 caliber Long Automatic Star revolver owned by Alfonso. As they were alone in the room, it is unclear how Alfonso was shot, but according to Josefina Carolo, dressmaker to Juan Carlos's mother, Juan Carlos pointed the pistol at Alfonso and pulled the trigger, unaware that it
9272-426: The General Air Academy in Murcia . In September 1987, he began his air force training there where he learned to fly aircraft. In 1989, he was promoted to lieutenant in the Army, ensign in the Navy, and lieutenant in the Air Force. In 1992, he was promoted to captain in the Air Force. In 1993, he was promoted to lieutenant in the Navy and captain in the Infantry of the Army. Further promotions in 2000 were commandant in
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#17327726359489424-405: The Greek sailing team at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome (his mother as a substitute), and Felipe's father and sister were also Olympic sailors for Spain. Felipe's bachelor years were a source of interest to the Spanish press for several years. His name was linked with several eligible women, but only two notable girlfriends: Spanish noblewoman Isabel Sartorius, around 1989 to 1991, daughter of
9576-464: The Household as private counselor. Likewise, in April 2024 the king appointed a new private secretary to the Queen, State lawyer María Dolores Ocaña Madrid, replacing the duke of Abrantes . On 15 March 2020, following the revelation in The Daily Telegraph that Felipe VI appeared as second beneficiary (after his father) of the Lucum Foundation, the entity on the receiving end of a €65 million donation by Abdullah bin Abdulaziz , King of Saudi Arabia,
9728-408: The King appearing in the tale as "King Buby". The tale has been adapted into further literary works and movies since then, with the character of King Buby appearing in some. The tradition of Ratoncito Pérez replacing the lost milk teeth with a small payment or gift while the child sleeps is almost universally followed today in Spain and Hispanic America. Alfonso XIII is also mentioned on the plaque that
9880-432: The King before a solemn meeting of the Cortes. An attempted military coup, known as 23-F, occurred on 23 February 1981, when the Cortes were seized by members of the Guardia Civil in the parliamentary chamber . During the coup, the King, wearing his uniform as Captain-General of the Armed Forces, gave a public television broadcast calling for unambiguous support for the legitimate democratic government. The broadcast
10032-486: The King in the Spanish Parliament as required by the constitution, fully accepting his role as successor to the Crown . Felipe attended school at Santa María de los Rosales, which his daughters both attended. Felipe attended high school at Lakefield College School in Ontario , Canada , and studied at the Autonomous University of Madrid , where he graduated with a degree in law; he also completed several courses in economics. He completed his academic studies by obtaining
10184-464: The King of Spain, not of Belgium") – a reference to King Baudouin of Belgium , who had refused to sign the Belgian law legalising abortion. The King gave his Royal Assent to Law 13/2005 on 1 July 2005; the law legalising same-sex marriage was gazetted in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 2 July, and came into effect on 3 July. According to a poll in the newspaper El Mundo in November 2005, 77.5% of Spaniards thought Juan Carlos
10336-404: The Philippines to the United States as a result of the Spanish–American War . Alfonso became seriously ill during the 1889–1890 pandemic . His health deteriorated around 10 January 1890, and doctors reported his condition as the flu attacked his nervous system leaving the young king in a state of indolence. He eventually recovered. When Alfonso came of age in May 1902, the week of his majority
10488-404: The Prince of Asturias Foundation, where he presides annually at the international awards ceremony of the highly prestigious Princess of Asturias Awards (formerly the Prince of Asturias Awards). Felipe was appointed a "UN-Eminent Person" by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in 2001, during its International Year of Volunteers , and continues to make contributions internationally towards enhancing
10640-429: The Spanish dynasty and king; specifically, Title II, Section 57 asserted Juan Carlos's right to the throne of Spain by dynastic succession in the Bourbon tradition, as "the legitimate heir of the historic dynasty" rather than as the designated successor of Franco. The Constitution was passed by the democratically elected Constituent Cortes , ratified by the people in a referendum (6 December) and then signed into law by
10792-450: The Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero , while the latter was defending his predecessor and political opponent, José María Aznar , after Chávez had referred to Aznar as a fascist and "less human than snakes". The King shortly afterwards left the hall when President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua accused Spain of intervention in his country's elections and complained about some Spanish energy companies working in Nicaragua. This
10944-600: The Spanish diplomatic and military network abroad to intercede for thousands of POWs – transmitting and receiving letters for them, and other services. The office was located in the Royal Palace . Alfonso attempted to save the Russian Tsar Nicholas II and his family from the Bolsheviks who captured them, sending two telegrams offering the Russian imperial family refuge in Spain. He later learned of
11096-498: The Spanish language abroad. He frequently represents Spain at world economic and trade events (e.g. Expotecnia, Expoconsumo, and Expohabitat), and is especially interested in promoting the creation of Centres and University Chairs to advance the study of Spain both historically and in the present-day at major foreign universities. Following the March 2004 Madrid bombings , Felipe, along with his sisters Elena and Cristina , took part in
11248-523: The Spanish national church in Rome, immediately below the tombs of Popes Callixtus III and Alexander VI . In January 1980 his remains were transferred to El Escorial in Spain. Alfonso was a promoter of tourism in Spain. The need for the lodging of his wedding guests prompted the construction of the luxurious Hotel Palace in Madrid. He also supported the creation of a network of state-run lodges, Paradores , in historic buildings of Spain. His fondness for
11400-764: The Tetuan official from power, in spite of the fact that the official possessed the support of the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs . According to the Jewish Professor Abraham S.E. Yahuda, Alfonso told Yahuda in private conversations that he would issue no policies of discrimination towards Jews, believing all of his Spanish subjects to be entitled to equal rights and protection. Alfonso is occasionally referred to as "the playboy king", due in part to his promotion and collection of Spanish pornographic films, as well as his extramarital affairs. As King, Alfonso commissioned pornographic films through
11552-496: The advice of the government. He indicated as much in a speech to the Cortes on the day of his enthronement, saying that he would be "a loyal head of state who is ready to listen and understand, warn and advise as well as to defend the public interest at all times". While he is nominally chief executive, he is not politically responsible for exercising his powers. Per the Constitution, his acts are not valid unless countersigned by
11704-483: The agreement of marriage. Alfonso and Victoria were married at the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo in Madrid on 31 May 1906, with British royalty in attendance, including Victoria's cousins the Prince and Princess of Wales (later King George V and Queen Mary ). The wedding was marked by an assassination attempt on Alfonso and Victoria by Catalan anarchist Mateu Morral. As the wedding procession returned to
11856-478: The condition. Alfonso distanced himself from his wife for transmitting the condition to their sons. From 1914 on, he had several mistresses, and fathered five illegitimate children. A sixth illegitimate child had been born before his marriage. During World War I , because of his family connections with both sides and the division of popular opinion, Spain remained neutral. The King established an office for assistance to prisoners of war on all sides. This office used
12008-462: The country's unity. Under the Constitution, the King has immunity from prosecution in matters relating to his official duties. Consequently, he exercised most of his powers through the ministers; his acts as King (and not as a citizen) were not valid unless countersigned by a minister, who became politically responsible for the act in question. As head of the Spanish state, Juan Carlos "held political power, gave his opinion and exerted his influence in
12160-662: The coup attempt — more than six hours after the armed guards invaded Congress — it is still difficult to establish whether he acted out of democratic conviction or because the operation was not going as well as expected, with little support. The reasons for the trial of the coup plotters are still classified. The victory of the PSOE in 1982 under González marked the effective end of the King's active involvement in Spanish politics. González governed for 14 years, longer than any other democratically elected Prime Minister. His administration helped consolidate Spanish democracy and thus maintained
12312-535: The death of the person who bequeaths takes place. The Royal Household also implied that Felipe VI already had prior knowledge of the Lucum Foundation and his condition as beneficiary of the latter since April 2019. After this controversy, in April 2022 the Council of Ministers approved a Royal Decree elaborated by the Royal Household that puts the King's house completely under the 2013 Transparency Act and
12464-411: The debate focusing on whether labelling the monarch's actions as a military rebellion, lèse-majesté , high treason , or even condemning "a delinquent personality" or "a wholly punishable life". The debate ended with an eloquent speech by Prime Minister Manuel Azaña pleading for the unanimity of the house "to condemn and exclude D. Alfonso de Borbón from the law, proclaiming the majesty of our republic,
12616-527: The defunct Spanish throne in favour of Juan. He died in Rome on 28 February that year following weeks in agony after a first severe attack of angina pectoris . In Spain, dictator Francisco Franco ordered three days of national mourning. The ex-king's funeral was held in Rome in the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri . He was buried in the Church of Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli ,
12768-532: The democratically elected Republican government a war broke out in Spain . On 30 July 1936, Alfonso's son Juan took the initiative of leaving Cannes to go to Spain to join the rebel faction , with the former king (then in a hunting trip in Czechoslovakia ) reportedly giving consent, so Juan de Borbón crossed the border set to join the front in Somosierra dressed in a blue jumpsuit and red beret under
12920-459: The dethroned king likewise accusing in the document the reformist Republic to be " inspired and sponsored by communism, freemasonry and judaism ". In 1933, his two eldest sons, Alfonso and Jaime, renounced their claims to the defunct throne on the same day, and in 1934 his youngest son Gonzalo died. This left his third son Juan his only male heir. After the July 1936 attempted coup d'état against
13072-464: The door knocked Juan Carlos in the arm, causing him to fire the pistol. After learning this news, the Count of Barcelona reportedly grabbed Juan Carlos by the neck and shouted at him angrily, "Swear to me that you didn't do it on purpose!" Two days later, the Count sent his son back to the military academy. Following a later declaration of Juan Carlos's mother, Paul Preston argues that the content of
13224-472: The economic sphere, for example, in the area of company mergers or public policy during the transition period," analyses journalist Ana Pardo . The honour of the royal family is specifically protected from insult by the Spanish Penal Code . Under this protection, Basque independentist Arnaldo Otegi and cartoonists from El Jueves were tried and punished. The King gave an annual speech to
13376-608: The edict. In 2008, Juan Carlos spoke at the opening of a 3-day Saudi-sponsored World Conference on Dialogue interfaith conference at the Royal Palace of El Pardo outside Madrid. The conference was attended by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia , Rabbi David Rosen , and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair . Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII ( Spanish : Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena ; French : Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon ; 17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also known as El Africano or
13528-490: The effects of a flu . Alfonso XIII appointed General Dámaso Berenguer as the new prime minister. Back in 1926, Alfonso XIII had appointed Berenguer as Chief of Staff of the Military House of the King, a post conventionally fit for burned-out generals in order to move them away from the spotlight for a time in a show of affection. The new period was nicknamed as dictablanda . The King was so closely associated with
13680-472: The face of the King's attempts at democratization. He instead appointed Adolfo Suárez , a former leader of the Movimiento Nacional , as prime minister. Further legitimacy was restored to Juan Carlos's position on 14 May 1977, when his father (whom many monarchists had recognized as the legitimate, exiled King of Spain during the Franco era ) formally renounced his claim to the throne and recognized his son as
13832-456: The fake name "Juan López". However, rebel general Emilio Mola , mastermind behind the putschist plot, was warned of the move and had Juan returned. The former king made it clear he favoured the rebel faction against the Republican government. In September 1936, the general who had emerged as leader of the rebel faction, Francisco Franco , declared that he would not restore Alfonso as king. On 15 January 1941, Alfonso XIII renounced his rights to
13984-650: The first phase of his formation in October. In July 1986, he was promoted to Cadet Ensign. He was also named as Midshipman. In September 1986, he began his naval training at the Naval Military Academy in Marin ( Pontevedra ), joining the Third Brigade. In January 1987, he continued his naval training on board the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano . In July, he was named as Student Ensign at
14136-896: The first time the gardens of the royal family's vacation palace, the Marivent Palace , at the request of the regional government of the Balearic Islands . The public can enjoy the gardens as long as the royal family is not there. In February 2024, the king appointed a new Private Secretary, diplomat Camilo Villarino , at that time Head of the Cabinet of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy , Josep Borrell . Villarino replaced Jaime Alfonsín , private secretary to Felipe for almost 30 years, both as prince and king. Alfonsin remains in
14288-690: The former testimony implies that Juan Carlos had pointed the gun at Alfonso, apparently not knowing that the gun was loaded, and pulled the trigger. In 1957, Juan Carlos spent a year in the naval school at Marín, Pontevedra , and another in the Air Force school in San Javier in Murcia . In 1960–61, he studied law, international political economy and public finance at the Complutense University of Madrid . He then went to live in
14440-555: The future Pope Pius XII . Juan Carlos's early life was dictated largely by the political concerns of his father and General Francisco Franco . He moved to Spain in 1948 to be educated there after his father persuaded Franco to allow it. He began his studies in San Sebastián and finished them in 1954 at the Instituto San Isidro in Madrid. He then joined the army, doing his officer training from 1955 to 1957 at
14592-627: The harmony and co-existence within Catalan society itself". He also warned the referendum could put the economy of the entire north-east region of Spain at risk. Reactions to Felipe's speech were mixed. Party officials from the PP , PSOE and Ciudadanos acclaimed the King's "commitment to legality" and the "defense of the Constitution, the [regional] Statute , the rule of law and the territorial integrity of Spain", whereas leaders from Unidos Podemos and Catalunya en Comú criticized it as "as unworthy as it
14744-803: The importance of voluntary work. Felipe is a member of the Sons of the American Revolution due to his patriot ancestor Charles III of Spain . Later in 2019, as King, he received the World Peace & Liberty Award from the World Jurist Association at the World Law Congress in Madrid. On 2 June 2014, King Juan Carlos announced his intent to abdicate in Felipe's favor. As required by the Constitution of Spain ,
14896-442: The innermost military clique of Alfonso XIII and who wanted to prevent investigations about Annual from tarnishing the monarch (José Cavalcanti, Federico Berenguer, Leopoldo Saro and Antonio Dabán), even if Primo de Rivera had embraced Abandonista positions prior to that point. Primo de Rivera ruled as a dictator with the king's support until January 1930. During the dictatorship, the king increased his public presence, siding with
15048-745: The king, the prime minister and several other ministers in a ceremony at the infantry's barracks. On 1 November the same year, he was ceremoniously paid homage as Prince of Asturias in Covadonga . In 1981 Felipe received the Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece from his father, the Chief and Sovereign of the Order. On his 18th birthday on 30 January 1986, Felipe swore allegiance to the Constitution and to
15200-549: The late Duchess of Badajoz : The Duchess of Soria and Hernani The Duke of Soria and Hernani The Dowager Duchess of Calabria Juan Carlos I ( Spanish: [xwaŋˈkaɾlos] ; Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family who reigned as King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until his abdication on 19 June 2014. In Spain, since his abdication, Juan Carlos has usually been referred to as
15352-510: The military clique with rewards and merits, his abuse of the power to dissolve the legislature, rendering the co-sovereignty between the Nation and the Crown a total fiction; that he had disproportionately fostered the Armed forces (often to contain internal protest), had used the armed forces abroad with imperialist aims alien to the interests of the nation but his own, that he had personally devised
15504-502: The military estate; he often presented himself as a soldier-king. His effective reign started four years after the Spanish–American War , when various social milieus projected their expectations of national regeneration onto him. Like other European monarchs of his time he played a political role, entailing a controversial use of his constitutional executive powers. His wedding to Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg in 1906
15656-579: The military operation of Annual behind the back of the Council of Ministers, and that following the massacre of Annual that "cost the lives of thousands of Spanish lads", he had decided to launch a coup with the help of a few generals rather than facing scrutiny in the legislature. Other than Romanones, who exculpated the actions of the monarch, disconformity towards the Primo de Rivera dictatorship notwithstanding, no other legislator intervened in his favour, with
15808-663: The nation on Christmas Eve and was, as King, the commander-in-chief of the Spanish armed forces. In October 1990, Juan Carlos visited the Chilean city of Valdivia amidst the beginning of the Chilean transition to democracy . While he and the Queen were cheered by some, groups of indigenous Mapuches approached the king some to protest past colonialism and others to have the King ratify past Mapuche-Spanish treaties. According to El País political infighting between Mapuches prevented Juan Carlos from hosting an official meeting with Mapuche representatives. In July 2000, Juan Carlos
15960-567: The occasion by giving him white gold and sapphire cufflinks and a classic book, El doncel de don Enrique el doliente by Mariano José de Larra . The wedding, which was officiated by the archbishop of Madrid and president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference , Antonio María Rouco Varela , took place on the morning of 22 May 2004 in the Almudena Cathedral , with representatives of royal families from all over
16112-436: The palace, he threw a bomb from a window which killed 30 bystanders and members of the procession, while 100 others were wounded. On 10 May 1907, the couple's first child, Alfonso, Prince of Asturias , was born. Victoria was in fact a haemophilia carrier, and Alfonso inherited the condition. Neither of the two daughters born to the King and Queen were haemophilia carriers, but another of their sons, Gonzalo (1914–1934), had
16264-601: The partial invasion of the Spanish Sahara by Moroccan civilians, followed by the Madrid Accords handing over the control of the territory to Morocco and Mauritania . Franco died on 20 November 1975, and two days later on 22 November the Cortes Españolas proclaimed Juan Carlos King of Spain. In his address to the Cortes, Juan Carlos spoke of three factors: historical tradition, national laws, and
16416-410: The political failure of the dictatorship, Alfonso XIII removed support from Primo de Rivera (who was thereby forced to resign in 1930) and favoured (during the so-called dictablanda ) an attempted return to the pre-1923 state of affairs. Nevertheless, he had lost most of his political capital along the way. He left Spain voluntarily after the municipal elections of April 1931 – which was understood as
16568-572: The press, Felipe met TV news journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano , whom he married in 2004. They have two daughters, Leonor and Sofía . Felipe ascended the throne on 19 June 2014 upon the abdication of his father . His reign has been marked by his condemnation of the Catalan independence referendum that led to the 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis , the COVID-19 pandemic , and moves towards greater transparency in royal affairs. According to
16720-456: The rebels ultimately winning. Franco's authoritarian government remained dominant in Spain until the 1960s. With Franco's increasing age, left-wing protests increased, while at the same time, the far right factions demanded the return of a hardline absolute monarchy . At the time, the heir to the throne of Spain was Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, the son of King Alfonso XIII. However, Franco viewed him with extreme suspicion, believing him to be
16872-508: The sincerity of the King's defense of democracy. The King had close ties with the leader of the rebellion, who had served him as Secretary General of the Royal Household. Above all, Juan Carlos and the main political parties were aware of a plan to put General Alfonso Armada in charge of the government, particularly in order to crack down on the Basque independence organization Euskadi ta Askatasuna (ETA). Although Juan Carlos strongly condemned
17024-574: The sole head of the Spanish Royal House, transferring to him the historical heritage of the Spanish monarchy, thus making Juan Carlos both de facto and de jure king in the eyes of the traditional monarchists. On 20 May 1977, the leader of the only recently legalized Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), Felipe González , accompanied by Javier Solana , visited Juan Carlos in the Zarzuela Palace. The event represented
17176-465: The south of France at the time, was informed of the "Disaster of the Annual" while he was playing golf . Reportedly, Alfonso's response to the news was to shrug his shoulders and say "Chicken meat is cheap", before resuming his game. Alfonso remained in France and did not return to Spain to comfort the families of the soldiers lost in the battle, which many people at the time saw as a callous and cold act,
17328-594: The sport of football led to the patronage of several "royal" ("real" in Spanish) football clubs, the first being Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña in 1907. Selected others include Real Madrid , Real Sociedad , Real Betis , Real Unión , Espanyol , Real Zaragoza and Real Racing Club . An avenue in the northern Madrid neighbourhood of Chamartín, Avenida de Alfonso XIII, is named after him. A plaza or town centre in Iloilo City , Philippines (now Plaza Libertad)
17480-453: The stability of the nation. On paper, Juan Carlos retained fairly extensive reserve powers . He was the guardian of the Constitution and was responsible for ensuring that it was obeyed. In practice, since the passage of the Constitution (and especially since 1982), he took a mostly non-partisan and representative role, acting almost entirely on the advice of the government. However, he commanded great moral authority as an essential symbol of
17632-506: The summer of 1974. In November the following year, Franco died and Juan Carlos became king. Juan Carlos was expected to continue Franco's legacy, but instead introduced reforms to dismantle the Francoist regime and to begin the Spanish transition to democracy soon after his accession. This led to the approval of the Spanish Constitution of 1978 in a referendum which re-established a constitutional monarchy . In 1981, Juan Carlos played
17784-618: The sustainment of the monarchy. Alfonso XIII fled the country and the Second Spanish Republic was peacefully proclaimed on 14 April 1931. In November 1931, the Constituent Republican Cortes held an impassionate debate about the political responsibilities of the former monarch. Some of the grievances against the action of Alfonso XIII as a king included interference in the institutions to reinforce his personal power, bargaining personal support from
17936-547: The throne at the stroke of midnight on 19 June; his father had given his sanction to the organic law effecting his abdication just hours earlier. The next morning, after receiving the Captain General 's sash from his father (symbolizing the transfer of royal and military power), he was formally sworn in and proclaimed king in a low-key ceremony held in the Cortes. He swore to uphold the Constitution before formally being proclaimed king by Posada. Upon his accession, he became
18088-410: The throne, as the latter had been appointed as Prince of Spain back in 1969. In his first official appearance, Felipe attended his father's proclamation as king on 22 November 1975. In 1977, Felipe was formally proclaimed Prince of Asturias . In May, nine-year-old Felipe was made an honorary soldier of the 1st King's Inmemorial Infantry Regiment . The occasion was marked on 28 May and was attended by
18240-425: The throne, hosting many official events in Spain and participating in all events of different sectors and aspects of Spanish public life. Since October 1995, Felipe has represented the Crown on a series of official visits to the Spanish regions , starting with Valencia. Felipe has held regular meetings with constitutional bodies and state institutions keeping up-to-date with their activities. He also attends meetings of
18392-408: The time, showing full nudity and sex scenes. These films featured content considered immoral and degenerate, including sexual relationships involving Catholic priests, lesbianism, and "women with enormous breasts" (the last of which is said to have been Alfonso's passion). Most of these films were later destroyed during Franco's regime . This has led some to speculate that Alfonso may have possessed
18544-524: The unbreakable will of our civism and the permanence of the Spanish glories framed by the institutions freely given by the Nation". The house passed the act brought forward by the Commission of Responsibilities, summarizing Alfonso de Borbón's responsibilities as being guilty of high treason. Involved in anti-Republican plots from his exile, and keen to draw support from the Carlists in the context of
18696-564: The uneasy and competing relations between the Carlist and Alfonsist factions within the radicalised monarchist camp, in the aftermath of so-called Pact of Territet he issued a statement dated 23 January 1932 endorsing the manifesto launched by Carlist claimant Alfonso Carlos (in which the latter hinted at the cession of dynastic rights should the former king accept "those fundamental principles which in our traditional regime have been demanded of all Kings with precedence of personal rights"), with
18848-629: The various bodies of the General State Administration and of the Autonomous Communities Administrations as required by his national and international constitutional obligations. In particular, he has held meetings with people of his generation who have built successful careers in political, economic, cultural and media circles. As part of his military training, Felipe trained as a military helicopter pilot. On occasions when King Juan Carlos I
19000-947: The will of the people, and in so doing referred to a process dating back to the Civil War of 1936–39. He swore using the following formula: "I swear to God and the Gospels to comply and enforce compliance to the Fundamental Laws of the Realm and to remain loyal to the Principles of the National Movement ". On 27 November, a Mass of the Holy Spirit was celebrated in the church of San Jerónimo el Real in Madrid to inaugurate his reign. He opted not to call himself Juan III or Carlos V, but Juan Carlos I. Juan Carlos
19152-522: The world and most heads of state from Latin America present. In Spain alone, the royal wedding was watched by more than 25 million viewers, the most watched television event in the history of Spanish television . Felipe and Letizia have two daughters: Leonor, Princess of Asturias (born 31 October 2005) and Infanta Sofía (born 29 April 2007). Both were born at Ruber International Hospital in Madrid . Felipe undertook his constitutional duties as heir to
19304-626: The world, while flu outbreaks in the belligerent countries were concealed. This gave the misleading impression that Spain was the most affected area and led to the pandemic being dubbed "the Spanish Flu". Following World War I, Spain entered the lengthy yet victorious Rif War (1920–1926) to preserve its colonial rule over northern Morocco. Critics of the monarchy thought the war was an unforgivable loss of money and lives, and nicknamed Alfonso el Africano ("the African"). Alfonso had not acted as
19456-471: The young prince could be groomed to take over the nation while still maintaining the ultraconservative and authoritarian nature of his regime. In 1969, Juan Carlos was officially designated heir-apparent and was given the new title of Prince of Spain (not the traditional Prince of Asturias ). As a condition of being named heir-apparent, he was required to swear loyalty to Franco's Movimiento Nacional , which he did with little outward hesitation. His choice
19608-515: The youngest monarch in Europe, being nine months younger than King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands . As king, Felipe has fairly extensive reserve powers on paper. He is the guardian of the Constitution and is responsible for ensuring it is obeyed and followed. It was expected that he would follow his father's practice of taking a mostly ceremonial and representative role, acting largely on
19760-511: Was Manuel Fernández Silvestre . In 1921, when Silvestre advanced up into the Rif mountains of Morocco, Alfonso sent him a telegram whose first line read "Hurrah for real men!", urging Silvestre not to retreat at a time when Silvestre was experiencing major difficulties. Silvestre stayed the course, leading his men into the Battle of Annual , one of Spain's worst defeats. Alfonso, who was on holiday in
19912-762: Was "good or very good", 15.4% "not so good", and only 7.1% "bad or very bad". Even so, the issue of the monarchy re-emerged on 28 September 2007 as photos of the king were burnt in public in Catalonia by small groups of protesters wanting the restoration of the Republic. In November 2007, at the Ibero-American Summit in Santiago , during a heated exchange, Juan Carlos interrupted Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez , saying, " ¿Por qué no te callas? " ("Why don't you shut up?"). Chávez had been interrupting
20064-513: Was a Protestant , and would have to become a Catholic. Victoria's brother, Leopold , was a haemophiliac , so there was a 50 percent chance that Victoria was a carrier of the trait. Finally, Alfonso's mother Maria Christina wanted him to marry a member of her family, the House of Habsburg-Lorraine , or some other Catholic princess, as she considered the Battenbergs to be non-dynastic. Victoria
20216-671: Was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team at the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona . Felipe took part in the opening ceremony as the Spanish team 's flag bearer. The Spanish crew finished in sixth place in the Soling class and obtained an Olympic diploma . He is an honorary member of the International Soling Association . Both his mother and uncle, King Constantine II of Greece , were on
20368-403: Was a modification by choice of Franco. He was always known in his familiar circle simply as "Juan" or "Juanito". On the evening of Holy Thursday , 29 March 1956, Infante Alfonso died in a gun accident at the family's home Villa Giralda in Estoril , on the Portuguese Riviera . The Spanish Embassy in Portugal then issued the following official communiqué: Whilst His Highness Prince Alfonso
20520-423: Was an unprecedented diplomatic incident and a rare display of public anger by the King. Juan Carlos detailed for the first time in 2011 the yearly royal budget of €8.3 million, excluding expenses such as the electricity bill, paid by the State. In April 2012, Juan Carlos faced criticism for an elephant-hunting trip in Botswana . The public found out about the trip only after the King injured himself and
20672-426: Was at 23% and nearly 50% for young workers. El País estimated the total cost of a hunting trip at €44,000, about twice the average annual salary in Spain. A petition called for the king to resign from his position as honorary president of the Spanish branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature . The WWF itself responded by asking for an interview with the King to resolve the situation. In July 2012, WWF Spain held
20824-401: Was baptised with water specially brought from the River Jordan in Palestine. The French newspaper Le Figaro described the young king in 1889 as "the happiest and best-loved of all the rulers of the earth". His mother, Maria Christina of Austria , served as his regent until his sixteenth birthday. During the regency, in 1898, Spain lost its colonial rule over Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and
20976-427: Was born to Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona , and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies in their family home in Rome , where his grandfather King Alfonso XIII and other members of the Spanish royal family lived in exile following the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931. He was baptized as Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias by Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli,
21128-445: Was cleaning a revolver last evening with his brother, a shot was fired hitting his forehead and killing him in a few minutes. The accident took place at 20.30 hours, after the Infante's return from the Maundy Thursday religious service, during which he had received holy communion . Alfonso had won a local junior golf tournament earlier in the day, then went to evening Mass and rushed up to the room to see Juan Carlos who had come home for
21280-416: Was in Juan Carlos's company. However, as the years progressed, Juan Carlos began meeting secretly with political opposition leaders and exiles, who were fighting to bring liberal reform to the country. He also had secret conversations with his father over the telephone. Franco, for his part, remained largely oblivious to the prince's actions and denied allegations from his ministers and advisors that Juan Carlos
21432-399: Was in any way disloyal to his vision of the regime. During periods of Franco's temporary incapacity in 1974 and 1975, Juan Carlos was acting head of state . On 30 October 1975, Franco gave full control to Juan Carlos. According to declassified CIA reports, during this time Juan Carlos secretly acquiesced and arranged with King Hassan II of Morocco the terms of the so-called Green March ,
21584-412: Was irresponsible", paving the way for a harsh intervention of the Catalan autonomy. However, some PSOE leaders were upset that the King had not made any call to understanding or dialogue between the Spanish and Catalan governments. After the speech, where Felipe ordered the "legitimate powers of the State" to ensure "constitutional order", the Spanish government started the process to apply article 155 of
21736-411: Was loaded. Bernardo Arnoso, a Portuguese friend of Juan Carlos, also said that Juan Carlos had told him he had fired the pistol not knowing that it was loaded, and adding that the bullet ricocheted off a wall, hitting Alfonso in the face. Helena Matheopoulos , a Greek author who spoke with the infantes' sister Pilar, said that Alfonso had been out of the room and when he returned and pushed the door open,
21888-406: Was looking for a suitable consort. On a state visit to the United Kingdom , he stayed in London at Buckingham Palace with King Edward VII . There he met Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg , the daughter of Edward's youngest sister Princess Beatrice , and a granddaughter of Queen Victoria . He found her attractive, and she returned his interest. There were obstacles to the marriage. Victoria
22040-548: Was marked by festivities, bullfights, balls and receptions throughout Spain. He took his oath to the constitution before members of the Cortes on 17 May. Alfonso received, to a large extent, a military education that imbued him with "a Spanish nationalism strengthened by his military vocation". Besides the clique of military tutors, Alfonso also received political teachings from a liberal, Vicente Santamaría de Paredes [ es ] , and moral precepts from an integrist , José Fernández de la Montaña . By 1905, Alfonso
22192-413: Was marred by an attempt at regicide ; he was unharmed. With public opinion divided over World War I , and moreover a split between pro-German and pro-Entente sympathizers, Alfonso XIII used his relations with other European royal families to help preserve a stance of neutrality, as espoused by his government. However, several factors weakened the monarch's constitutional legitimacy: the rupture of
22344-416: Was named in his honour called Plaza Alfonso XIII. A street in Merthyr Tydfil , in Wales , was built especially to house Spanish immigrants in the mining industry and named Alphonso Street after Alfonso XIII. Ratoncito Pérez first appeared as the Spanish equivalent to the Tooth Fairy in a 1894 tale written by Luis Coloma for King Alfonso XIII, who had just lost a milk tooth at the age of eight, with
22496-401: Was officially created Prince of Asturias in 1977, two years after his father became king. Felipe was formally proclaimed as prince in 1986. He was also made honorary soldier of the Spanish Army at the age of 9. Felipe was educated at Santa María de los Rosales School and went to Lakefield College School in Canada. Later, he studied law at the Autonomous University of Madrid and he obtained
22648-553: Was ratified by the Spanish parliament on 22 July 1969. Juan Carlos met and consulted Franco many times while heir apparent and often took part in official and ceremonial state functions, standing alongside the dictator, much to the anger of hardline republicans and more moderate liberals, who hoped that Franco's death would bring in an era of reform. During 1969–1975, Juan Carlos publicly supported Franco's regime. Although Franco's health worsened during those years, whenever he did appear in public, from state dinners to military parades, it
22800-413: Was the target of an enraged protester when former priest Juan María Fernández y Krohn , who had once attacked Pope John Paul II , breached security and attempted to approach the king. When the media asked Juan Carlos in 2005 whether he would endorse the bill legalising same-sex marriage that was then being debated in the Cortes Generales , he answered "Soy el Rey de España y no el de Bélgica" ("I am
22952-599: Was unable to attend, Felipe presided over the annual presentation of dispatches to officers and non-commissioned officers in the Armed Forces as well as participating in military exercises held by the three Armed Services. Since January 1996, Felipe has represented Spain at many Latin American presidents' inauguration ceremonies. As Prince, he visited every country in Latin America except Cuba, which he visited as King in 11–14 November 2019. He made over 200 foreign trips in total. Felipe has also played an active role in promoting Spain's economic, commercial and cultural interests and
23104-444: Was willing to change her religion, and her being a haemophilia carrier was only a possibility. Maria Christina was eventually persuaded to drop her opposition. In January 1906 she wrote an official letter to Princess Beatrice proposing the match. Victoria met Maria Christina and Alfonso in Biarritz , France, later that month, and converted to Catholicism in San Sebastián in March. In May, diplomats of both kingdoms officially executed
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