by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2015

King Alfonso XIII of Spain – photo: Wikipedia

King Alfonso XIII of Spain was the Spanish sovereign from his birth on May 17, 1886, until the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic on April 14, 1931. He was born Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena, the son of the late King Alfonso XII of Spain and Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria. Because his father had died before his birth, his mother served as Regent while awaiting his birth. She would remain Regent until Alfonso turned sixteen and took control of the monarchy.

He had two older sisters:

• Infanta Mercedes, Princess of Asturias (1880 – 1904), married Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, had three children
• Infanta Maria Teresa (1882 -1912), married Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria, Infante of Spain, had four children

While on a state visit to the United Kingdom in 1905, King Alfonso met Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, the daughter of Prince Henry of Battenberg and Princess Beatrice of the United Kingdom, the youngest daughter of Queen Victoria. The two soon began corresponding and developed quite strong feelings for each other. However, several obstacles in their relationship needed to be resolved before they could consider marriage. The first issue was religion. Alfonso was Catholic while Victoria Eugenie was Protestant. The second issue was the potential of bringing hemophilia into the Spanish royal family. As Victoria Eugenie’s brother  Leopold suffered from the disease, there was a very good chance that Victoria Eugenie herself was a carrier. And the third obstacle was Alfonso’s mother, the Dowager Queen. She did not feel the Battenbergs were royal enough due to the morganatic marriage that started that family, and she wanted her son to marry a member of the Habsburg dynasty of Austria. Eventually, all three obstacles were overcome. Victoria Eugenie (known as Ena) agreed to convert to Catholicism, and despite the risk of hemophilia, Alfonso still chose to marry her. Her uncle, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, raised her style to Royal Highness to remove any question of the marriage being equal.

Assassination attempt at Alfonso and Victoria Eugenie’s wedding, 1906.

The couple married on May 31, 1906, at the Royal Monastery of San Jerónimo in Madrid, Spain in a wedding attended by many royals from around the world. While the wedding procession was returning to the Royal Palace, an assassination attempt was made on the King and his new Queen. Both Alfonso and Ena were unharmed, however, several guards and bystanders were killed or injured.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg

Eventually, the couple would have seven children:

• Infante Alfonso, Prince of Asturias (1907-1938) – married (1) Edelmira Sampedro y Robato, no children, divorced (2) Marta Esther Rocafort-Altuzarra, no children
• Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia (1908-1975) – married (1) Emmanuelle de Dampierre, had two sons, divorced (2) Charlotte Luise Auguste Tiedemann, no children
• Infanta Beatriz (1909-2002) – married Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince of Civitella-Cesi, four children
• Infante Fernando (1910-1910) – stillborn
• Infanta María Cristina (1911-1996) – married Count Enrico Marone, four children
• Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona (1913-1993) – married Princess Maria Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, four children including King Juan Carlos of Spain
• Infante Gonzalo (1914-1934) – not married

Alfonso and Ena’s marriage was strained from the birth of their first son Alfonso. Shortly after his birth, it was discovered that he was suffering from hemophilia. Of their children, only their oldest and youngest had the disease. Despite knowing the possible risk before they married, King Alfonso blamed Ena for bringing the disease into the royal family and distanced himself from her. He had several mistresses and fathered at least 6 illegitimate children.

• Unofficial Royalty: Hemophilia in Queen Victoria’s Family

In 1923, General Miguel Primo de Rivera seized power in a military coup, with the support of King Alfonso.Alfonso named him Prime Minister and Primo de Rivera served as dictator for the next seven years. In 1930, after falling from grace with the King and losing much of his public support, Primo de Rivera resigned. Having been an ally for most of that time, the King also suffered a huge lack of support from the Spanish people. In 1931, elections were held, resulting in the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic. Alfonso and his family fled Spain, settling in France and then Italy.

Soon after going into exile, King Alfonso and Queen Victoria Eugenie went their separate ways. He remained in Rome, while Ena settled in Switzerland. On January 15, 1941, feeling that his life was coming to an end, Alfonso formally abdicated in favor of his third son, Juan, Count of Barcelona. His two older sons had both renounced their claims to the throne in the early 1930s. Just weeks later, on February 28, 1941, King Alfonso XIII died at the Grand Hotel in Rome, Italy. He was just 54 years old. His funeral was held at the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome, and he was buried at the Church of Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli, the Spanish national church in the city. In 1980, his remains were returned to Spain and interred in the Pantheon of Kings in the Royal Crypt of the Monastery of El Escorial.

The Pantheon of the Kings. Photo: Wikipedia

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Kingdom of Spain Resources at Unofficial Royalty

• Kingdom of Spain Index
• Line of Succession to the Throne of Spain
• Monarchs of a United Spain (since 1516)
• Profiles of the Spanish Royal Family
• Spanish Royal Burial Sites
• Spanish Royal Christenings
• Spanish Royal Dates
• Spanish Royal FAQs
• Spanish Royal Links
• Spanish Royal Weddings
• Spanish Royal Residences

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Infanta Margarita of Spain, Duchess of Soria, 2nd Duchess of Hernani (Margarita María de la Victoria Esperanza Jacoba Felicidad Perpetua y Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias) was born in Rome, Italy on March 6, 1939, the third of the four children of Infante Juan of Spain, Count of Barcelona and his wife Princess María Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.  Infanta Margarita has been blind since her birth.

Margarita has three siblings:

• Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz (1936 – 2020), married Don Luis Gómez-Acebo y Duque de Estrada, Viscount de la Torre, had four sons and one daughter
• King Juan Carlos of Spain (born 1938), married Princess Sophia of Greece, had two daughters and one son
• Infante Alfonso (1941 – 1956), died in a gun accident in 1956

Because the Spanish monarchy was in exile after the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed and the exile continued after Generalísimo Francisco Franco took power, Margarita spent much of her early life in exile. The family first lived in Cannes, France, and then moved to Rome, Italy. During World War II, the family lived in Lausanne, Switzerland.  In 1946, they settled Estoril, Portugal.

On October 12, 1972, Infanta Margarita married Carlos Zurita y Delgado, a medical doctor, at the Church of San Antonio in Estoril, Portugal, and renounced her succession rights. The couple had two children:

• Alfonso Juan Carlos Zurita y de Borbón (born 1973)
• María Sofía Emilia Carmen Zurita y de Borbón (born 1975),  single, mother of a son by artificial insemination

In 1979, when Margarita’s cousin, Manfredo de Borbón, 1st Duke of Hernani died, he willed his ducal title to Margarita. King Juan Carlos granted this request and she became 2nd Duchess of Hernani.  In 1981, King Juan Carlos granted her a higher dukedom for life and she became Duchess of Soria.  Her husband is styled His Excellency The Duke of Soria and Hernani.

Despite her disability, Infanta Margarita is an active woman who loves to be with her family and friends. She is an avid music lover and listens to everything from classical music to heavy metal music. In 1989, with her husband, Infanta Margarita created the Fundación Cultural Duques de Soria (The Duke and Duchess of Soria Cultural Foundation) based in the former Convent of Mercy in Soria, Spain. Margarita is also the honorary president of the Spanish delegation of UNICEF, the Fundación ONCE, the Spanish Heart Foundation, and the Spanish Federation of Hemophilia.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Infanta Pilar of Spain, Duchess of BadajozCredit – Wikipedia

Infanta Pilar of Spain, Duchess of Badajoz was born on July 30, 1936, in Cannes, France. Her full name is María del Pilar Alfonsa Juana Victoria Luisa Ignacia y Todos los Santos de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias. She was the eldest of the four children of Infante Juan of Spain, Count of Barcelona and his wife Princess María Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.  Infanta Pilar’s paternal grandparents were King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Infanta Pilar had three younger siblings:

• King Juan Carlos of Spain (born 1938) – married Princess Sophia of Greece, had two daughters and one son
• Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria (born 1939) – married Carlos Emilio Juan Zurita y Delgado, had one son and one daughter
• Infante Alfonso (1941 – 1956), died in a gun accident

Because the Spanish monarchy was in exile after the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed and the exile continued after Generalísimo Francisco Franco took power, Pilar spent much of her early life in exile. The family first lived in Cannes, France, and then moved to Rome, Italy. During World War II, the family lived in Lausanne, Switzerland.  In 1946, they settled in Estoril, Portugal. She was styled as Her Royal Highness Infanta Pilar from birth and in 1967 Generalísimo Franco gave her permission to use the style in Spain.

On May 5, 1967, Infanta Pilar married Luis Gomez-Acebo y de Estrada, Viscount de la Torre, at the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon, Portugal. The couple had met at the home of former Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria whose wife Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela, was a cousin of Luis. The marriage was controversial because Luis was not royal and Pilar had to renounce her rights of succession to the Spanish throne. Shortly after the marriage, Pilar was created Duchess of Badajoz. Luis died of lymphatic cancer in 1991. Infanta Pilar and her husband had five children:

• Simoneta Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (born 1968), married and divorced José Miguel Fernández-Sastrón, had two sons and one daughter
• Juan Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (born 1969), married Winston Holmes Carney, had one son, a separation was announced in May 2019
• Bruno Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (born 1971), married Bárbara Cano y de la Plaza, had three sons
• Luis Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (born 1973), married (1) and divorced Laura Ponte y Martínez, had one son and one daughter, divorced  (2) Andrea Pascual Vicens, had one son
• Fernando Gómez-Acebo y de Borbón (1974 – 2024), married Mónica Martín Luque, no children, divorced  (2) Nadia Halamandari, had one son, divorced

Infanta Pilar was President of the International Equestrian Federation from 1994 – 2005. She was a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1996 to 2006 and was then an Honorary member. She was also a member of the executive board of the Spanish Olympic Committee. In addition, Infanta Pilar was President of Europa Nostra, from 2007-2009. Infanta Pilar was fluent in English, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Infanta Pilar died at the Ruber International Hospital in Madrid, Spain on January 8, 2020, at the age of 83. She had been ill with colon cancer, had surgery in February 2019, and had undergone chemotherapy. Infanta Pilar was admitted to the hospital three days before her death. Her remains were cremated on January 9, 2020, and her ashes were placed in her husband’s family mausoleum beside her husband at the Saint Isidore Cemetery in Madrid, Spain.

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by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Iñaki Urdangarín y Liebaert

Iñaki Urdangarín y Liebaert is the former husband of Infanta Cristina of Spain. He was born on January 15, 1968, in Zumarraga, Spain, one of seven children of Juan Urdangarín Berriochoa and Claire Liebaert Courtain.

photo: Hello

In 1986, at the age of 18, he became a professional handball player with FC Barcelona, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. During his career, he was a member of the Spanish Olympic Handball Team in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics, winning bronze in 1996 and 2000, and serving as team captain in 2000. After his retirement, he served on the Spanish Olympic Committee from 2001-2005.

photo: Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

While participating in the 1996 Olympics, he met Infanta Cristina of Spain. The couple was married on October 4, 1997, at St. Eulalia Cathedral in Barcelona, Spain. By courtesy, he took on the male form of his wife’s title and became Duke of Palma de Mallorca. However, In June 2015, King Felipe VI of Spain formally stripped his sister Infanta Cristina of her title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. Neither the Infanta nor Urdangarín is permitted to use the title any further because of their legal issues. (See below.)

On January 24, 2022, it was announced that Infanta Cristina and Urdangarín were separating. The announcement came days after a link between Urdangarín and another woman became known.  The couple’s divorce was finalized in early 2024.

The couple had four children:

• Juan Urdangarín y de Borbón (1999)
• Pablo Urdangarín y de Borbón (2000)
• Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón (2002)
• Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón (2005)

Iñaki and Christina with their children, June 2014. photo: ABC.es

Having earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Barcelona, and a Masters in Business Administration from ESADE (also in Barcelona), Iñaki worked for several years as Director of Planning and Development at Motorpress Ibérica. In 2003, he was a founding partner of the Nóos Institute and served as President until 2006. At that time, he became a director at Telefónica International in Barcelona. Along with his family, he moved to Washington DC in 2009 where he was appointed director and president of the Public Affairs Committee for Telefónica Latin America and the United States.

In early 2011, allegations were made against him regarding the misappropriation of public funds through his Nóos Institute. He took a leave of absence from his position with Telefónica in Washington, DC, and the family returned to Spain in 2012. After it was discovered that large sums of money were transferred to several foreign accounts, it was announced that he would no longer take part in any official functions of the Spanish royal family. In early 2012, he began testifying before the courts in response to the allegations. He, along with several others, were investigated and were charged with embezzlement, fraud, breach of trust, forgery, and money laundering. His wife Infanta Cristina was also charged with tax fraud and money laundering in mid-2014.

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Infanta Cristian and Iñaki Urdangarín during their trial, 2016

The trial began in January 2016 and on February 17, 2017, Infanta Cristina was acquitted of tax fraud and money laundering, and her husband Iñaki Urdangarín was found guilty of embezzling about 6 million euros in public funds for sporting events through his nonprofit foundation and of political corruption by using his former title of Duke of Palma de Mallorca as the husband of the Infanta Cristina. Urdangarín was sentenced to six years and three months in prison. In 2018, the Supreme Court in appeal reduced Urdangarín’s sentence to a term of five years and ten months.

Urdangarín entered the Brieva Penitentiary in Álava province in Spain on June 18, 2018, to serve his prison sentence.  In September 2019, Urdangarin was granted permission to work as a volunteer by the Castile and León Prison Supervision Court. The decision was made against the advice of prison authorities and the public prosecutor, who consider him to be at “medium-high” risk of re-offending.  On September 19, 2019, Urdangarín began working two days a week helping intellectually disabled adults at the Hogar Don Orione Center in the Madrid municipality of Pozuelo de Alarcón. After spending a period of time in prison, Urdangarín was upgraded to the Grade 3 regime, meaning he regained his freedom of movement and only has to report in once a week.

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by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Infanta Cristina of Spain (Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y Grecia) was born on June 13, 1965, at the Our Lady of Loreto Clinic in Madrid, Spain. She is the second of the three children of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark.

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Cristina was christened on June 20, 1965, at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain. Her godparents were:

• Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, her first cousin once removed
• Infanta Maria Cristina of Spain, her paternal great-aunt

Cristina had two siblings:

• Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (born 1963), married and divorced Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, and had one son and one daughter
• King Felipe VI (born in 1968), married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, had two daughters

After completing her secondary education at the Santa María del Camino School, she studied political science at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, graduating in 1989. She was the first woman in the Spanish royal family to receive a university degree. The following year, she earned a Masters degree in International Relations from New York University.

Following an internship with UNESCO in Paris, France, she moved to Barcelona, Spain and began working for La Caixa Foundation in 1993, coordinating exhibitions. In 1997, she was appointed the coordinator of the Program for International Cooperations, and in 2005, became the Director of the Social Area of the foundation. In 2009, when she and her family moved to Washington DC, she was made Director of the International Department, fostering collaborations with various international organizations. The family returned to Spain in 2012, and in mid-2013, she and her children moved to Geneva, where she coordinates programs with agencies of the United Nations.

Like her father and brother, Infanta Cristina is an avid sailor. She was a member of the Spanish Sailing Team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she was also the Spanish flag-bearer in the opening ceremonies, a role her younger brother would take four years later in Barcelona. She has served as President of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing.

photo: Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

Cristina married Iñaki Urdangarín Liebaert, a former professional and Olympic handball player, on October 4, 1997, at St. Eulalia Cathedral in Barcelona, Spain. At the time, her father gave her the personal title Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. However, in June 2015, King Felipe VI of Spain formally stripped his sister Infanta Cristina of her title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. Neither the Infanta nor Urdangarín is permitted to use the title any further because of their legal issues. (See below.)

On January 24, 2022, it was announced that Infanta Cristina and Urdangarín were separating. The announcement came days after a link between Urdangarín and another woman became known.  They couple’s divorce was finalized in early 2024.

Cristina and Urdangarín had four children:

• Juan Urdangarín y de Borbón (born 1999)
• Pablo Urdangarín y de Borbón (born 2000)
• Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón (born 2002)
• Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón (born 2005)

Christina with her husband and children, June 2014. photo: ABC.es

In late 2011, Urdangarín was accused of diverting public funds for his own benefit, through a non-profit organization. After it was discovered that large sums of money were being sent to several foreign accounts, it was announced that Iñaki would no longer be participating in any functions of the Royal Family. Iñaki was charged with embezzlement, fraud, breach of trust, forgery, and money laundering. While Cristina moved to Geneva in mid-2013 with her children, her husband remained in Barcelona to address the charges against him. In January 2014, initial charges were placed against Infanta Cristina, accusing her of money laundering and tax fraud. She was called to testify in February 2014, and in June 2014, formal charges were filed.

The trial began in January 2016 and on February 17, 2017, Infanta Cristina was acquitted of tax fraud and money laundering. Her husband Iñaki Urdangarín was found guilty of embezzling about 6 million euros in public funds for sporting events through his nonprofit foundation and of political corruption by using his former title of Duke of Palma de Mallorca as the husband of the Infanta Cristina. Urdangarín was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.  In 2018, the Supreme Court in appeal reduced Urdangarín’s sentence to a term of five years and ten months. After spending a period of time in prison, Urdangarín was upgraded to the Grade 3 regime, meaning he regained his freedom of movement and only has to report in once a week.

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by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2014

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Infanta Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos of Spain, Duchess of Lugo, is the eldest child of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark, She was born on December 20, 1963, at Our Lady of Loreto Clinic in Madrid, Spain.

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Elena with her parents at her christening

Elena was christened on December 27, 1963, at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain. Her godparents were:

• María Mercedes, Countess of Barcelona, her paternal grandmother, born María Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies
• Infante Alfonso of Spain, Duke of Galliera

Elena has two younger siblings:

• Infanta Cristina (born 1965), married and divorced Iñaki Urdangarín, had three sons and one daughter
• King Felipe VI (born in 1968), married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, had two daughters

Elena completed her basic education at the College of Santa Maria del Camino. She then studied teaching at ESCUNI University School in Madrid, graduating in 1986 as a teacher of general basic education, specializing in English literature. After working for a few years as an English teacher at the College of Santa Maria del Camino, she studied sociology and education at the University of Exeter.  She then enrolled at the Comillas Pontifical University, in Madrid, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Education in 1993.

Elena and Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada on their wedding day; photo: Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

On March 18, 1995, Infanta Elena married Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, at the Cathedral of Seville. At the time of her marriage, she was given the personal title Duchess of Lugo. The couple had two children:

• Felipe Juan “Frolian” de Marichalar y Borbón (born 1998)
• Victoria Frederica de Marichalar y Borbón (born 2000)

Elena and her husband separated in 2007 and were formally divorced in January 2010.

During her father’s reign, Infanta Elena often represented the monarchy at functions within Spain and abroad. However, since the abdication of her father and the accession of her brother King Felipe VI, she and her sister no longer take on any official duties. She serves as Director of Social and Cultural Projects for the MAPFRE Foundation, based in Madrid.

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by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

Infanta Sofia of Spain, 2024

Infanta Sofía was born on April 29, 2007, at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid, Spain. She is the younger of the two daughters of King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia (born Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano).

Infanta Sofía was baptized on July 15, 2007, in the gardens of Zarzuela Palace. She was named after her paternal grandmother Queen Sofía, and also was given the additional name of de Todos los Santos (of All the Saints), a Bourbon tradition. Her godparents were:

• • Paloma Rocasolano, her maternal grandmother
  • Konstantin-Assen, Prince of Vidin, her father’s friend, the fourth son of former Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria.

Infanta Sofía has one older sibling:

• Infanta Leonor, Princess of Asturias (born 2005)

Sofía’s sister Leonor is the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne and Sofía follows her in the line of succession. Currently, Spain’s succession law is male-preference cognatic primogeniture. This means that Leonor, as the elder of King Felipe’s two daughters, is first in line to inherit the throne, and she is the heir presumptive. However, if her parents have a son, he would be the heir apparent, Leonor would forfeit the title of Princess of Asturias and other titles to her brother, and both Leonor and Sofía would each move down a step in the line of succession to the Spanish throne. There have been discussions of changing the succession law to absolute primogeniture, where the eldest child, regardless of gender, inherits the throne, but no legislation has been forthcoming.

On September 15, 2010, Sofía began her formal schooling at Santa María de los Rosales School (link in Spanish) in Madrid, Spain, where her father and sister attended until they were 16. In August 2023, she began studying a 2-year International Baccalaureate program at the UWC Atlantic College in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

On June 2, 2014, King Juan Carlos, Infanta Sofía’s grandfather, announced his intention to abdicate the throne in favor of his son. On June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos signed the formal instrument of abdication and Sofía’s father Felipe ascended the throne at midnight. King Felipe VI was sworn in and proclaimed as king on June 19, 2014, in a ceremony in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish legislature.

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by Scott Mehl  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

King Juan Carlos I was the reigning King of Spain from November 22, 1975, until his abdication on June 19, 2014. He was born Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias, Infante of Spain, on January 5, 1938, in Rome, where the family had settled after the monarchy was overthrown in 1931 and Spain became a Republic. His parents were Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and Princess María Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies.

Juan Carlos was christened on January 26, 1938, at the Chapel of the Order of Malta in Rome, Italy by Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See, Monsignor Eugenio Pacelli, future Pope Pius XII. His godparents were:

• Queen Victoria Eugenie of Spain, his paternal grandmother
• Prince Carlos of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, his maternal grandfather

Juan Carlos has three siblings:

• Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz (1936 – 2020), married Luis Gómez-Acebo y Duque de Estrada, Viscount de la Torre, had four sons and one daughter
• Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria (1939), married Carlos Emilio Juan Zurita y Delgado, had one son and one daughter
• Infante Alfonso (1941 – 1956), died in a gun accident

Despite the family living in exile, Juan Carlos was permitted to return to Spain in 1948 to attend school. After graduating from the San Isidro Institute in Madrid in 1954, he joined the Army, receiving his officer training at the Military Academy of Zaragoza. This was followed by a year with the Navy and then another year with the Air Force. He then attended Complutense University in Madrid, studying law and international relations.

Juan Carlos married Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark on May 14, 1962, at the Church of Saint Dennis in Athens. Sophia is the eldest daughter of King Paul of the Hellenes and Princess Frederica of Hanover.

• Unofficial Royalty: Wedding of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece

The couple took up residence at Zarzuela Palace, and have three children:

• Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (born 1963), married and divorced Jaime de Marichalar y Sáenz de Tejada, and had one son and one daughter
• Infanta Cristina (born 1965), married and divorced Iñaki Urdangarín, had three sons and one daughter
• King Felipe VI (born in 1968), married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, had two daughters

King Juan Carlos being sworn in as King of Spain.  photo: EyeOnSpain.com

On July 21, 1969, General Franco formally named Juan Carlos his successor, giving him the newly created title ‘The Prince of Spain’. Franco died on November 22, 1975, and Juan Carlos was proclaimed King by the Cortes, the Spanish legislature. He was formally sworn in on November 27, 1975. While many expected the new King to continue with Franco’s policies and government, Juan Carlos instead began implementing changes and reforms. In 1977, Spain held its first democratic elections, and the following year saw the institution of a new Spanish Constitution.

King Juan Carlos addressing the nation, February 23, 1981.  photo: BBC

His handling of an attempted coup in 1981 is deemed by many to be Juan Carlos’ greatest accomplishment. When the democratically elected members of the Cortes (Spanish parliament) were taken hostage, King Juan Carlos addressed the nation, calling for the law to be upheld and the government to continue. The coup attempt quickly fell apart, and within 18 hours, the Cortes was back in control. Juan Carlos’ strong stance and forceful speech led to a surge in popularity and support of the monarchy.

In the later years of his reign, King Juan Carlos was plagued with several health issues and several personal matters which proved problematic for the monarchy. Most prominent were allegations directed at his son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarín for diverting public funds for personal use through one of his companies. Later, the King’s daughter Infanta Cristina was also charged with tax fraud and money laundering. In 2012, while Spain was in the midst of a financial crisis, King Juan Carlos went on an elephant-hunting trip to Botswana. The trip became public knowledge when the King was injured and a special plane was flown to return him to Spain. He was quickly vilified in the media for the lavish trip, estimated at costing more than 2-years the average salary in Spain, while many Spaniards suffered financially. The presence of a reported mistress on the trip also caused significant discord at home. All of these events took a strong personal toll on King Juan Carlos, as well as the Spanish monarchy as a whole.

King Juan Carlos signing the abdication into law, on June 18, 2014.  Photo: Hello

In June 2014, despite earlier denials from the Palace, King Juan Carlos announced his intent to abdicate in favor of his son Felipe. On June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos signed the law granting the abdication which would take effect just after midnight. The following day, his son was formally sworn in as King Felipe VI of Spain. In late May 2019, it was announced that King Juan Carlos planned to retire completely from official duties, as of June 2, 2019, five years after he had announced his plans to abdicate.

In March 2020, Swiss authorities began investigating Juan Carlos concerning a $100 million donation given to his former alleged mistress Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn in 2012. This donation was linked to alleged kick-back fees from Saudi Arabia for Juan Carlos’ role as a facilitator in the construction of a high-speed rail connecting Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

On March 15, 2020, King Felipe VI announced that he would renounce any future inheritance from his father connected with his foreign bank accounts. He also stripped Juan Carlos of his annual stipend. In June 2020, Spain’s prosecutor general decided that prosecutors from the Supreme Court should investigate Juan Carlos’ role in the Saudi Arabia case to determine whether there is sufficient evidence that Juan Carlos committed a crime after his abdication. As King of Spain, Juan Carlos was immune from prosecution via crown immunity from 1975 to 2014.

On August 3, 2020, Juan Carlos I informed his son, King Felipe VI via a letter of his decision to leave Spain because of increased media press concerning his business dealings in Saudi Arabia. By the time the letter had been made public, Juan Carlos had already left the country. Initially, the Royal Household declined requests to publicly disclose Juan Carlos’s location. However, on August 17, 2020, the Royal Household confirmed that Juan Carlos was in the United Arab Emirates. His wife Queen Sofia remained in Spain, at her home, Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, and continued with her activities.

On August 3, 2020, the following letter was sent to King Felipe VI from his father, Juan Carlos, the former King of Spain:

Your Majesty, Dear Felipe, with the same zeal to serve Spain that inspired my reign and faced with the public impact that certain past actions of my private life are causing, I wish to show you my absolute willingness to contribute to helping the exercise of your functions with the peace and tranquility required of your high level of responsibility. My legacy, and my own dignity as a person, demands it.

A year ago, I told you of my willingness and desire to stand down from my institutional activities. Now, guided by the conviction to provide the best service to Spaniards, its institutions, and to you as King, I am informing you of my well-considered decision to move away from Spain.

It is a decision I take, with deep feeling but great calm. I was king of Spain for 40 years and during all those years I have always wanted the best for Spain and the Crown.

With my loyalty always.
With great affection, your father.

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by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

2023

Infanta Leonor, Princess of Asturias and heir presumptive to the Spanish throne was born on October 31, 2005, at the Ruber International Clinic in Madrid, Spain. She is the elder of two daughters of King Felipe VI of Spain and his wife Queen Letizia (born Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano).

• Unofficial Royalty: Ancestors of Infanta Leonor of Spain, Princess of Asturias

Currently, Spain’s succession law is male-preference cognatic primogeniture. This means that Leonor, as the elder of King Felipe’s two daughters, is first in line to inherit the throne, and she is the heir presumptive. However, if her parents have a son, which seems unlikely at this point, he would be the heir apparent and Leonor would forfeit the title of Princess of Asturias and the other titles to her brother. There have been discussions of changing the succession law to absolute primogeniture, where the eldest child, regardless of gender, inherits the throne, but no legislation has been forthcoming.  If Leonor ascends to the throne, she will be Spain’s first queen regnant since Isabella II, who reigned from 1833 to 1868.

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Infanta Leonor was christened at Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, Spain on January 14, 2006, with water from the Jordan River, a royal custom. She was also given the additional names of de Todos los Santos (of All the Saints), a Bourbon tradition. Her godparents were:

• King Juan Carlos I of Spain, her paternal grandfather
• Queen Sofía of Spain, her paternal grandmother

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    Leonor’s family: King Felipe VI, Infanta Leonor, Infanta Sofia, and Queen Letizia

Leonor has one sister:

• Infanta Sofía of Spain (born 2007)

Leonor in her military uniform when she entered the General Military Academy; Credit – https://www.casareal.es/

From 2008 – 2021, Leonor attended Santa María de los Rosales School (link in Spanish) in Madrid, Spain, where her father attended until he was 16. Starting in the fall of 2021, Leonor began attending the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales, graduating in May 2023. On August 17, 2023, Leonor began a three-year military training education program at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Spain. Leonor is fluent in both Spanish and English, which she learned from her British nanny and also from her grandmother Queen Sofía, and has studied Mandarin.

Leonor, 2nd from the right, attends her father’s proclamation ceremony; Credit – ceruleanchronicle.com

On June 2, 2014, King Juan Carlos, Infanta Leonor’s grandfather, announced his intention to abdicate the throne in favor of his son. On June 18, 2014, King Juan Carlos signed the formal instrument of abdication and Felipe ascended the throne at midnight. At the same time, Leonor automatically became Princess of Asturias, a title given to the heir to the Spanish throne. King Felipe VI was sworn in and proclaimed as king on June 19, 2014, in a ceremony in the Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Spanish legislature.

Besides holding the Princess of Asturias title, Leonor is also The Princess of Girona (Aragon), The Princess of Viana (Navarre) and holds the historical titles of Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera and Lady of Balaguer.  When she turned eighteen, Leonor was formally invested as the Princess of Asturias and swore loyalty to the King, before the Spanish Parliament, taking an oath to discharge her duties faithfully, to abide by the Constitution and the law, ensure that they are abided by, and to respect the rights of citizens and the Autonomous Communities, fully undertook her role as successor to the Crown.

On January 30, 2018, her father’s 50th birthday, Leonor was invested with the Order of the Golden Fleece.  The Order is the highest award in Spain and is considered one of the most prestigious orders in Europe.  The King had awarded her with the order by Royal Decree in October 2015.

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On October 31, 2018,  Leonor gave her first-ever public speech at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, where she read the first article of the Constitution of Spain. The speech coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Constitution of Spain and her 13th birthday.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.