Who is the King of Spain?
The current King of Spain is Felipe VI, who ascended the throne on 19 June 2014 upon the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I¹. He is the third child and only son of Juan Carlos I and Queen SofÃa¹. He is married to Letizia Ortiz, a former TV news journalist, and has two daughters, Leonor (his heir presumptive) and SofÃa¹. He is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces¹², and plays the role of the supreme representation of Spain in international relations¹².
He is a member of the House of Bourbon, a European royal house that originated in France and ruled over Spain since 1700². He is also a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and King Christian IX of Denmark, and a third cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II, King Harald V of Norway, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden¹.
His reign has been marked by his dissolution of the Spanish Parliament in 2016 (so that new elections could be called), strong condemnation of the Catalonian independence referendum that led to the 2017–18 Spanish constitutional crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and moves towards greater transparency in royal affairs¹. According to a poll conducted in 2020, Felipe has moderately high approval ratings¹.
role of the Spanish monarchy
The role of the Spanish monarchy is mainly symbolic and ceremonial, as Spain is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy¹². The King or Queen of Spain is the head of state, but does not have any executive, legislative or judicial power over the state¹². The King or Queen acts as a representative of the Spanish nation in international relations, especially with the nations of its historic community ³. The King or Queen also arbitrates and moderates the functioning of the institutions, such as appointing the Prime Minister, dissolving the Parliament, calling for elections, sanctioning laws, and conferring honors and awards ². The King or Queen is also the supreme commander of the Spanish Armed Forces².
The Spanish monarchy is seen by some people as a symbol of unity, culture and stability in Spain, while others question its legitimacy, usefulness and cost. The monarchy is supported by the Royal Household, which organizes and facilitates the monarch's official activities and ceremonies ³.
members of the Spanish royal family
Some members of the Spanish royal family are:
King Felipe VI
He is the current King of Spain and the son of King Juan Carlos I and Queen SofÃa. He was born on 30 January 1968 and became king on 19 June 2014. He is married to Queen Letizia and has two daughters, Leonor and SofÃa².
● Queen Letizia: She is the current Queen consort of Spain and the wife of King Felipe VI. She was born on 15 September 1972 as Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, a former TV news journalist. She married King Felipe VI on 22 May 2004¹².
● Leonor, Princess of Asturias: She is the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, and the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne. She was born on 31 October 2005 and holds the title of Princess of Asturias, among others. She is currently undergoing military training to prepare for her future role as head of state³.
● Infanta SofÃa: She is the younger daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. She was born on 29 April 2007 and holds the title of Infanta of Spain. She is second in line to the Spanish throne after her sister Leonor¹.
● King Juan Carlos I: He is the former King of Spain and the father of King Felipe VI. He was born on 5 January 1938 in Rome, Italy, where his family was living in exile. He became king on 22 November 1975 and abdicated on 19 June 2014 in favor of his son Felipe. He retired from public duties in 2019 and went into self-imposed exile in 2020 amid allegations of tax fraud. He returned to Spain in 2022 for a brief visit ².
● Queen SofÃa: She is the former Queen consort of Spain and the mother of King Felipe VI. She was born on 2 November 1938 in Athens, Greece, as Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. She married King Juan Carlos I on 14 May 1962 and became queen on 22 November 1975. She remained queen until her husband's abdication in 2014¹².
References
1. ^Spanish royal family - Wikipedia. Date of access: 07/18/2023
2. ^www.people.com. Meet Spain's Royal Family: Your Guide to the Spanish Monarchy's Family Tree. Date of access: 07/18/2023
3. ^Monarchy of Spain - Wikipedia. Date of access: 07/18/2023