The present day King of Spain, Juan Carlos I. was proclaimed King on November 22nd 1975 after the death of the generally disliked and feared dictator Francisco Franco and unlike the British Royal Family has succeeded in retaining the trust, admiration and affection of the majority of the Spanish people ever since. But first a little history!
Don Juan was born in Rome in 1938 as the Royal family had had to leave Spain when the Republic was proclaimed in 1938.However; he was educated in Spain and after his baccalaureate attended the military colleges of the Army, Navy and Air force. By 1961 he had achieved a degree from Madrid’s Complutense University. A thoroughly Spanish education in fact, setting the scene for his future popularity.
In May 1962 the future King married his beautiful Greek Princess, Sofia, and managed to enter into the hearts of all but the hardest .They moved to the Palacio de La Zarzuela in Madrid and within six years they had produced three children. Family values run very high in Spain and Juan Carlos and Sofia really produced the fairy tale family, Elena, Cristina and Felipe. Three very beautiful photogenic children!
In February of 1981 The King managed to diffuse a possibly dangerous situation with the Guardia Civil. During the”golpe de estado” Antonio Tejero, Teniente Coronel de La Guardia de Civil entered parliament with several others. The King appeared on television very shortly after and dressed in his uniform of Captain General of the Armed Forces and successfully defended the Constitution!
With order restored The Royal Family carried on wooing the crowds and gaining in popularity. Queen Sofia, who is highly educated and a definite trilingual-at least-, dedicates most of her free time working for various charities especially those involving immigrants, children and the disabled. Queen Sofia is an elegant beautiful woman who time has not touched. Perhaps down to her vegetarian diet!
Prince Felipe is now a Dad, nearly twice over,. With his wife Leticia, they form the most popular young couple in Spain .Doña Princesa Leticia had a very successful career as a television news journalist .She is highly respected and has taken on the mantle of her mother-in-law as the beautiful, hardworking and charitable face of the Spanish Royalty. Felipe and Leticia’s first baby girl, La Infanta Leonor, is a cherubic laughing blonde and is a big school-girl pin–up!
Felipe’s sister, La Infanta Elena has 2 children, a boy and a girl, and is married to Don Jaime de Marichalar. Froilan and Victoria, their children, are renowned for their cuteness or naughtiness, depending on your point of view! La Infanta Cristina, his next sister, has a Masters Degree in International Relations and now is married to Iñaki Urgandarín, a famous Spanish netball player. Their four children, 3 boys and 1 girl, are the tops in the society photographic stakes, and are really very adorable actually!
