Felipe VI is the King of Spain, having succeeded to the throne on 19 June 2014 on the abdication
of his father, King Juan Carlos I. As heir apparent to the throne, he previously bore
the title of Prince of Asturias, and worked to support philanthropic causes and to promote
international fellowship among Spanish-speaking countries.
In accordance with the Spanish Constitution, as monarch, he is head of state and commander-in-chief
of the Spanish Armed Forces, and also plays a role in promoting relations with Ibero-America,
the "nations of its historical community".
He is married to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, with whom he has two daughters, Leonor and
Sofía.
Leonor, the elder, is his heir presumptive.
Birth and early life Felipe was born in Madrid, the third child
and only son of Infante Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sofia of Greece and Denmark.
His full baptismal name, Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos, consists of the
names of the first Bourbon King of Spain, his grandfathers, his great-grandfather King
Alfonso XIII of Spain, and of All the Saints as is customary among the Bourbons.
His godparents were his paternal grandfather Juan and his paternal great-grandmother, Queen
Victoria Eugenie of Spain.
Shortly after his birth he was styled infante, although his father was not yet king.
The ruling dictator General Francisco Franco died just over two months before Felipe's
eighth birthday, and Felipe's father ascended the throne.
In his first official appearance, Felipe attended his father's proclamation as king on 22 November
1975.
Felipe was formally created Prince of Asturias, along with the subsidiary titles of Prince
of Girona and Prince of Viana, on 22 January 1977.
On 1 November the same year, he was ceremonially installed 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 30 January 1986, at the age of 18, Felipe swore allegiance to the Constitution and to
the King in the Spanish Parliament, fully accepting his constitutional role as successor
to the Crown.
Activities in Spain and abroad
Felipe attended school at Santa Maria de los Rosales, a modern school where he could fit
in without special treatment, which his daughters currently attend.
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 a Master of Science in Foreign Service degree
from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, where he
was the roommate of his cousin, Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece.
Felipe undertook his constitutional duties assiduously as heir to the throne, hosting
many official events in Spain and participating in all events of different sectors and aspects
of Spanish public life as required.
Since October 1995, Felipe has represented Spain on a series of official visits to the
Spanish Autonomous Communities, starting with Valencia, during which he made contact with
Spaniards from all walks of life.
Felipe has held regular meetings with constitutional bodies and state institutions keeping up-to-date
with their activities.
He also attends meetings of the various bodies of the Central Administration and of the Autonomous
Communities as required by his national and international constitutional obligations.
Felipe has welcomed as many public and private audiences as possible to maintain Crown interaction
in national and international affairs.
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 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.
Felipe has made many official visits to Europe and Latin America, as well as to countries
in the Arab World, the Far East, and Australia, maintaining a special interest in all matters
relating to the European Union, Latin America, the Middle East and North Africa.
Since January 1996, Felipe has represented the Spanish State at many Latin American presidents'
inauguration ceremonies.
As Prince, he visited every country in Latin America except Cuba, and made over 200 foreign
trips in total.
Felipe has also played a very active role in promoting Spain's economic, commercial
and cultural interests and the Spanish language abroad.
He frequently represents Spain at world economic and trade events, 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 11 March 2004 Madrid bombings, Felipe, along with his sisters Elena and Cristina,
took part in a public demonstration.
Felipe speaks Spanish, Catalan, French, English and some Greek.
Participation in the Olympics Felipe was a member of the Spanish Olympic
sailing team at the Barcelona Games in 1992.
Both his mother and uncle were on the Greek sailing team at the 1960 Olympics, and Felipe's
father and sister were also Olympic sailors for Spain.
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.
Family Marriage and children
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 Vicente Sartorius y Cabeza
de Vaca, who was viewed unfavourably by the Royal Family due to her mother's cocaine addiction,
and Norwegian model Eva Sannum, who modelled underwear.
When Felipe finally began a serious relationship, nothing was suspected before the official
announcement of the Prince's engagement on 1 November 2003 to Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano,
an award-winning television journalist formerly with CNN who had been married previously.
The couple were married on the morning of 22 May 2004 in the Almudena Cathedral, Madrid,
with members of several European royal families present.
The wedding was broadcast globally with over 25 million watching on television in Spain
alone.
Felipe and Letizia have two daughters: Leonor, Princess of Asturias, born on 31 October 2005,
and Infanta Sofía, born on 29 April 2007.
Social work In addition to his official activities, Felipe
serves as Honorary President of several associations and foundations, such as the Imperial Munitions
Board, 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 the Príncipe de Asturias Foundation, where he presides annually at
the international awards ceremony of the highly prestigious Prince of Asturias Awards bearing
his name.
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 the importance of voluntary work.
Reign
On 2 June 2014, Juan Carlos announced his intent to abdicate in Felipe's favour.
Since the Constitution of Spain did not provide a specific mechanism for abdication and royal
succession, the Spanish Cabinet began deliberations on an organic law to regulate Felipe's succession
on 3 June.
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 Jesus Posada, the President of the Congress of Deputies, Felipe could have
been proclaimed king as early as 18 June.
On 4 June, El Pais of Madrid reported that Felipe would indeed be proclaimed king on
18 June.
Felipe ascended the throne at the stroke of midnight on 19 June; his father had signed
the formal instrument of abdication just hours earlier.
The next morning, after receiving the royal sash from his father, he was formally enthroned
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 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, responsible for ensuring it is obeyed.
While he is nominally chief executive, it is expected that he will follow his father's
practice of taking a mostly ceremonial and representative role, acting largely on 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".
A poll conducted by El País, however, indicates that a majority of Spaniards wish that Felipe
play a greater role in politics, with 75% of the 600 surveyed people stating that 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 a greater approval than his father prior
to his reign.
In June 2014, Felipe and Letizia became the first Spanish monarchs to invite LGBT organisations.
He also changed the protocol in order to allow people to take the oath of office without
a crucifix or Bible.
In their first overseas trip as monarchs, Felipe VI and Queen Letizia met Pope Francis
on 30 June 2014, in the Apostolic Palace.
They subsequently met with Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by Mgsr.
Antoine Camilleri, under-secretary for Relations with States.
The visit followed one by King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia on 28 April.
Titles, styles, honours and arms
30 January 1968 – 22 January 1977: His Royal Highness The Infante Felipe of Spain
22 January 1977 – 18 June 2014: His Royal Highness The Prince of Asturias
in former Crown of Aragon territories: 22 January 1977 – 19 June 2014: His Royal
Highness The Prince of Girona in former Kingdom of Navarre territories:
22 January 1977 – 19 June 2014: His Royal Highness The Prince of Viana
19 June 2014 – present: His Majesty The King
Though Juan Carlos held no official title or post in Spain, Felipe was registered in
the Civil Registry as Infante when he was born, with the style of Royal Highness.
About a year later, General Franco recognised Juan Carlos as the future successor to the
headship of state and bestowed upon him the title of Prince of Spain.
Thus, Felipe became second-in-line in the line of succession to the vacant throne.
Juan Carlos became king in 1975, but no title was conferred on Felipe as heir apparent until
2 January 1977, when he was created Prince of Asturias, the title normally held by the
heir to the Spanish throne, by a Royal Decree which also entitled him to use "the other
historical titles corresponding to the heir of the Crown".
Legally granted in 1977, Felipe started using the Aragonese-Catalan title of Prince of Girona
publicly on 21 April 1990, during a trip around Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia, becoming the
first Bourbon to use this title.
Later, he did the same thing with the Princedom of Viana in Navarre, and the titles of Duke
of Montblanc, Count of Cervera and Lord of Balaguer in their respective places.
Upon ascending the throne, Felipe assumed the same titles held by his father.
Arms
Ancestry
See also
Line of succession to the Spanish throne List of honours of the Spanish Royal Family
by country Notes
References
External links Profile on the official website of the Spanish
Monarchy Prince of Asturias Foundation
Biography of Felipe VI of Spain by CIDOB