31 Spanish Royal Family Facts: The Ultimate Monarch You Can Read About!

Although having its roots back in the eighth century, the Spanish monarch regained its status in 1978, after the fascist regime of Francisco Franco came to an end.

The Spanish Monarchy is the highest reigning figure of the nation who may have limited power in their hands, but the cultural significance they carry is comparatively rich in conveying their history of permanence and unity.

The Spanish throne is currently occupied by the royal family of King Felipe VI, along with his wife, Queen Letizia, and two daughters named Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofia of Spain.

Unlike Britain's royal family, the Spanish royal family does not enjoy as much media coverage. Hence, there are various facts about Spanish royals that are yet to be known by the world. Spain enjoys its status as a democratic country, with the Crown as its moderator.

The House of Bourbon, with Philip V as its first member, has been heading the Spanish crown since the 18th century. So, in the 1700s, the Spanish royal family ascended to the throne and remained there even after the revolution by transforming into a modern monarchy.

As a result, this family is quite old and wealthy. The family, including the new king, currently resides in the Zarzuela Palace, located in the outer parts of Madrid.

The Spanish constitution marks the royal family as a significant decision-making figure that has been through major historical changes, thus enjoying an important role in foreign representation, although it has a symbolic role to some extent. When Napoleon invaded, the royal family had to abdicate in favor of Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother.

A few fun articles of Spain economy facts and Spanish art facts can help you understand the various Spanish royal family facts, so check them out!

Members of Royal Family

The leading royal family members have changed throughout the years, and so has their way of ruling. Decades have seen numerous royal families ascend the throne and lead the Spanish people towards prosperity.

The royal kingdom also survived a period of exile as dictatorship rose to prominence from 1936-1975, which later ended with Fransisco Franco's death as the former king, Juan Carlos, took over the throne with his wife, Queen Sofia.

King Juan Carlos was initially trained under Franco's reign to take up the future role of military education to represent Franco's National Movement, but after Fransisco Franco's death, Juan Carlos, the designated prince, took over the throne as Spanish King.

His reign helped restore peace and democracy again in Spain. After his father Juan Carlos's abdication in 2014, the throne was ascended by King Felipe VI.

King Felipe was the only son and youngest heir to the throne. He is also known as one of the youngest European monarchs. King Felipe is 55 years old as of 2021 and about 6.4 ft (1.97 m) tall.

King Felipe VI is known for his transparent rule and progressive mindset. King Felipe represented Spain as a member of the Spanish sailing team in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The Royal Highness, being the youngest child, has two older sisters, Infanto Infanta Elena and Infanta Cristina.

Surprisingly, the Queen of Britain is related to King Felipe as the renowned queen is the paternal grandmother of King Felipe. In addition, the future king accomplished several educational accolades as he completed his law degree from the Autonomous University of Madrid and a Master's degree in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

King Felipe's family consists of a queen and two daughters. Like the princesses of all royal families, the princesses of this family are also called royal princesses.

Former journalist Queen Letizia was a divorced woman who married King Felipe in the year 2004 and has been a part of the modern royal family ever since. Rumors claim that the handsome royal asked his journalist friend to invite then journalist Queen Letizia to dinner, following which, weeks later, their dating news started revolving around the place.

Queen Letizia is known for her down-to-earth demeanor and charitable nature. Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofia of Spain are the royal couple's two daughters. The Princess of Asturias is the presumptive heir to the throne. The royal family was recently seen frequenting Palma de Mallorca.

Political Scenario

Spain currently enjoys its status as a constitutional monarchy, with a substantial amount of power being in the hands of the monarchy while the government continues to follow its own course of action with complete freedom, headed by prime minister Pedro Sánchez.

The Spanish king is conferred upon as the 'arbitrator and moderator' of the Spanish institutions. Constitutionally, the king also enjoys the positions of head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces.

In addition, the new King Felipe VI is a significant figure representing Spain in international relations, simultaneously serving as the president of the Organization of Ibero-American States.

Financials Of The Royal Family

The royal family has always found itself amid financial scandals and concerns. King Felipe consistently struggled through his father Juan Carlos's financial crisis as allegations of bribery and offshore accounts surrounded the former King Juan Carlos. King Juan Carlos's allegations led him to abdicate the throne and flee to Abu-Dhabi in self-exile.

After her father, Juan Carlos, and his financial scandal, Princess Cristina of Spain was another royal entity who was accused of embezzlement and money laundering, further fueling the persisting financial misconduct by the royal family.

The leading figure of Spain, King Felipe, has strived hard over the years to get rid of the scandal-tainted monarchy, yet the efforts bear no fruit as the royal members continue to get into shady financial exchanges and countless allegations of corruption.

Authority In Country

Former King Juan Carlos and his reign helped the country with a smooth transition back to a democratic state, as the king continues to hold a significant place as a figure of authority in the nation. According to the constitution of Spain, a king has to head the supreme commands relevant to armed forces and government bodies.

In other words, the power a king holds is assigned in a manner to neatly distinguish between the apolitical take of the reigning king and limited authoritative functions to prevent the reign from emerging as the supreme power.

The crown is passed to the firstborn, and in this case, if there is a younger boy child, the crown is most likely to go to him.

As the current king does not have any sons, the heir to the Spanish throne will be presented to the Princess of Asturias.

The king holds several powers in the nation; some of them can be seen as follows:

The king has the power to appoint or dismiss any entity from the government on the proposal of the president. They can take charge of the Council of Ministers and call for meetings on the state of affairs at the request of the president and have supreme command over the armed forces.

They have the right to propose candidates for the post of the president; appoint or remove them, following the course of the constitution. They have the power to officially announce new laws, lead international matters, summon and dissolve parliament, and lastly, award honors and distinctions and confer military positions.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Spanish royal family facts, then why not take a look at Spanish galleon facts or Spanish music facts.