Felipe VI of Spain
Felipe VI of Spain
Felipe VI (born 30 January 1968) is the King of Spain. He ascended to the throne on 19 June 2014, following the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I.
Early Life and Education
Felipe was born in Madrid, Spain, on 30 January 1968. He is the eldest child and only son of Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía. He has two younger sisters, Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Infanta Cristina.
Felipe attended the Santa María de los Rosales School in Madrid and then the Royal College of the Escorial. He graduated from the Autonomous University of Madrid with a law degree in 1993. He also earned a master's degree in international relations from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., in 1995.
Military and Royal Duties
Felipe served in the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Spanish Army in 1989 and promoted to lieutenant in 1992, captain in 1995, major in 1998, and lieutenant colonel in 2001. He was promoted to colonel in 2003 and to brigadier general in 2009.
Felipe began to take on royal duties in the early 1990s. He represented Spain at various international events, including the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. He also served as regent of Spain during his father's absences from the country.
Marriage and Family
Felipe married Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, a former journalist, on 22 May 2004. They have two daughters, Leonor, Princess of Asturias, and Infanta Sofía.
Accession to the Throne
Felipe became King of Spain on 19 June 2014, following the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I. He was proclaimed king in a ceremony held at the Cortes Generales, the Spanish Parliament.
Reign
Felipe's reign has been marked by a number of challenges, including the Catalan independence movement, the economic crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also been criticized for his handling of the corruption scandal involving his sister, Infanta Cristina.
Despite these challenges, Felipe remains a popular figure in Spain. He is seen as a modern and progressive monarch who is committed to the values of democracy, human rights, and social justice.
Titles, Styles, and Honours
- His Majesty the King of Spain
- Head of State of Spain
- Commander-in-Chief of the Spanish Armed Forces
- Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Fleece
- Grand Master of the Order of King Charles III
- Grand Master of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Grand Master of the Order of Military Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of Naval Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of Aeronautical Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of Civil Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of Sports Merit
- Grand Master of the Order of the Arts and Letters
- Grand Master of the Order of Saint Raymond of Peñafort
- Grand Master of the Order of the Cross of San Fernando
