King Phillip VI ascends to the Crown of Spain

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...-was-gone.html

Adios España: Tears, an embrace for his son, and the King was gone

King Juan Carlos signs a final act of parliament to approve a law that will allow for his abdication to his son King Felipe VI

King Juan Carlos I speaks with Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia as the newly proclaimed King Phillip VI and Queen Letizia watch on

A teary-eyed King Juan Carlos of Spain signed his final act of parliament on Wednesday: a law approving his abdication in favour of his son who will be crowned King Felipe VI in a ceremony on Thursday.

It was a quiet and dignified end to a 39-year-reign, carried out in the splendour of the Royal Palace in front of members of his immediate family, the prime minister and 150 guests.

After signing the document with a golden pen, the 76-year-old monarch received prolonged applause as he kissed his wife, Queen Sofia, before turning to his son and heir.

Both dressed in dark suits, father and son embraced for a poignant moment as King Juan Carlos, who had appeared without the stick that has been customary since a recent hip operation, gripped the arm of the future King to steady himself.

King Juan Carlos, who will retain his title, bent down to kiss the newest heir to the throne, eight-year-old Leonor, who will be given the title Princess of Asturias when her father is sworn in today.

Ahead of the brief ceremony on Wednesday evening at 6pm, the royal party arrived at the old palace to be greeted with a cannon salute and shouts of “Long Live the King!”

The centre of Madrid has been decorated with tens of thousands of Spanish flags in preparation for the coronation ceremony on Thursday morning when King Felipe VI, 46, will be sworn in before lawmakers in the Congress building.

Crowds are expected to line the route between the Congress and the Royal Palace to cheer the new King Felipe and Queen Letizia, who will then greet the nation from the Royal balcony.

The coronation is a deliberately low-key ceremony in recognition of the austerity experienced by Spaniards during the economic crisis.

Good luck to the new King.

A sad end to the reign of Juan Carlos, but history will judge him greatly for bringing back democracy to Spain.

Thoughts?

[Chippiewill]

Did you just anglicise his name for no reason?

[-:Undertaker:-]

Did you just anglicise his name for no reason?

Spanish monarchs are traditionally anglicised with Phillip/Felipe, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Kings_of_Spain

Would you say the Kingdom of Spain or the Reino de España? Or am I being 'culturally insensitive' in these PC times?

[Chippiewill]

I wouldn't say it's culturally insensitive, I'd just say it's not his name. It would be like calling Barrack Obama "Barry".

[-:Undertaker:-]

I wouldn't say it's culturally insensitive, I'd just say it's not his name. It would be like calling Barrack Obama "Barry".

Then by all means ring up Wikipedia and all the history book publishers who go by Phillip over Felipe, hound them not me.

[-:Undertaker:-]

A lovely picture, he's just been Crowned (although not with the Crown upon his head as apparently the Spanish Crown is too heavy to wear ).