Felipe VI

Felipe VI (born 30 January 1968) is the current King of Spain, having reigned since 19 June 2014. He was born in Madrid during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco as the third child and only son of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. As the heir to the throne, he was officially proclaimed Prince of Asturias in 1977 and later studied law and international relations in Spain and the United States.

Felipe completed military training in the Spanish Army, Spanish Navy, and Spanish Air Force. He took part in many official duties and events, both in Spain and around the world. During these duties, he met Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, a television journalist, and they married in 2004. They have two daughters, Leonor and Sofía.

Felipe became king after the abdication of his father in 2014. Since then, he has worked to support peace and progress in Spain. His time as king has included important moments such as the 2017 Catalan independence referendum and the COVID-19 pandemic. He is seen as a modern and respected leader in Spain.

Early life and family

Felipe VI was born on 30 January 1968 in Madrid, the third child and only son of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. His father later became King Juan Carlos I, and his mother became Queen Sofía of Spain.

Felipe was baptized on 8 February 1968 at the Palace of Zarzuela by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Madrid. His full name, Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos, honored important family members and ancestors.

Prince of Asturias

In 1977, Felipe was named Prince of Asturias. As a young boy, he joined a special group of soldiers in a ceremony. Later that year, he was officially recognized as Prince of Asturias in a special event. When he turned 18 in 1986, Felipe made a promise to follow Spain’s rules and support the king in front of the country’s leaders.

Felipe went to school in Spain and later in Canada. He studied law in Madrid and then got more training in the United States. As the future king, Felipe also trained in the army, navy, and air force. He learned to fly planes and took part in different military activities.

In 1992, Felipe was part of Spain’s team in the Olympic sailing event in Barcelona. He carried the team’s flag during the opening ceremony, and the team came in sixth place.

Main article: Wedding of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz

Felipe married Letizia Ortiz in 2004 after dating her for a short time. They have two daughters, Leonor and Sofía.

Felipe took part in many official events in Spain and visited many countries. He helped show Spain’s culture and language around the world.

Felipe also supported many important groups and events, including the Princess of Asturias Awards.

Reign

King Felipe VI has been the ruler of Spain since June 19, 2014. He was officially named Prince of Asturias in 1977, two years after his father became king, and was formally sworn in as heir in 1986.

As king, Felipe has responsibilities to protect Spain's laws and ensure they are followed. He usually takes on a mostly ceremonial role, acting based on the advice of the government. While he has some powers on paper, his actions require approval from ministers.

Felipe has made changes to improve the monarchy. He and Queen Letizia were the first Spanish monarchs to meet with groups representing the LGBTQ+ community. Felipe also changed rules so people could take an oath without using religious items. He made sure his sisters and their families were no longer part of the official royal family and could not represent the crown in official duties.

In 2015, Felipe cut his own salary by 20% due to Spain's economic difficulties. He also made changes to ensure the royal family follows strict financial rules and cannot accept expensive gifts.

Felipe has been involved in Spain's government matters, such as calling new elections when no party could form a government. He has also spoken out on important issues, like during a disagreement between Spain and Catalonia about independence.

Felipe enjoys sports and has attended many events since he was young. As king, many tournaments in Spain are held in his honor, and he supports Spanish sports teams both at home and abroad.

Honours and awards

In 2019, King Felipe received the World Peace & Liberty Award from the World Jurist Association at a meeting in Madrid. He also holds a Guinness World Record for being the tallest reigning monarch in the world, measuring 1.97 metres tall.

Titles, styles and arms

Titles and styles

For a more comprehensive list, see List of titles and honours of Felipe VI and List of titles and honours of the Spanish Crown.

Juan Carlos became King in late November 1975, but Felipe was not given a special title until 1977. That year, he became the Prince of Asturias, a title traditionally held by the heir to the Spanish throne. The royal decree also allowed him to use other historical titles. Felipe began using the Aragonese title of Prince of Girona in 1990 during a trip through Aragon, Catalonia, and Valencia, becoming the first Bourbon to use this title.

When Felipe became king, he took on the same titles his father had. If the former Kingdoms of Aragon and Navarre had separate naming styles, he would also be known as Felipe V of Aragon and Felipe VIII of Navarre along with Felipe VI of Castile.

Arms

Main article: Coat of arms of the King of Spain

As heir to the Spanish throne, Felipe’s coat of arms had a special design with a label of three blue points. This design represented different parts of Spain, including Castile, León, Aragon, Navarre, and Granada. In the center was a small shield with the ancestral symbols of the Bourbon-Anjou family. The coat of arms was surrounded by the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece and topped with a special crown for the heir.

When Felipe became king, the label was removed, and the crown changed to one with eight half-arches instead of four. These new arms were different from his father’s, as they did not include the Cross of Burgundy, the yoke, or the sheaf of five arrows.