House of Bourbons occupies the throne throughout Europe since the 16th century, when the Bourbon princes ruled Navarre and France. Currently, the Bourbon monarchs are still in power only in Spain and Luxembourg. State power in Spain is headed by King Juan Carlos, who was born in 1938 in Rome. He spent his youth studying at the Military Academy and the colleges of the army, navy and air force. The future king completed his education in 1961, graduating from the Complutense University in the direction of constitutional and international law, economics and taxation, and on May 14, 1962, he married the Greek princess Sofia.
In 1969, Juan Carlos ascended the throne when the general chose him as his successor. With the death of the dictator on November 20, 1975, Juan Carlos officially became king of spain... He has three children: two daughters - Infanta Cristina and Infanta Elena and a son - Prince Philippe, who is currently the official heir to the crown.
The tragic death of his younger brother Alfonso
Only Juan Carlos knows what really happened the night before Good Friday 1956. Juan Carlos, 18, and his younger brother, Alfonso, 14, were celebrating in the bedroom of the royal family in Portugal. Don Alfonso won the local youth golf tournament that day, and in the evening immediately rushed into his room to see his brother, who had come home from military school on vacation. According to the royal family's official statement: "His Highness Prince Alfonso was cleaning a revolver with his brother, accidentally pulling the trigger, the revolver shot right in the head. Death occurred within minutes."
Which of the two royal brothers pulled the trigger will never be known, but Juan Carlos himself said at the time that he felt responsible for this incident. As a military cadet, he should have been aware of the dangers of loaded weapons, as well as Alfonso, who was a passionate hunter and marksman. Both should have known that it was impossible to clean a loaded revolver. Throughout childhood, the boys were very close. While Franco ruled Spain, no one doubted that the death of young Alfonso was a tragic accident. After the death of his younger brother, Juan Carlos received a serious moral trauma.
Juan Carlos as a statesman
By focusing on strengthening international relations (especially with Europe and Latin America), King Juan Carlos has acquired the status of a significant international figure, whose work has been recognized by many international organizations. His Majesty King Juan Carlos promotes a new style of relationship with Latin America, emphasizing in particular the personality of the cultural community based on a common language and pointing out the need for joint initiatives. The first Ibero-American meeting took place in Guadalajara, Mexico in 1991 and was held at the highest level of conferences.
King Juan Carlos of Spain has always insisted on deep integration of Spain into European history and supported the country's entry into the European Union. The king emphasized the importance of the European Union in all his speeches. His pro-European focus and role in restoring democracy in Spain has been recognized with many international awards.
King Juan Carlos of Spain has a strong focus on intellectual development and innovative technology, has a royal academy at his disposal and maintains close ties with cultural circles, especially universities. The monarch was awarded honorary doctorates from thirty prestigious Spanish and foreign universities. The Spanish language as a heritage of the Hispanic community and its perspectives in the modern world is of particular interest to it. The King called for the creation of a fund to support the Royal Academy, which was opened with the support of public and private organizations in 1994.
He is also the director of the Cervantes Institute, which promotes the spread of the Spanish language throughout the world. Every year Juan Carlos hosts the Cervantes Prize, which brings together all the best writers in Spanish from both continents. In all the various industries led by the king, he personally supports the creation of the development of new technologies in Spain, promotes innovative projects in various fields of economy, business, science and social progress, and calls for solidarity at all levels of society in Spain.
Spanish Constitution establishes that the king is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. In this capacity, His Majesty heads the three branches of the armed forces, as well as on the occasion of the annual military holiday, presents diplomas to cadets of military academies and colleges, and also actively participates in maneuvers and exercises.
Queen Sofia activities
In addition to her formal and institutional obligations, the Queen devotes most of her time to social welfare activities. She is the executive president Reina Sofia Foundation... The Queen is Honorary President of the Foundation for Drug Addicts and the Royal Foundation for the Disabled, as well as various cultural and musical institutions, including the Reina Sofia High School of Music.
The Queen is involved in a number of international projects to promote women from rural areas and develop a microcredit system for the disadvantaged. The Queen is an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and the Royal Academy of History. She received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Rosario (Bogota), Cambridge, Oxford, Georgetown, Evora, New York and Seisen (Tokyo).
His Royal Majesty the Prince of Asturias
Prince Felipe, like all children, first went to kindergarten, then attended primary and secondary school in Santa Maria de los Rosales (modern school in), which he attended until 1984. He then spent a year at Likefield College in Canada. From September 1985 to July 1988, His Royal Highness trained at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, the Naval Academy in Marina and the General Academy of the Air Force in San Javier, and in July 1989 received the relevant diplomas as an infantry lieutenant, midshipman and air group lieutenant.
From October 1988 to June 1993 he studied at the Autonomous University and graduated with a degree in law. He also studied a number of subjects from the economic direction in order to fully complete his studies in this area. In September 1993, he enrolled in an MA in International Relations at the Ermund Walsh School of the Foreign Service at Georgetown University (Washington), graduating with a degree on May 26, 1995.
Today he is the Commander of the Navy, Colonel of the Army Corps (Infantry) and the Commander of the Air Force. He is also a helicopter pilot with an instrument qualification in the Air Force Squadron 402. From September 1999 to June 2000, he took part in refresher courses in the field of security and defense.
The prince's activities in Spain and abroad
After completing his studies in the United States, Prince Felipe began institutional activities, becoming chairman of many official events in Spain and taking part in key events in various sectors of Spanish public life. Since October 1995, Prince Felipe has made a number of official visits to some in order to deepen his knowledge of the country and establish contacts with other residents of Spain. He meets regularly with representatives of constitutional bodies and major government organizations in order to monitor their activities, and often takes part in meetings of various government bodies.
A large number of trusted people follow national and international affairs. He often meets with loved ones of his generation with distinguished careers in politics, economics, culture and other fields. When His Majesty the King is unable to attend the annual graduation by officers and non-commissioned officers of the armed forces, he is replaced by Prince Felipe, who also participates in military exercises conducted by all branches of the armed forces.
Prince Felipe pays great attention to relations with the countries of Europe and Latin America, as well as the countries of the Arab world, the Far East and Australia. He takes a special interest in all matters concerning the European Union, North America and Latin America. Since January 1996, the Prince of Asturias has represented the Spanish state in the oaths of the Latin American presidents. Almost on a par with King Juan Carlos, Prince Felipe plays an important role in the development of trade and economic interests of Spain and the development of the Spanish language and culture in foreign countries. The Prince often presides over trade and economic fairs, both in Spain and abroad, and is particularly interested in promoting the creation of centers and chairs to disseminate the history and current situation of Spain in major foreign universities.
In addition to his official activities, Prince Felipe is the honorary president of several associations and foundations, such as the Kadespa Foundation, which finances some economic and social projects in Latin America and other countries, and the Spanish branch of the Association of European Journalists, which includes many distinguished professionals. in the field of communication. Of particular note is the Prince's Foundation, where he presides over the annual awards ceremony and prestigious awards are internationally named after him. Prince Felipe focuses his interest on the development of projects related to voluntary work, environmental protection, universities, helping young professionals with work and business, relations between society and the business community. In the 2001 United Nations Declaration, the Year of International Volunteering, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called Prince Felipe "an outstanding person" because he could easily help raise the importance of volunteering at the international level.
A passionate athlete, the prince was a member of the Spanish sailing team of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. The prince took sixth place and received an Olympic diploma. During the opening ceremony, he marched with the Spanish flag at the head of the Spanish team. In November 2003, Prince Felipe was declared successor by His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen.
HRH Infanta Helena
Infanta Elena received her secondary education at the school of Santa Maria del Camino, and then studied at the Faculty of Education at the University of ESKUNI in, having received a diploma in English teacher in elementary school. After a year as a teacher at Santa Maria del Camino School, Elena took courses in sociology and education at the University of Exeter in the UK. Elena completed her studies at the Comilliance of the Pontifical University in July 1993 with a degree in education.
As soon as she came of age, Elena, as a member of the royal family, began to take part in organizing visits to Spain for heads of foreign states. Elena made several official visits to Europe, the USA, Argentina, Japan and the Philippines, where she chaired various events, most of which were related to culture.
On March 18, 1995, Elena married the son of Count Rypald. The wedding took place in the cathedral of Jaime de Marichalar and Saenz de Tejada. On this occasion, His Majesty the King bestowed upon her the title of Duchess of Lugo. On June 17, 1998, they had a son, Felipe Juan de Froilan Todos los Santos, and on September 9, 2000, their daughter Victoria Federica. Both children were born in. On January 21, 2010 Elena separated from her husband.
She is currently the director of the Mapfre organization, which deals with cultural and social projects. In addition to her official activities, Infanta Elena supports and personally participates in many educational and cultural events. She has a particular interest in sports for the disabled and is the honorary president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee. She attended the Paralympic Games in Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens and Beijing to support Spanish participants. Elena is a big fan of equestrian sports and winter sports.
Her Royal Majesty Infanta Cristina
Cristina received her secondary education at the Santa Matiya del Camina school, then in 1984 attended lectures in political science at the Complutense University of Madrid, which she graduated in 1989. In 1990, she studied for a master's degree at New York University, and in 1991 she joined the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.
Infanta Cristina holds many cultural, scientific and social events, both in Spain and abroad, with a particular focus on European and Latin American countries. Cristina is Honorary President of the Spanish Committee of UNESCO and works with some of her projects in the fields of education, nature conservation and artistic heritage. In October 2001, she was named United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the Second World Assembly on Aging. She is also an honorary member of the Dali Board of Trustees Foundation.
Christina personally takes part in courses for adaptation of swimming for the disabled. A keen sports enthusiast, she became president of the International Sailing Foundation for the Disabled. Cristina currently resides in Barcelona and is the Director of Social Security at La Caija Foundation. On November 6, 1997, Infanta Cristina married Iñaki Urdangarin in the Cathedral of Barcelona. On this occasion, His Majesty the King granted her the right to be called the Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. They had four children: Juan Valentin de Todos (September 29, 1999), Pablo Nicolas (December 6, 2000), Miguel (April 30, 2002) and Irina (June 5, 2005), who was already born in Barcelona.
Infanta Cristina spends her free time with her family. The royals are big fans of the sport, especially ice skating and sailing. Cristina has taken part in many national and international events, was a member of the Spanish sailing team at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1998, where she carried the Spanish flag at the opening ceremony.
Royal family and the public
When King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia returned from their honeymoon trip, they set the tone for their reign by moving to the Zarzuela Palace, located not far from. The selection of this modest housing over the opulent Palais Real has generated a very favorable opinion among a wider public. As soon as Juan Carlos I became king, he immediately set himself a clear goal - to restore democracy in the country, as well as to become a good king of all Spaniards - a task that, according to many, he achieved, given that today the Spanish royal family continues to generate enormous public interest and respect. Perhaps the reason for this is that direct contact with the press and the public is now very limited. Indeed, unlike the Royal Family of England, whose comments to the public and the press are frequently mentioned in the media, their Spanish counterparts are prohibited from answering press questions or making special comments to the press and the public.
The love story of Prince Felipe and Letizia Ortiz
Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos, HRH the Prince of Bourbon and Greece, third child of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, was born on 30 January 1968. Laetitia Ortiz was born on September 15, 1972 in Spanish. Laetitia's parents are Jess Ortiz, a journalist and businessman, and Paloma Rocasolano, a nurse and union official. In 1999, her parents divorced and her father married journalist Anna Togores.
The prince and his wife-to-be met when Letizia, a journalist and news anchor, was in Galicia at the crash site of the Prestige tanker in November 2002. Prince Felipe was there to see the damage caused by the accident. In the spring of the following year, they began to meet, the couple managed to keep their romance secret until their engagement. On November 1, 2003, the King and Queen announced the engagement of Prince Felipe and Laetitia Ortiz, who appeared together in front of the press on November 3. Three days later, on November 6, the official engagement took place.
The wedding ceremony of Felipe and Letizia took place on May 22, 2004 at Nuestra de la Almudena's cathedral. The ceremony was presided over by Cardinal Archbishop Antonio Maria Rouca Varela, assisted by two other cardinals and five archbishops. The wedding day was gray and rainy, but as soon as the couple left the temple, the sun came out and the newlyweds bathed in the rays of sunshine. After the ceremony, the bride presented a wedding bouquet to Our Lady of Atocha in the Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha. This tradition for the royal bride of presenting a bouquet is a presentation of the newborn Infanta of Spain to the Mother of God.
The bride's dress was sewn for six months by a famous fashion designer By Manuel Pertegas who has dressed American style icons such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Audrey Hepburn. The future queen wore a platinum tiara with diamonds, which Queen Sofia wore to her wedding. The groom was dressed in a navy blue military uniform. The newlyweds spent their honeymoon traveling through the Spanish countryside and were spotted in the cities of Cuenca, Albarracín and Zaragoza.
In Spain, members of the royal family are Roman Catholics. Queen Sofia originally descended from the Greek royal family. Before getting married, the queen was Orthodox. When Sophia converted to Catholicism, she gave up all rights to the throne of Greece.
There are not many surviving monarchical dynasties left in the world, so each of them excites the imagination and arouses intense interest. The Spanish royal family may not be as well-known as the British, but Spanish kings also have a valiant past and an exciting present. In Spain, monarchs are controversial: from deification to harsh criticism, however, the Spanish monarchy is many centuries old and is not going to give up its positions.
The Royal Family
In 2014, Philip VI, the son of Juan Carlos I, who abdicated in favor of his son, became King of Spain. Of course, the modern constitutional monarchy differs from the classical monarchies, as we remember them from the history books, in the 21st century kings reign, but do not rule. However, the king of Spain is endowed with broad powers, for example, he is the guarantor of the Constitution and performs the functions of a public figure.
The story of his wife, Queen Letizia, is reminiscent of the story of Cinderella. Letizia, a native of Oviedo, a small town in northern Spain, moved to Madrid at an early age and built an impressive career as a TV journalist. So she met Philip, then Prince of Asturias. The news of the engagement was like a bolt from the sky for Spain, given the fact that Letizia was already married. But since her first marriage was concluded at the mayor's office, the Catholic Church saw no obstacle to the couple in love getting married. The prince's father, King Juan Carlos I, also gave his consent. Now their marriage is 13 years old and the royal couple have two children - Infanta Leonor and Infanta Sophia. Philip also has two older sisters - Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Infanta Cristina, who are also part of the Spanish royal family.
The history of the royal family
The surname of the Spanish royal family is the Bourbons, thus their roots go back to the French kings who ruled from the 16th century to 1789, the year of the revolution in France. One branch of the Bourbons, the Bourbons-Anjou, ascended the throne of Spain in 1700 and established itself throughout the Iberian Peninsula in 1714, following the victory in the War of the Spanish Succession.
The Bourbons ruled Spain throughout the 18th century and practically the entire 19th century, but the 20th century brought revolution to the dynasties and the Second Republic. In 1931, King Alphonse XIII was forced to leave the throne and leave Spain. It would seem that this is the end of the monarchy, as in many other European countries, but in 1947 Francisco Franco decided to restore the monarchy in Spain, primarily for symbolic purposes. He appointed Juan Carlos I as heir to the throne, who received the previously defunct title of Prince of Spain. In 1975, dictator Franco died and Juan Carlos I took the throne. At that moment, Spain embarked on a course of modernization and liberalism, and, perhaps, Juan Carlos could not have stayed on the throne, if not for his political instinct and readiness for change. One way or another, the Bourbons withstood all the upheavals of the 20th century and continue to be one of the European monarchies.
√ Philip VI speaks five foreign languages - English, German, French, Catalan and Basque.
√ The name of the Spanish queen,Letizia, in Spanish it is written with the letter “z” – Letizia, which is not typical for Spain, since the correct spelling of this name isLeticia. But it happened like this, since her engagement to the prince, her name has become so popular,which, most likely,in the future, the correct spellingI amwill become exactly with the letter “ z”.
√ The king's sisters, Infanta Elena and Infanta Christina, call their brother "Napoleon" in the family circle, but so far no one has confessed why.
√ Infanta Cristina chose Barcelona for her life, not the usual Madrid. The king's sister lives in the prestigious Las Tres Torres area. It is curious that it is Barcelona that is considered the most critical city in relation to the royal family, but this does not bother Cristina.
√ Infanta Elena became the first in the Bourbon dynasty who dared to divorce her legal spouse. The divorce was filed in 2010 and generated a lot of controversy.
√ Philip VI is known as a great lover of animals, primarily dogs and horses, one of his dogs was named Pushkin.
√ One of the motives for the abdication of Juan Carlos I in 2014 was the decline in his popularity among the people, primarily due to the elephant hunt, which the Spanish monarch became overly interested in.
√ The official royal residence is the Zarzuela Palace, located in the suburbs of Madridain the middle of the park.But it's curious thatthe royal couple chose the Prince's Pavilion for life, which is also part of the Zarzuela palace complex, but by royal standards it is more than a modest house - only 1800 m2 .
√ The Spanish royal family owned many unique gems, including the Pelegrina pearl and the Estanque diamond, but most of them have been lost. Now at the disposal of the royal family are 7 precious diadems, each with its own history, one of them was named “Russian diadem”. The source of inspiration for this tiara was Russian kokoshniks, although, of course, they were hardly so lavishly adorned with pearls and diamonds.
Where can the royal family be seen
The royal family can be seen firsthand in various parts of Spain. For example, the royal couple prefers to rest in Mallorca, and the king's sisters often spend their weekends in the resorts of northern Spain. In addition, if you buy an apartment in Barcelona in the Las Tres Torres area, you can become a neighbor of Infanta Cristina. And, of course, most of the time, the royal family can be seen in the center of Madrid during major events.
Royal family on family vacation in MallorcaKing Philip VI of Spain is called a monarch without a flaw. Olympic athlete, military helicopter pilot, exemplary father and family man, holder of three higher education diplomas in various fields.
In Spain, Don Felipe, as the Spaniards call him, is respected even by the separatists. Where does the ideal king of Spain Philip VI live, what does his house look like in the photo?
Official residence
The life of monarchs is very different from the everyday life of ordinary people, but in one thing it is similar: kings, like everyone else, rarely work where they live. Philip VI is no exception. He, like his father Juan Carlos I before him, prefers to live with his family not in an official residence.
The Royal Palace in Madrid (Spanish: Palacio Real de Madrid) or the Palacio de Oriente (Palacio de Oriente) is located in the western part of the capital of Spain and is considered one of the main city attractions.
Once upon a time, Spanish kings really lived in it, but modern monarchs prefer to use it only for official ceremonies.
Official photos of the Palacio Real de Madrid.
It is possible that among the oppressive luxury of the official residence of the Spanish kings, the current monarch feels uncomfortable.
This is how, for example, a ceremonial dining room looks like in the palace.
The Royal Palace is surrounded by the Moorish Field and the park with the Sabatini Gardens.
Currently, the building is actually turned into a museum: various works of art are exhibited here: sculpture, furniture, carpets, and more. The design of the palace took several centuries, so there is something to see there. There are many photos and videos of the Royal Palace in Madrid on the Internet.
The interiors of the palace are considered one of the most luxurious in Europe.
Zarzuela Palace
For day-to-day life, HRH Don Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Bourbon and Grecia (that is how his title sounds in full) prefers a less grandiose residence: the Royal Palace of Zarzuela (Palacio de la Zarzuela).
The Zarzuela residence is located in the northwestern suburbs of Madrid and is closed to the public as a museum.
This is the private territory of the Spanish kings, which stands on the Monte el Pardo mountain. Palacio de la Zarzuela was built in the 17th century as a royal hunting lodge.
Currently, Philip VI and his family live here. Philip's family is his wife Queen Letizia, née Ortiz Rocasolano, and two children: Infanta Leonor (born 2005) and Infanta Sophia (born 2007). Leonor is currently the heir to the Spanish throne.
The name Palacio de la Zarzuela, in all likelihood, indicates the abundance of blackberries (in Spanish zarza) in the vicinity. The palazzo was designed by the architect Juan Gomez de More. The fountains, terraces and the arboretum were designed by Alonso Carbonell.
The Zarzuela residence was badly damaged during the civil war. In 1958, the building had to actually be rebuilt. In the 1990s, two new wings were added to the main building. One contains the private rooms of members of the royal family, the other houses the offices and premises of the security service.
On the ground floor of the palace there is a living room, a kitchen and a storage room.
On the second are the king's rooms, his library, guest rooms and staff quarters. On the third floor there are additional bedrooms and offices.
The history of the Spanish monarchy is unique. In April 1931, a republic was proclaimed in the country. King Alphonse abdicated and left the country with his family. The republic was replaced in Spain by the Franco dictatorship. However, after the death of dictator Franco in 1975, the monarchy in Spain was restored. On November 22, Juan Carlos I was proclaimed king of Spain. He gave a historic speech from the throne, stating that he wants to be “the king of all Spaniards in a free and modern society” (c).
King of Spain Juan Carlos I
Juan Carlos I (Juan Carlos de Borbon y Borbon) was born on January 5, 1938 in Rome, where the royal family lived after the proclamation of the Republic in Spain in 1931. His father is Juan de Borbon y Battenberg, Count of Barcelona. Mother - Maria de las Mercedes de Bourbon and Orleans (Dona Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon y Orleans).
At the request of his father, Juan Carlos was educated in Spain, which he first visited at the age of 10. In 1954, he received a bachelor's degree from the School of Saint Isidore in Madrid, then continued his education, becoming a military pilot and an internship on a warship. In 1960-61 he studied at the University of Madrid, where he studied constitutional and international law, economics and taxes.
On May 14, 1962, Juan Carlos married Princess Sophia of Greece in Athens, the eldest daughter of King Paul I of Greece and Queen Frederica. In 1963, they had their first daughter, Princess Elena, two years later, Princess Christina, and in 1968, Prince Philip.
After the death of Francisco Franco on November 22, 1975, Juan Carlos was proclaimed King of Spain.
Queen Sofia of Spain
Queen Sofia (Dona Sofia De Grecia y Hannover) was born in Athens on November 2, 1938. She is the first daughter of King Paul I of Greece and Queen Federica and belongs to one of the most noble families in Europe, being related to the monarchical dynasties of Russia, Germany and Great Britain. She spent part of her childhood in Egypt and South Africa, where the royal family was forced to leave during World War II. Sofia returned to Greece in 1946 and graduated from the prestigious German boarding school Schloss Salem. Then she studied pediatrics, music and archeology in Athens.
On May 14, 1962, Sofia married Prince Juan Carlos. In addition to participating in protocol events, the Queen pays great attention to social activities and charity. She is the Executive President of the Reina Sofia Foundation and Honorary President of the Royal Council for Education and Assistance for the Disabled, as well as the Addiction Relief Foundation. In addition, Queen Sofia is an honorary member of the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando and an honorary doctorate from the Universities of Valladolid and Cambridge.
Prince Philip
Prince Philip (Principe Felipe de Borbon y Grecia), the third child in the family of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Sofia, was born on January 30, 1968 in Madrid. In 1977, after the proclamation of Juan Carlos as King of Spain, Philip received the title of Prince of Asturias, as well as Prince of Girona and Viana.
He began his education at the Santa Maria de los Rosales school, where he studied until 1984. Then, for a year, he was preparing to enter the university at Lakefield College School in Canada. After that, Philip studied for three years at military academies and colleges of the three branches of the armed forces. In 1987, he made his first sea voyage as a cadet on the Spanish Navy ship "Juan Sebastian Elcano", during which he was received by the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, the United States, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay.
On January 30, 1986, on his eighteenth birthday, he was sworn in as the future heir to the Spanish throne.
From 1987 to 1993, Philip studied at the Autonomous University of Madrid, studying law and economics. He also completed his MA in International Relations at Georgetown University, Washington.
Philip is engaged in skiing, motocross and swimming. He was a member of the swimmers' team at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and was also the standard bearer of the Spanish national team at the opening ceremony of the games.
Infanta Elena-Maria
Infanta Elena Maria (Isabel, Dominica de Silos de Borbon y Grecia) is the eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. She was born on December 20, 1963 in Madrid.
She completed her secondary education at Santa Maria del Camino School. Then she studied at the University College ESCUNI, where in 1986 she was educated as a primary school teacher with a specialization in English. For some time Elena-Maria worked as an English teacher at the Santa Maria del Camino school. She then continued her education studying sociology and pedagogy at Exeter University in the UK. In 1993 she received her degree in Education from the Comillas University in Madrid.
Infanta Elena-Maria leads an active social life, being a representative of the royal court. She is also Honorary President of the Spanish Pediatric Society and the Spanish AIDS Foundation.
Infanta Christina
Infanta Cristina (Federica de Borbon y Grecia), the youngest daughter of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia, was born on June 13, 1965 in Madrid.
She began her education at the Santa Maria del Camino School. From 1984 to 1989, Christina studied Political Science at the Complutense University in Madrid. In 1990 she received her master's degree in international relations from the University of New York. Then she graduated from short courses in UNESCO in Paris.
She currently works closely with the Caixa Foundation in Barcelona, the city where she lives. Infanta Cristina also leads an active social life, being a representative of the royal court. She is the Honorary Chairperson of the Spanish Committee of UNESCO, the Infanta Cristina Foundation for the Disabled, and also personally participates in swimming courses for the disabled.
Princess Leticia
The wedding of 37-year-old Prince Felipe and 32-year-old television journalist Leticia Ortiz took place in May 2004.
On October 31, 2005, the future Queen of Spain, Princess Letizia, gave birth to a girl in one of the Madrid clinics. This is the first child of Prince Felipe of Bourbon of Asturias of Greece and Princess Letizia. The girl received the name Leonor. Leonor is the seventh among the grandchildren of King Juan Carlos I of Spain. She is second in line to the throne after her father. However, if in the future a boy is born to Felipe and Leticia, then, according to the constitution, he will bypass his sister in the line for inheritance. But this may not happen if the corresponding law on succession to the throne is adopted, which is now being prepared.
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