Juan Carlos I facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Juan Carlos I |
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Juan Carlos I in 2007
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| King of Spain (more...) | |||||
| Reign | 22 November 1975 – 19 June 2014 | ||||
| Enthronement | 27 November 1975 | ||||
| Predecessor | Francisco Franco (as Caudillo) Alfonso XIII (as King) |
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| Successor | Felipe VI | ||||
| Born | 5 January 1938 Rome, Italy |
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| House | Bourbon | ||||
| Father | Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona | ||||
| Mother | Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies | ||||
| Religion | Catholic | ||||
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Juan Carlos I (born 5 January 1938) is a member of the Spanish royal family. He was the King of Spain from 22 November 1975 until he stepped down on 19 June 2014. In Spain, after his abdication, people often call him the rey emérito, which means 'king emeritus' or 'retired king'.
Juan Carlos is the son of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona. He is also the grandson of Alfonso XIII, who was the last king of Spain before the monarchy ended in 1931. Juan Carlos was born in Rome, Italy, because his family was living in exile. Francisco Franco became the leader of Spain after the Spanish Civil War in 1939. In 1947, Spain was declared a monarchy again, and Franco was allowed to choose his successor.
Juan Carlos's father became the heir to the throne after King Alfonso XIII died in 1941. However, Franco thought Juan Carlos's father was too liberal. So, in 1969, Franco chose Juan Carlos to be his successor as the head of state. Juan Carlos was expected to continue Franco's way of ruling. Instead, he brought in changes to create a democratic government in Spain.
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Early Life and Education
Juan Carlos Alfonso Víctor María was born in Rome, Italy. His parents were Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona, and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. His grandfather, King Alfonso XIII, and other family members lived in exile there. This was after the Second Spanish Republic was declared in 1931.
Juan Carlos's early life was shaped by his father's wishes and General Francisco Franco's political plans. He moved to Spain in 1948 to study there. His father convinced Franco to allow this. He started his studies in San Sebastián and finished in 1954 in Madrid.
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Juan Carlos has two sisters: Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz (1936–2020) and Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria (born 1939). He also had a younger brother, Alfonso (1941–1956). Franco chose his name "Juan Carlos" from his baptismal name. His family often called him "Juan" or "Juanito".
In 1954, Juan Carlos went on a ship tour called the “Cruise of the Kings”. This trip was organized by Queen Frederica and King Paul of Greece. Many royals from Europe attended. On this trip, Juan Carlos met Sofia, who would later become his wife.
Military and University Training
Juan Carlos began his military training in 1955. He attended the General Military Academy at Zaragoza until 1957. After that, he spent a year at the naval school in Marín, Pontevedra. He also spent a year at the Air Force school in San Javier.
From 1960 to 1961, he studied law and economics at the University of Madrid. After finishing his studies, he moved to the Palace of Zarzuela. He then started to take part in official royal duties.
Brother's Tragic Death
On 29 March 1956, Juan Carlos's younger brother, Infante Alfonso, died in a gun accident. This happened at their family home in Estoril, Portugal.
Becoming Prince of Spain
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General Francisco Franco's government came to power after the Spanish Civil War. This war was between different groups in Spain. Franco's government was very strict. As Franco grew older, people started to protest more. Some people wanted a strong monarchy back.
The heir to the Spanish throne was Infante Juan, Juan Carlos's father. But Franco did not trust him. Franco thought he was too liberal and against his government. So, Franco decided to choose Juan Carlos as his successor instead.
In 1969, Juan Carlos was officially named the heir-apparent. He was given the new title of Prince of Spain. To become heir, he had to promise loyalty to Franco's government. He did this without showing much hesitation. The Spanish parliament approved this choice on 22 July 1969.
Juan Carlos often met with Franco and took part in official events. He stood by Franco's side, which made some people angry. They hoped Franco's death would bring changes to the country. However, Juan Carlos secretly met with political leaders who wanted to bring democracy to Spain. He also talked secretly with his father. Franco did not seem to know about these secret meetings.
When Franco was temporarily unable to rule in 1974 and 1975, Juan Carlos acted as the head of state. On 30 October 1975, Franco gave full control to Juan Carlos.
King of Spain: A New Era
Franco died on 20 November 1975. Two days later, on 22 November, the Spanish parliament declared Juan Carlos King of Spain. He chose the name Juan Carlos I. He did not want to be called Juan III or Carlos V.
On 27 November, a special Mass was held in Madrid to mark the start of his reign. Juan Carlos was expected to continue Franco's strict rule. But he surprised many by introducing reforms. These changes aimed to dismantle Franco's system and start a transition to democracy.
Transition to Democracy
Juan Carlos quickly began making changes. This made some conservative groups, especially in the military, unhappy. They had expected him to keep the strict government.
In July 1976, Juan Carlos removed the prime minister, Carlos Arias Navarro. Arias Navarro had tried to continue Franco's policies. Instead, Juan Carlos appointed Adolfo Suárez as prime minister. Suárez was a former leader in Franco's movement.
On 14 May 1977, Juan Carlos's father officially gave up his claim to the throne. He recognized his son as the true head of the Spanish Royal House. This made Juan Carlos the rightful king in the eyes of traditional monarchists.
On 20 May 1977, Felipe González, the leader of the recently legalized Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), visited Juan Carlos. This meeting showed that even left-wing parties, who had historically supported a republic, now supported the monarchy. Juan Carlos had pushed for the legalization of the Communist Party of Spain earlier that year.
On 15 June 1977, Spain held its first democratic elections after Franco. Suárez won the election and became the first democratically elected leader.
In 1978, a new constitution was created. It recognized Juan Carlos as the rightful king of Spain. The constitution was approved by the people in a vote. Juan Carlos signed it into law.
Preventing a Coup in 1981
On 23 February 1981, there was an attempted military coup. This event is known as 23-F. Members of the Guardia Civil took over the parliament building. During the coup, the King appeared on television. He wore his military uniform and called for support for the democratic government.
This broadcast is believed to have been a major reason why the coup failed. The coup leaders had told their supporters they were acting in the King's name. But Juan Carlos's broadcast showed he was against them. After the coup failed, Communist leader Santiago Carrillo said, "Today, we are all monarchists." Public support for the monarchy grew a lot after the King handled the coup.
Later Role in Spanish Politics
In 1982, the PSOE won the general election. This marked the end of the King's active involvement in Spanish politics. The new prime minister, González, governed for 14 years. His leadership helped make Spanish democracy strong and stable.
Under the Constitution, the King had many powers. He was the guardian of the Constitution and made sure it was followed. In practice, he took a mostly neutral role. He acted almost entirely on the government's advice. However, he was a strong symbol of the country's unity.
The King gave an annual speech to the nation on Christmas Eve. As King, he was also the commander-in-chief of the Spanish armed forces.
In November 2005, a poll showed that 77.5% of Spaniards thought Juan Carlos was "good or very good". However, in September 2007, some protesters in Catalonia burned photos of the king. They wanted the Republic to be restored.
2007 Ibero-American Summit Incident
In November 2007, at a summit in Santiago, Juan Carlos interrupted Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. He said, "¿Por qué no te callas?" ("Why don't you shut up?"). Chávez had been interrupting the Spanish Prime Minister. This was a rare public display of anger by the King.
Botswana Hunting Trip Criticism
In April 2012, Juan Carlos faced criticism for an elephant-hunting trip in Botswana. The public found out when the King was injured and needed a special plane to return home. Spanish officials said the trip was paid for by a businessman, not by taxpayers.
Many people were upset because Spain had high unemployment at the time. A petition asked the King to resign from his honorary position at the Spanish branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The WWF later removed him from this position. The King later apologized for the trip.
Interfaith Work and Dialogue
In 1992, on the 500th anniversary of the Alhambra Decree, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia visited the Beth Yaacov Synagogue in Madrid. This was to remember the occasion. It was the first time the King had visited a synagogue in Spain.
In 2008, Juan Carlos spoke at a conference about interfaith dialogue. This event was held outside Madrid. It was attended by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Rabbi David Rosen, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Stepping Down as King
In 2013, news media began to guess about the King's future. This was after public criticism of his elephant hunting trip. On 2 June 2014, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy announced that the King intended to step down.
Later, the King gave a televised speech. He announced he would give the throne to his son, the Prince of Asturias. Royal officials said it was a personal decision. The King reportedly said, "We do not want my son to wither waiting like Prince Charles."
On 18 June, he signed the law that allowed him to abdicate. His abdication took effect, and his son, Felipe, became King Felipe VI on 19 June 2014. Juan Carlos was the fourth European monarch to step down in just over a year.
Public Reactions to Abdication
The Spanish press generally reacted positively to the news. They called it an "institutional crisis" and an "important moment in the history of democratic Spain." In some cities, there were protests calling for the end of the monarchy.
Catalan leader Artur Mas said the King's abdication would not stop Catalonia's independence process. Other regional leaders praised Juan Carlos. British Prime Minister David Cameron also praised King Juan Carlos for his role in Spain's transition to democracy.
A poll by El Mundo showed that 65% of Spaniards thought the King's reign was good or very good. More than half of those polled supported the monarchy in Spain. Most Spaniards believed the new King, Felipe VI, would be a good monarch.
Life After the Throne
Juan Carlos continued to represent Spain in some ways. In December 2015, he attended the inauguration of Mauricio Macri as President of Argentina. In June 2019, the former King announced he would retire from official duties.
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(The caption ‘Juancar? Who is Juancar? My name is Guy Incognito’, is a reference to an episode of The Simpsons)
On 3 August 2020, the Palace of Zarzuela announced that Juan Carlos wanted to move away from Spain. This was because of increased media attention. He had already left the country when the letter was made public. On 17 August, the Royal Household confirmed he was in the United Arab Emirates.
Family and Hobbies
Juan Carlos married Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark on 14 May 1962. They had a Roman Catholic ceremony and then a Greek Orthodox ceremony. She changed her religion to Roman Catholicism. They have three children:
- Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo (born 20 December 1963)
- Infanta Cristina (born 13 June 1965)
- King Felipe VI of Spain (born 30 January 1968)
Juan Carlos loves sailing. In 1972, he competed in the Dragon class event at the Olympic Games. He finished 15th. During summer holidays, the family spends time at Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca. They also enjoy their yacht Fortuna and take part in sailing competitions.
In winter, the family often went skiing in the Pyrenees. Today, his hobbies include classic sailing boats. He is also a member of the World Scout Foundation.
Health Updates
In May 2010, a small, harmless growth was removed from King Juan Carlos's right lung. The operation was successful, and he did not need further treatment.
In April 2012, the King had surgery for a broken hip. This happened after a fall during a private elephant-hunting trip to Botswana. He also had another hip operation in September 2013. In April 2018, Juan Carlos had surgery on his right knee. On 24 August 2019, he had heart surgery.
Titles and Honours
In 1969, Juan Carlos was named Franco's successor and given the title 'Prince of Spain'. When Franco died in 1975, Juan Carlos became King of Spain. The current Spanish constitution simply calls the monarch "King of Spain".
The constitution also allows for the use of other historic titles related to the Spanish monarchy. Since he stepped down in 2014, King Juan Carlos has kept the title and style of king as a courtesy.
Royal Coat of Arms
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The coat of arms used as Prince of Spain which was virtually identical to the one later adopted when he became King, differed only that it featured the crown of heir to the throne, decorated with only four half-arches." |
See also
In Spanish: Juan Carlos I de España para niños
- List of honours of the Spanish Royal Family by country
- Line of succession to the Spanish throne
