- Prince Felipe ascends to the Spanish throne at midnight
- King Juan Carlos tonight signed his abdication into law after 36-year reign
- There won't be any ritzy official celebrations due to the economic crisis
Daily Mail|
Spanish
King Juan Carlos signed his own abdication into law today as the country
prepared to welcome King Felipe to the throne at the stroke of
midnight.
This
afternoon, the King signed the constitutional law allowing his
abdication during a ceremony at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain.
Spanish Queen Sofia, Princess Letizia - soon to be Queen - and Infantas Leonor, Sofia and Princess Elena were all in attendance.
(from left) Spanish Queen Sofia, Crown Prince
Felipe, King Juan Carlos and Princess Letizia attend the ceremony where
the King signed the Constitutional law allowing abdication
King Juan Carlos, left, embraces Spanish Crown Prince Felipe after signing the abdication law in Madrid
Princess Letizia smiles at Prince Felipe as they arrive at the ceremony this afternoon
King Juan Carlos signs the constitutional law as Queen Sofia looks on
Princess Letizia looked glamourous at the ceremony in a simple black and cream outfit
The economic crisis that has left a quarter of Spaniards out of work has compelled Europe's newest king to be relatively frugal at his proclamation.
The
crown prince's father, 76-year-old Juan Carlos, misjudged public anger
at financial hardship when he went on an elephant-hunting safari in
Africa.
Felipe, 46, appears keen to show he's more in tune with his countrymen - and avoid the mistakes of his abdicating predecessor.
The
landmark occasion is perhaps most notable for what it won't include: no
state banquet, no foreign royals or heads of state, no ostentatious
ceremonies or parades.
The King speaks with Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia as Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia watch on
Queen Sofia, King Juan Carlos, Prince Felipe
and Princess Letizia stand to honour the ceremony. The landmark occasion
will not be a particularly lavish affair to reflect the country's
economic crisis
The new royal couple will ascend the throne when the clock strikes midnight
By royal
standards, it's humble: reception guests will be served hot and cold
tapas-style nibbles, which they will eat while standing and there will
be no champagne, just sparkling cava wine from Spain's Catalonia region.
'More
than anything this is a message. What they want to say is, We're in a
moment when sobriety in spending shows a certain sense of solidarity in a
time of economic difficulty,' Navarra University Modern History
Professor Pablo Perez Lopez said.
Felipe is to be formally proclaimed monarch and swear an oath at a ceremony with lawmakers in Parliament on Thursday.
Today is Spanish King Juan Carlos'
last day on the throne before his son ascends and already the shops are
packed with memorabilia to celebrate Prince Felipe's coronation
His son Prince Felipe ascends to the Spanish throne at midnight, but there won't be any ritzy official celebrations
Spanish Crown Prince Felipe (second left) at his last event before his proclamation as King Felipe VI
It will be a no-frills event, though the 18th-century Spanish crown and 17th-century scepter will be on display.
After a
brief military parade, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will take a
drive through expected crowds along some of Madrid's most emblematic
streets and monuments - such as the Prado Museum and the Cibeles
fountain.
The
palace acknowledged that the customary pomp had been eliminated 'in
keeping with the criteria of austerity that the times recommend.'
MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 16: Prince Felipe of Spain coronation souvenirs are displayed at stores today
Prince Felipe is to be formally proclaimed monarch and swear an oath at a ceremony with lawmakers in Parliament on Thursday
A woman holds a mug depicting Spanish Princess Letiza at a shop ahead of the proclamation
Souvenirs depicting Crown Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia are on sale across the country
The
reasoning behind that choice is easy to understand, says Emilio de
Diego Garcia, Modern History Professor at Madrid's Complutense
University.
'In
a time when every expense is examined with a magnifying glass,
particularly public money, any ostentation would have been criticized,'
he said.
Juan
Carlos announced his surprise decision to abdicate on June 2, saying he
was stepping aside after a four-decade reign to allow for younger royal
blood to rally the country that is still trying to shrug off a
double-dip recession and a 26 percent jobless rate.
During
most of his reign, the 76-year-old monarch was held in high esteem for
his role in helping steer the country from military dictatorship to
democracy.
Pins with a picture of Spanish Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Princess Letizia are seen in a souvenirs shop in Madrid
Souvenirs depicting future King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia
The palace acknowledged that the
customary pomp had been eliminated 'in keeping with the criteria of
austerity that the times recommend'
Royal fans can be mugs with the photo of the new king plastered across them
The royal family's image was tarnished by Juan Carlos's 2012 Botswana hunting trip
A girl wearing a T-shirt depicting Spanish Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Princess Letizia in Madrid
He took over
the throne in 1975, two days after the death of longtime dictator Gen.
Francisco Franco, and then endeared himself to many by making army
rebels stand down during an attempted military coup in 1981.
More recently, however, the royal family's image was tarnished by Juan Carlos's 2012 Botswana hunting trip.
Another
scandal saw Juan Carlos' youngest daughter, Princess Cristina, testify
this year in the fraud and money-laundering case engulfing her husband,
the Olympic handball medalist turned businessman Inaki Urdangarin.
Juan
Carlos won broad support for his handling of Spain's 20th-century
challenges. Felipe VI must now address Spain's 21st-century
difficulties.
Keeping the bill down for taxpayers is just one of the challenges facing the new king.
Much
more pressing will be whether he can keep the country united as
separatist movements, such as those in Catalonia and the Basque region,
try to pull the country apart.
The Lower House ahead of the proclamation ceremony of the new Spanish King Felipe VI, in Madrid
Workers make final preparations ahead of the proclamation ceremony tomorrow
The statue of King Carlos III at the Puerta del Sol where balconies have been decorated with Spanish flags
Tourists pose for a selfie with Angel, a Bulgarian man dressed as a bullfighter, in front of the Royal Palace
Such an unraveling could place the monarchy itself in danger.
The abdication announcement initially triggered widespread demonstrations calling for a referendum on reinstating a republic.
But
a recent poll found that while 62 percent of respondents said they
wanted a referendum on the monarchy 'at some point,' 49 percent said
they favored a monarchy with Felipe as king, while only 36 percent
wanted a republic.
Others did not answer or expressed no opinion.
Felipe
holds a law degree from Madrid's Autonomous University and obtained a
master's in international relations from Georgetown University in
Washington.
His wife is a former television journalist.
A woman hangs a Spanish flag on her balcony in front of the Royal Palace in Madrid
:A woman crosses the road at Gran Via as Spanish flags hang from lampposts the day before Prince Felipe's coronation
Many people feel that record will help make Felipe more attuned to the public mood.
Diego
Garcia, the Complutense professor, believes Spain is going to see 'a
more austere monarchy, one closer to the people and the reality of the
country.'
The
2,000 guests at the royal reception will be from a wide range of
Spanish society, including Madrid ambassadors as well as representatives
from the business, cultural, media and sports sectors.
Authorities have prohibited a planned demonstration in Madrid on Thursday by people demanding an end to the monarchy.
The palace said it had no information on the overall cost of the events, which will be overseen by some 7,000 police.
Workers place a banner depicting future King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia at a store
Soldiers rehearse outside the Royal Palace in Madrid today
Two firemen take part in the preparation works at the Lower House ahead of the proclamation ceremony
The
chairs set at the Lower House ahead of tomorrow's ceremony. During the
ceremony, Crown Prince Felipe will be sat with his wife, Letizia, and
his daughters Leonor and Sofia on the red chairs
The table where Spanish King Juan Carlos will
ratify later on the day the Constitutional law that allows his
abdication, at the Royal Palace in Madrid
Crown Prince Felipe of Spain and Princess Letizia of Spain visited a students' residence in Madrid last week
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