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Our Monarchy, since its restauration in 1975, has been the Monarchy "of all Spaniards", a framework of liberties and freedom never known before in the entire history of Spain. The individual and collective freedom has never been so well preserved thanks to this framework, not to mention the...

I think we need not to have a person with such a rude quote in this Forum.

Sorry, the author´s first name is Gerard, not Gerald

I´m not able to see that link :( By the way, I suppose you have read this biography of Queen Ena in English: "Ena Spain´s English Queen", by Gerald Noel.

I agree with you Genevieve!!! :) :) :)

Article 56.2 of the Constitution states that the official title of the King is "King of Spain", although he may also use the other titles of the Crown. Here is the full list of the titles of the King. Some of then refer to territories which don´t belong anymore to the Crown (like the East and...

There is no censorship about any subject, including the Royal Family. As a proof of it, remember that a nude portrait of Princess Letizia apperared on the press. I know some people would like that the Spanish press would act in a tabloid manner, but that is another question. Books are published...

I don´t know that, sorry :(. All I know is about godparents of the daughters and son of the King and Queen. Infanta Elena´s godparents were the Countess of Barcelona (mother of the King) and Infante don Alfonso de Orleans. She received the names of Elena María Isabel Dominica de Silos. Infanta...

That´s a beautiful portrait, I believe by Lazslo. The one I say shows Queen Ena from head to toe (with beautiful shoes by the way). She is wearing a small crown (not a tiara like in the one by Lazslo) and a long court dress. I´m in NY now, but I´ll be back in Spain within two weeks. I can go to...

Queen Elizabeth calls him "Juanito" and King Juan Carlos calls her "Lilibeth". When Queen Elizabeth went to Spain on a state visit a few years ago, there was one day with no official events. King Juan Carlos invited his cousin "Lilibeth" to a restaurant (King Juan Carlos loves to go to...

During those sad years of her marriage, Queen Victoria Eugenia had two confidents: Queen Mary of Britain, another extraordinary woman and Queen, with whom she exchanged numerous letters, and Duchess of Lécera, who apparently was in love with Queen Ena (Queen Ena never corresponded).

The last public political words that Queen Ena said were at the Christening of Prince Felipe, attended also by the then Prince Juan Carlos, don Juan (his father) and Franco. Queen Ena approached Franco, who at the time hadn´t nominate yet his successor, and told him: "General, I´m addressing to...

Her godmother was Queen Elena of Italy, born Princess of Montenegro. She received the names of Sophia, Margareth, Victoria, Frederica.

Ena will never be forgotten by us in Spain. She endured with elegance an unfaithful husband (she never complained nor cried in public; what a lesson for other royals who were not born in a royal residence like her and later on tried unsuccessfully to lear the job). She endured with elegance the...

That´s what I read. Maybe the referendum was not democratic enough because the King wasn´t allowed to go to Greece for the campaign. But the fairness of the vote itself was never contested. Queen Sofía didn´t question it either in the book "La Reina", by Pilar Urbano. I recommend it. It´s a book...

No, the Junta did not pass a referendum: it just abolished monarchy. In 1974 the Junta left power after half of the island of Cyprus was invaded by Turkey. After the Junta had left power, a referendum took place. I believe 35 % of the Greeks voted in favour of the re-establishment of monarchy...

Wymanda, I wonder if you have seen that enormous portrait of Queen Victoria Eugenia by Alvarez de Sotomayor. She looks wonderful with a long royal gown and a little crown. I believe that portrait was painted in 1920s and is kept at the Royal Palace in Madrid.

I´m glad to see them in Greece!!! :) :) :) By the way, I read somewhere that nowadays 37 % of the Greeks declare themselves monarchists. Maybe the monarchist percentage is quite low in Athens and major cities, but that means it´s very high in rural areas.

Queen Ena (or Victoria Eugenia, as we call her in Spain) became more popular in Spain than her husband, King Alfonso XIII. Everybody loved her. Just a two or three days before the overthrown of monarchy in 1931, she was arriving at Madrid station after a trip in England. She was cheered by...

The King has little power. According to the Constitution, the King cannot sign any decree without the approval of the Government. He doesn´t preside over the Cabinet neither. He cannot propose any law. He just proposes to the Parliament as a Prime Minister the person who has won a general...

I think monarchy is stable in Spain. In most polls, monarchy is the most "credible" institution among Spaniards. Being a country where nationalism in some regions (Catalonia and the Basque Country) is very strong, the major political parties (right wing PP and socialist PSOE) support monarchy...

Yes, Infante means son of the King (Infanta in case of a daughter), whereas the title of Príncipe de Asturias is reserved for the Crown Prince. A person is not entitled to hold both titles. King Alfonso XIII (1886-1941) had six children born of Queen Victoria Eugenia. The eldest was Príncipe de...