Monarchy of Spain: History and Key Facts

The monarchy of Spain (Spanish: Monarquía Española) is the constitutional form of government of Spain by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. Since 19 June 2014, the monarch is King Felipe VI, who ascended the throne on the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos I.

The Spanish monarchy is constitutionally referred to as The Crown (Spanish: La Corona), and it comprises the reigning monarch, the royal family and the institutions whose purpose is to assist them in their public responsibilities, namely, the Royal Household and Patrimonio Nacional.

The Spanish Constitution of 1978 re-established a constitutional monarchy as the form of government for Spain after the end of the dictatorship of Francisco Franco and the restoration of democracy in 1977. The 1978 constitution affirmed the role of the King of Spain as the living personification and embodiment of the Spanish nation and a symbol of Spain's enduring unity and permanence and is also invested as the "arbitrator and the moderator" of Spanish institutions. Constitutionally, the sovereign is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces. The constitution codifies the use of royal styles and titulary, royal prerogatives, hereditary succession to the crown, compensation, and a regency-guardianship contingency in cases of the monarch's minority or incapacitation. According to the Constitution, the monarch is also instrumental in promoting relations with the "nations of its historical community". The monarch serves as honorary chairperson of the Organization of Ibero-American States, representing over 700,000,000 people in twenty-four member nations worldwide.

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