Succession to the Spanish throne: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Rules of succession to the Throne of Spain}}

{{Order of Succession}}

[[File:Salón del Trono.jpg|300px|thumb|Throne in the [[Royal Palace of Madrid]]]]

[[Spain]] uses the same system of (male-preference) [[primogeniture]] as the [[United Kingdom]]. Male children of a parent succeed before female, and otherwise in order of age. If descent from male children of a parent does not exist (ever or any longer), female and her heirs succeed. Dynasts who marry against the express prohibition of the king or the [[Cortes Generales|Cortes]] are excluded from the succession together with their descendants. Disputes about the succession are to be settled by legislation.

{{Monarchic orders of succession}}

'''Succession to the Spanish throne''' follows male-preference cognatic [[primogeniture]]. A [[Dynasty#Dynast|dynast]] who marries against the express prohibition of the monarch and the [[Cortes Generales]], the legislative chamber of Spain, is excluded from the succession. <ref>1978 Constitution of Spain art. LVII</ref> Upon proclamation by the Cortes Generales, the monarch is to take an oath to discharge his duties faithfully, to abide by the [[Constitution of Spain|Constitution]] and the law and ensure they are abided by, and to respect the rights of the citizens and of the [[Autonomous communities of Spain|Autonomous Communities]]. <ref>1978 Constitution of Spain art. LXI</ref>

In its 2004 election manifesto the victorious Socialist party ([[PSOE]]) included plans to adopt a gender-blind succession rule like that used in [[Sweden]], a proposal which was supported by the leader of the main oppostion party, the conservative [[Partido Popular]]. It was initially thought that the change would only apply to future generations but with all the major political parties in agreement that the system of primogeniture conflicts with the constitutionally-established principle of sexual equality it is now planned that the law will be changed before the Princess of Asturias bears any male children, thereby securing the Infanta Leonor's position as second in line. The subsequent announcement that the Princess waa pregnant with a second daughter has however removed any immediate urgency in the passage of the necessary legislation.

== Line of succession ==

The 1978 Constitution of Spain establishes the succession in favour of the heirs of King Juan Carlos I. <ref>1978 Constitution of Spain art. LVII sec. I</ref>

Current Monarch: [[Juan Carlos I of Spain]]

{{Tree list}}[[Image:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] [[King Juan Carlos I]] (b. 1938)

**[[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] '''[[King Felipe VI]]''' (b. 1968)

*** '''(1)''' [[Leonor, Princess of Asturias]] (b. 2005)

*** '''(2)''' [[Infanta Sofía of Spain|Infanta Sofía]] (b. 2007)

** '''(3)''' [[Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo]] (b. 1963)

*** '''(4)''' ''Don'' [[Felipe de Marichalar y Borbón, Lord of Tejada]] (b. 1998)

*** '''(5)''' ''Doña'' [[Victoria de Marichalar y Borbón, Lady of Tejada]] (b. 2000)

** '''(6)''' [[Infanta Cristina of Spain|Infanta Cristina]] (b. 1965)

*** '''(7)''' ''Don'' Juan Urdangarin y Borbón (b. 1999)

*** '''(8)''' ''Don'' Pablo Urdangarin y Borbón (b. 2000)

*** '''(9)''' ''Don'' Miguel Urdangarin y Borbón (b. 2002)

*** '''(10)''' ''Doña'' [[Irene Urdangarin y Borbón, Grandee of Spain|Irene Urdangarin y Borbón]] (b. 2005){{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/end}}

==Succession uncertainties==

# HRH [[Felipe, Prince of Asturias|The Prince of Asturias]] (Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso y de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia), son of [[Juan Carlos I of Spain|King Juan Carlos]].

[[File:Coat of Arms of Spanish Monarch.svg|thumb]]

# HRH [[Infanta Leonor of Spain|The Infanta Leonor de Todos los Santos]], daughter of [[Felipe, Prince of Asturias|The Prince]] and [[Letizia, Princess of Asturias|Princess of Asturias]]

<!--#HRH the unborn second daughter of the Prince and Princess of Asturias -->

# HRH [[Infanta Elena of Spain|The Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo]] (Elena María Isabel Dominica de los Silos de Borbón y Grecia), eldest daughter of King Juan Carlos.

# HE [[Felipe Juan Froilán de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón]], son of Infanta Elena.

# HE [[Victoria Federica de Todos los Santos de Marichalar y de Borbón]], daughter of Infanta Elena.

# HRH [[Infanta Cristina of Spain|The Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca]] (Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y Grecia), younger daughter of King Juan Carlos.

# HE [[Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón]], eldest son of Infanta Cristina.

# HE [[Pablo Nicolás Sebastián Urdangarin y de Borbón]], middle son of Infanta Cristina.

# HE [[Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón]], youngest son of Infanta Cristina.

# HE [[Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón]], daughter of Infanta Cristina.

Section 1 of Article 57 of the [[Constitution of Spain|1978 Constitution of Spain]] provides that The Crown of Spain is hereditary to the "{{lang|es|sucesores}}" of His Majesty Don [[Juan Carlos I]] de Borbón. To date, no clarification has been made whether this provision includes anyone beyond the direct descendants of King Juan Carlos. Successors may not be presumed to be synonymous with descendants. Section 3 of Article 57 further states that should all the lines designated by law become extinct, the [[Cortes Generales]] shall provide for succession to the Crown in the manner most suitable for the interests of Spain.

== Succession to the Spanish Throne ==

[[Image:Escudo JC-I.png|right]]

Section 57 of the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978|Spanish Constitution]] provides that "''The Crown of Spain shall be inherited by the successors of H. M. Juan Carlos I de Borbón.''" To date, the Spanish government has not seen fit to clarify whether this provision includes anyone beyond the descendants of King Juan Carlos. "Successor" is not the same as "descendant" but can be understood to mean such successors as brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. Presumably in the line of Borbón which surname is mentioned in the constitution.

The king's two sisters renounced their rights of succession but those renunciations took place before the adoption of the Constitution and were not ratified by the Cortes as required by Section 57. The rights of earlier generations are similarly clouded by numerous renunciations and unapproved marriages which may or may not exclude the individuals involved from the throne.

[[Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz]] and [[Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria]], sisters of King Juan Carlos, respectively renounced their rights to the succession upon marriage but before the adoption of the Constitution. Similarly, the rights of earlier generations are clouded by renunciations and unapproved marriages which may or may not exclude them from succession. <ref name="badts">{{cite book |author1=De Badts de Cugnac, Chantal |title=Le Petit Gotha |author2=Coutant de Saisseval, Guy |publisher=Laballery |year=2002 |isbn=2-9507974-3-1 |___location=Paris |pages=365–367, 419–420}}</ref><ref name="enache">{{cite book |author=Enache, Nicolas |title=La Descendance de Marie-Therese de Habsburg, Reine de Hongrie et de Boheme |publisher=ICC |year=1999 |isbn=2-908003-04-X |___location=Paris |pages=532–534}}</ref>

Section 57 further provides that "''[[Abdication]]s and renunciations and any doubt in fact or in law that may arise in connection with the succession to the Crown shall be settled by an organic act.''" Presumably, legislation would be adopted to clarify the situation if all the descendants of Juan Carlos die off. As a final catch-all provision, Section 57 states that "''Should all the lines designated by law become extinct, the Cortes Generales shall provide for succession to the Crown in the manner most suitable to the interests of Spain.''"

KingSection Juan5 Carlos'of threeArticle children57 areprovides marriedthat abdications and ofrenunciations child-bearingand age.any doubt Hisin daughtersfact haveor alreadyin givenlaw himthat sixmay grandchildrenarise andin hisrelation son,to the Prince,succession hasof onethe daughter.Crown shall Asbe asettled result,by itan seems[[organic unlikely thatlaw (Spain)|organic will need to look beyond the descendants of Juan Carlos to find future monarchsact]]. Unless and until an organic actone clarifies the rights of otherthe membersextended Family of the king's familyKing, thereit is nounknown waywho to determine who,or if anyone, follows Infanta Cristina's descendants in the Lineline of Succession. As of 2007, there are no plans to legislate on the questionsuccession.

===Possible interpretations===

==Presumed lines==

*The [[Congress of Deputies]], the lower house of the Cortes Generales, has the constitutional responsibility to clarify the succession when doubt arises. If "{{lang|es|sucesores}}" is deemed to mean direct descendants, the succession ends with the heirs of Infanta Cristina.<ref name="badts" />

# ''King's elder sister [[Infanta Doña Pilar de Borbón]], Duchess of Badajoz, and her descendants'' (Uncertain).

* If the renunciations by Infanta Pilar and Infanta Margarita are not deemed valid, their descendants would follow the line of succession:

# ''King's younger sister [[Infanta Doña Margarita de Borbón]], Duchess of Soria, and her descendants'' (Uncertain).

{{Tree list}}''[[Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona]] (1913–1993)''

# ''Descendants of daughters of [[Alfonso XIII of Spain|Alfonso XIII]]'' (Uncertain).

**[[Image:Simple silver crown.svg|15px]] [[Juan Carlos I|King Juan Carlos I]] (b. 1938)

# Descendants of [[Infanta Maria de las Mercedes of Spain|Doña María de las Mercedes de Borbón]] (1880&ndash;1904), Princess of Asturias, eldest daughter of [[Alfonso XII of Spain|Alfonso XII]]. This line is represented by [[Infante Carlos, Duke of Calabria]].

**''[[Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz|Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz and Viscountess of La Torre]] (1936–2020)''

#Descendants of [[Infanta Maria Teresa of Spain|Doña María Teresa de Borbón]] (1882&ndash;1912), Infanta of Spain, younger daughter of [[Alfonso XII of Spain|Alfonso XII]].

***'' Don Juan Gómez-Acebo y Borbón, 3rd Viscount of La Torre'' (1969–2024)

#Descendants of [[Infanta María de la Paz of Spain|Doña María de la Paz de Borbón]] (1862&ndash;1946), Infanta of Spain, younger daughter of [[Isabella II of Spain|Isabella II]], etc.

****'''(11)''' Don Nicolás Gómez-Acebo y Carney, 4th Viscount of La Torre (b. 2013)

***'''(12)''' Andrés De Follonosa y Marquïna- Viscount of La armería,Earl of La Mancha (b. 1998)

****'''(13)''' Alejandro Gómez-Acebo y Cano (b. 2004)

****'''(14)''' Guillermo Gómez-Acebo y Cano (b. 2005)

****'''(15)''' Álvaro Gómez-Acebo y Cano (b. 2011)

***'''(16)''' Don Luis Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (b. 1973)

****'''(17)''' Luis Felipe Gómez-Acebo y Ponte (b. 2005)

****'''(18)''' Juan Gómez-Acebo y Ponte (b. 2016)

****'''(19)''' Laura Gómez-Acebo y Ponte (b. 2006)

*** ''Don Fernando Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (1974–2024)''

****'''(20)''' Nicolás Gómez-Acebo y Halamandari (b. 2016)

***'''(21)''' Doña Simoneta Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (b. 1968)

****'''(22)''' Luis Juan Fernández-Sastrón y Gómez-Acebo (b. 1991)

****'''(23)''' Pablo Fernández-Sastrón y Gómez-Acebo (b. 1995)

****'''(24)''' María de las Mercedes Fernández-Sastrón y Gómez-Acebo (b. 2000)

**'''(25)''' [[Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria|Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria and Hernani]] (b. 1939)

***'''(26)''' Don Alfonso Zurita y Borbón (b. 1973)

***'''(27)''' Doña María Zurita y Borbón (b. 1975)

****'''(28)''' Carlos Zurita y Borbón (b. 2018){{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/final branch}}{{Tree list/end}}

==Planned absolute primogeniture==

In its 2004 election manifesto, the victorious [[Spanish Socialist Workers' Party]] (PSOE) included plans to adopt [[absolute primogeniture]], a proposal which was supported by the leader of the main opposition party, the conservative [[People's Party (Spain)|People's Party]]. It was initially thought that the change would only apply to future generations but with all the major political parties in agreement that the system of male-preference primogeniture conflicts with the constitutionally established principle of gender equality, it was planned that the law would be changed before [[Queen Letizia of Spain|Letizia, then the Princess of Asturias]], bore a son, thereby demoting Infanta Leonor in the line succession. The subsequent announcement, in 2006, that the Princess was pregnant with a second daughter, however, removed any immediate urgency in the passage of the necessary legislation.

== References ==

=== Citations ===

{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===

{{refbegin}}

* Navarro i Soriano, Ferran (2019). Harca, harca, harca! Músiques per a la recreació històrica de la Guerra de Successió (1794-1715). Editorial DENES. {{ISBN|978-84-16473-45-8}}.

{{refend}}

==See also==

{{Portal|Monarchy|Spain}}

*[[List of Spanish monarchs]]

* [[List of heirs to the Spanish throne]]

* [[List of Spanish monarchs]]

* [[Spanish Royal Family]]

* [[Carlism]]

*[[Francisco Franco]], who, after the [[Spanish Civil War]], ruled over the country (although Spain was formally a kingdom)

{{Orders of succession by country}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Line Of Succession To The Spanish Throne}}

[[Category:Lines of succession|Spanish throne]]

[[Category:Monarchy of Spain|Succession]]

[[Category:Pretenders to the Spanish throne]]

[[Category:Lists of Spanish nobility|Succession to the Throne]]

[[de:Thronfolge (Spanien)]]

[[es:Línea de sucesión al Trono de España]]

[[it:Linea di successione al Trono di Spagna]]

[[pl:Linia sukcesji do hiszpańskiego tronu]]