Felipe VI of Spain is the King of Spain who took over the throne from his father Juan Carlos I on June 19, 2014. As the only son of King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía of Spain, Felipe was conferred with the title of ‘Prince of Asturias’ before the age of 10. While growing up, he received training in the Army, Naval, and Air Force operations and took a keen interest in Spanish politics starting from 1995. In the modern era, where more and more people are questioning the legitimacy of Spanish royalty, Felipe has been seen as a hopeful candidate to restore faith in the monarchy which struggled with a string of controversies in the last decade.
Sun Sign
Aquarius
Residence
Prince’s Pavilion, Madrid, Spain
Nationality
Girlfriend / Spouse
Felipe VI of Spain has dated –
- Victoria Carvajal y Hoyos – Felipe’s first teenage relationship was with Victoria Carvajal y Hoyos, whom he met while studying in school at Santa María de los Rosales. Victoria belongs to an aristocratic family and has worked as a journalist.
- Tatjana de Liechtenstein – French magazine Point de Vue wrote about the brewing romance between Felipe and a royal member named Tatjana de Liechtenstein. Tatjana is the daughter of Prince Hans Adam II and Princess Maria Kinsky. She ended up marrying Philipp von Lattorff on June 5, 1999 and is a mother to 7 children.
- Anna Jussil – Anna Jussil met Prince Felipe at a birthday party celebrated in honor of Princess Victoria of Sweden. They were speculated to be dating but neither spoke about the rumors publicly.
- Christine von Wangenheim – Christine von Wangenheim was rumored to be dating Felipe VI of Spain in the past.
- Marcela Cuevas – Mexican beauty Marcela Cuevas was also alleged to be one of his romantic conquests.
- Carolina de Waldburg – Felipe, considered to be one of the most eligible bachelors of his time, was linked with German royalty Carolina de Waldburg in the past.
- Isabel Sartorius (1989-1991) – Felipe’s first high-profile romance was with Spanish noblewoman Isabel Sartorius in 1989. Isabel’s parents are the 4th Marquis of Mariño, Vicente Sartorius and his first wife Isabel Zorraquín. It was reported that the Spanish royal family was against their relationship due to Isabel’s mother’s history with drug addiction. Furthermore, the fact that her parents were divorced did not work in her favor as well. Felipe and Isabel finally broke up in 1991.
- (1992) – Canadian supermodel Yasmeen Ghauri was known to have caught the eye of Prince Felipe. They had reportedly met during the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona, where he served as a flagbearer for his country.
- Giselle Howard – Felipe met American model Giselle Howard while studying for his Master’s degree at Georgetown University. Their romance came in the spotlight after they were seen vacationing together in the Caribbean islands during the 1995 Easter holidays. Photographer Carlos Arriazu, who broke the story, was also involved in tapping Howard’s telephone line with the intention of eavesdropping on their private conversations. The ensuing legal battle against Arriazu and the intense media scrutiny that followed convinced Howard that life in the public eye was not meant for her. The couple split up soon after.
- Eva Sannum (1997-2001) – One of Felipe’s most enduring relationships was with Norwegian model Eva Sannum in 1997. The couple seemed head-over-heels in love with each other and very likely headed towards marriage. However, Sannum was labeled as an unsuitable match by the media since she did not belong to a royal bloodline and had worked as a lingerie model before. In addition, Queen Sofia seemed to disapprove of their alliance as well. Felipe was reportedly under pressure by the monarchy to end things with his longtime girlfriend. The Prince announced their separation in December 2001, stating that the two had split up “freely, with mutual accord and jointly.”
- (2002) – Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow was allegedly involved with the future King of Spain in 2002. According to reports, the two met through common friends and were seen together on a string of dinner dates. But, their relationship quickly faded away.
- (2002-Present) – In a surprising turn of events, the Royal Household announced Felipe’s engagement on November 1, 2003. The lady in question was award-winning journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano who worked as a news anchor with CNN. Allegedly, the Prince was so impressed with her that he asked his journalist friend Pedro Erquicia to arrange their meeting over dinner in 2002. The couple dated in secret for a year with no one catching wind of their blossoming romance. The engagement news, however, created a storm as it positioned Letizia to be the first commoner to marry into the Spanish Royal Family. Additionally, she was previously married to writer and professor Alonso Guerrero Pérez in August 1998 following a 10-year courtship. But, the marriage was dissolved a year later in 1999. Felipe proposed to his lady love with a 16-baguette diamond engagement ring surrounded with white gold trim. Following the announcement, Letizia quit her job and moved into the Zarzuela Palace. The couple got married in the Almudena Cathedral on May 22, 2004, in the presence of 1200 guests from various royal houses and heads of state from the world over. Spanish designer Manuel Pertegaz created her regal bridal gown replete with a veil made from off-white silk tulle and hand-embroidered detailing. The couple is parents to 2 daughters – (b. October 31, 2005) and (b. April 29, 2007). After Felipe became the King of Spain in 2014, his wife took the title of Queen consort of Spain. Furthermore, their oldest daughter Leonor became the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne.
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Tall height
- Dimpled smile
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Best Known For
Being the King of Spain since June 19, 2014, after his father King Juan Carlos I abdicated the throne in favor of his son
First TV Show
Felipe VI of Spain made his TV show debut as ‘Himself’ on the Tiempos modernos (Modern Times) episode of the documentary series Los años vividos (The Years Lived) in 1992.
Felipe VI of Spain Facts
- Felipe is the youngest child and only son born to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.
- He was baptized by the Archbishop of Madrid, Casimiro Morcillo on February 8, 1968, with holy water taken from the Jordan River.
- His long baptismal name Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos is an allusion to several key figures in the Spanish monarchy. He is named after Felipe V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, both his grandfathers (Infante Juan of Spain and King Paul of Greece) and his great-grandfather King Alfonso XIII of Spain. The suffix de Todos los Santos (meaning “of all the Saints”) is a customary addition to all members of the Bourbon dynasty.
- His father was proclaimed the King of Spain on November 22, 1975, after the death of dictator Francisco Franco 2 days earlier. Felipe made his first official appearance at his father’s coronation at the age of 7 years.
- His daughters Leonor and Sofia have been educated at the same school as him, Santa María de los Rosales in Madrid.
- Felipe started receiving training in the Military, Naval, and Air Force operations in 1985, 1986, and 1987 respectively. He took over the role of Commander-in-chief for the Army, Navy, and Air Force altogether after ascending the throne in 2014.
- Felipe participated in the opening ceremony of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona as his country’s flag bearer. He was also a part of the Spanish Olympic sailing team and finished 6th in the Soling class competition. Furthermore, his team was felicitated with an Olympic diploma.
- During the time of his accession, 46-year-old Felipe was the youngest monarch in Europe. Alternatively, he became the oldest person to be crowned the King of Spain in 2014.
- In June 2014, King Felipe and Queen Letizia held the distinction of being the first Spanish monarch and consort to recognize and welcome LGBT organizations in the Royal Palace.
- In 2011, he became an honorary member of the Master of Science in Foreign Service Advisory Board at his alma mater Georgetown University in Washington.
- In 2012, his sister Cristina and brother-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin were charged in a tax fraud case involving the non-profit (now defunct) organization Nóos Institute. Following that, Felipe stripped Cristina of her title as Duchess of Palma de Mallorca in June 2015. Iñaki was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison and slapped with a fine of €500,000 in 2017. Cristina was acquitted but had to pay a fine of €265,000 for her role in the illegal activities.
- Felipe is the great-great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria (of the United Kingdom) and Prince Albert.
- He was included in People Magazine‘s list of the ‘Most Handsome Men in the World’ in 1993.
- Felipe supports his hometown sports club Atlético Madrid and has been the honorary president of the football team since 2003.
- In 2001, Felipe set a Guinness World Record as the ‘Tallest Crown Prince in the World’ at 1.97 m.
- Felipe has hosted 3 episodes of a 10-part series called Wild Spain (La España salvaje) in 1996. The diverse flora and fauna of Spain featured in the documentary series catered to his interest in nature conservation and the environment.
- He is fluent in several languages like Spanish, English, French, Catalan, and to some extent Greek.
- Follow Felipe VI of Spain on and .
Featured Image by Cancillería del Ecuador / / CC BY-SA 2.0
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Facts of Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia
- Gender Male
- full nameFelipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Grecia
- nicknamesPríncipe (Prince) Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Felipe de Borbón, Felipe VI of Spain
- birthplaceOur Lady of Loreto Clinic, Madrid, Spain
- Date of Birth January 30, 1968
- Age 56 years 7 months
- Horoscope Aquarius
- Lucky Number 10
- Lucky Stone Amethyst
- Lucky Color Turquoise
- Best Match for Marriage Aquarius, Gemini, Sagittarius
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundSpanish andGreek
- nationalitySpanish
- religionRoman Catholicism
- net worth$10 Million
- professionKing of Spain
- weight98 kg or 216 lbs
- height6 ft 5½ in or 197 cm
- hair colorDark Brown
- eye colorBlue
- body type / buildSlim
- high schoolLakefield College School
- collegeAutonomous University of Madrid
- motherQueen Sofía of Spain
- fatherJuan Carlos I of Spain
- sistersInfanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, Infanta Cristina of Spain