The abdication of King Juan Carlos of Spain

On the afternoon of June 18th 2014, a car carrying King Juan Carlos I of Spain and his consort, Sofia, swept through Madrid.  As it approached the Royal Palace, the Spanish national anthem began to play and a 21 gun salute was fired.  The monarchs were driven into the palace with their car followed by one containing Felipe, Prince of Asturias and his wife, Letizia.  They walked through the ancient corridors of this bastion of royal power and into the Gasparini Room where Juan Carlos I would sign the law that would bring about his abdication as the clock struck midnight and June 18th turned into the 19th, bringing with it a new king.

King Juan Carlos I of Spain enters the Royal Palace to sign away his throne

The king took his place in a large chair at the front of a room filled with 160 guests including former prime ministers, the current President of the Government, politicians and royals.  In the audience, his brother-in-law, Constantine of Greece, who also relinquished a crown and in the front row his daughter, Elena, with his sisters, Margarita and Pilar, just behind her.  As he walked in, with Queen Sofia just behind him and followed by Prince Felipe, Princess Letizia and the Infantas Leonor and Sofia, the room broke into applause and it continued even after he had reached the king's chair.

King Juan Carlos acknowledges the applause of the guests who gathered in Madrid's Royal Palace to witness his formal signing of the act of abdication

The clapping went on and on and at one moment, the king appeared to wipe his eyes.  He waved several times and took his seat, his consort on his right hand and his heir on his left.  Felipe's wife, Letizia, sat on her husband's left hand and the room fell silent.

The Gasparini room where the abdication of Juan Carlos I was signed into law on June 18th 2014

The speech that the king had read on June 2nd 2014 when he surprised many by announcing his abdication was re-read to the room and the process of abdication was explained as the guests listened intently and the king gazed around the room at those who had come to witness this last act of his reign.

Juan Carlos and Felipe listen as the abdication unfolds

And then the moment came.  Juan Carlos, using a crutch, got to his feet and walked to a marble desk laid out with some of the magnificent adornments of the Royal Palace.  He picked up a golden pen and signed the law that brought about his abdication at midnight on June 18th.  It took just seconds - the King of Spain had signed away his throne.

Juan Carlos, King of Spain, signs away his crown as his consort watches

The Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, also signed and then took the king's hand and bowed his head.  

King Juan Carlos and his last Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, after the act of abdication on June 18th 2014

The king began the walk back to his chair and as he reached his family, his wife took his arm and kissed him.  The king held her for a moment, their time as monarchs almost at an end.

Sofia kisses her king just after his abdication

And then the moment that everyone had been waiting for.  The king didn't speak during the ceremony but before it started it was made known that he would make a gesture after he had abdicated in favour of his son.  Juan Carlos walked towards Felipe, held out his arms and wrapped them around his son in a huge hug.  The prince was visibly overcome and the emotion of both men was caught by the cameras watching.

To my son, my throne - Juan Carlos I and Felipe in a moment of time that will last forever

But Juan Carlos had one more surprise for his son, his heir, his successor.  He walked past him and moved him into the king's chair.  Felipe resisted but the King of Spain was insistent.  From now on, he would take second place and with the help of his wife and consort, Juan Carlos placed Felipe in the king's seat, a symbolic gesture of parents and monarchs putting their son and their hope on the throne of the country they had ruled for 39 years.

Juan Carlos and Sofia place their son in the king's chair, their hands on his shoulder as he takes on the responsibility of monarchy

But while Felipe occupied the king's chair, Juan Carlos occupied the hearts of those in the Gasparini room who began to clap and wouldn't stop.  The applause for the outgoing monarch continued while he acknowledged their good wishes.  Then the future queen, Leonor, and her sister came across to kiss their grandfather and grandmother and for a moment Juan Carlos wobbled and sat down again, a reminder of his frail health.

The soon to be former king and the soon to be heiress at the abdication ceremony 

But he was bolt upright for the national anthem which resounded through the room to end the ceremony.  Along with the man to whom he had just bequeathed his throne, he stood and led the room in listening to the anthem.

Felipe and Juan Carlos side by side

And then it was time for Juan Carlos to leave the stage, as head of state, for the last time. He walked from the room, still acknowledging the applause of those who had come to watch his abdication, and into the shadows of the cool corridors of the Royal Palace and so into history.  His reign would end officially at midnight but the last hours of it would be private.  Juan Carlos I has abdicated.