A kiss for the new Queen of Spain: King Felipe takes the crown from a tearful Juan Carlos... as Letizia becomes world's most glamorous monarch's wife
- Prince Felipe and his wife, former journalist Letizia, are today crowned King and Queen at their first official ceremony
- King Juan Carlos signed his abdication into law at midnight after 36-year reign, announced move earlier this month
- There won't be any ritzy official celebrations due to the economic crisis, no foreign leaders invited to attend
- Felipe will wear military sash and address lower house of parliament, father will leave him to hold ceremony alone
- Streets of Madrid lined with Spanish flags ready for new king, queen and their two daughters to drive through
Spain has sworn in a new king in a low-key ceremony that monarchists hope will usher in a new era of popularity for the troubled royal household.
Felipe VI has taken to the throne after his father Juan Carlos tearfully signed his abdication papers at midnight last night following a 36-year reign.
Determined to stay in line with the country's austerity measures, the new monarch, his wife Letizia and their two daughters were ferried through Madrid in a low-key affair after a brief military parade to their first official engagement.
The ceremony, at Spain's lower house of parliament in Madrid, has little pomp and circumstance compared with royal handovers in other countries.
It is more of a legal process, attended by lawmakers, high-level politicians and some members of the royal family - including the new Queen Letizia, with no foreign leaders invited.
A royal kiss: Queen Letizia gazes lovingly at her husband Felipe VI moments after he officially became king in a ceremony at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid
Felipe VI, pictured with hsi wife Letizia, two daughters, and Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (left) has taken to the throne after his father Juan Carlos tearfully signed his abdication papers at midnight last night following a 36-year reign
Addressing parliament, Felipe VI called for a 'new Spain that we can build together'.
The new 46-year-old king swore an oath promising to uphold the constitution.
The speaker of the lower house of parliament, Jesus Posada, then proclaimed him king, declaring: 'Long live Spain! Long live the king!'
In a speech to parliament, Felipe said he had 'great hope' for the future of Spain and called for unity.
'You will find in me a loyal head of state who is ready listen and understand, warn and advise as well as to defend the public interest at all times,' he said.
'The monarch wants to be close to citizens… ensuring it can preserve its prestige and dignity.'
'Now more than ever, citizens of Spain are rightly demanding fundamental ethical principles should govern our public life. The king should not only be a reference but who serves all citizens of Spain.'
The event has been designed to chime with times of austerity, palace officials say, mindful that more than one in four Spanish workers is jobless despite an incipient economic recovery.
Hopes for the new king are high, and some believe that, despite his role being mainly symbolic as head of state, he will use his position to push dialogue over the challenge of a separatist movement in wealthy northeastern Catalonia.
Handover: This morning, Juan Carlos and his son Felipe stood side-by-side in the Zarzuela Palace of Madrid in front of their family before the red sash was passed on
His father King Juan Carlos, right, hands over his military chief sash to Spain's newly crowned King Felipe VI during a ceremony at the Zarzuela Palace in Madrid today
Embrace: Once he was fully dressed to reign over the country, Felipe received a loving embrace from his wife Queen Letizia as they made their way to the parade
Prince Felipe, crowned as Felipe VI of Spain, and Queen Letizia, arrive to Spanish parliament in Madrid accompanied by daughters Princess Leonor and Princess Sofia
Family: Princess Leonor (right) is now the youngest direct royal heir in Europe at the age of eight but looked calm and collected with her sister Sofia, aged seven
Oath: The new 46-year-old king swore an oath promising to uphold the constitution before calling for a 'new Spain that we can build together'
Popular: Letizia and Felipe are seen as a down-to-earth couple, loved by the nation. They have remained free from scandal, unlike many of the other royals
Honoured: To complete the ceremony, the family stood outside parliament on a red-carpeted podium to her the national anthem
'I am sure that our new king Felipe VI will be a king for hope and harmony, a king for freedom and equality among Spaniards,' Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy wrote in a column published in leading newspapers on Thursday.
Felipe, who is 46, will wear military uniform with a sash and swear loyalty to Spain's constitution before addressing the chamber. After the ceremony he will be driven through central Madrid with his wife, Queen Letizia, a former journalist.
'The new king is going to contribute his own personality and ideas and a lot of people hope he will bring change to Spain.
FROM FRUMPY REPORTER TO ROYAL FASHIONISTA: HOW QUEEN LETIZIA OF SPAIN BECAME A STYLE ICON
A world of difference: Once a reporter for TVE in Spain, who would have thought Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano would one day by the queen consort of the country
Her husband may be the king of Spain, but TV reporter-turned-consort Letizia is something of an icon herself.
The 41-year-old mother-of-two has carved out a name for herself as the most stylist royal in Europe - even outshining First Ladies such as former model Carla Bruni.
Her current wardrobe of tailored sheath dresses, sky-scraping court shoes and eye-catching jewels lambast any concerns that monarchies are outdated.
But getting to this point has been a journey.
It is all a far cry from her early days as a newsreader, when she embraced the bland Armani suit and was rarely seen in public wearing anything else.
Since marrying Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Prince of Gerona, Prince of Viana, Duke of Montblanc, Count of Cervera and Lord of Balaguer, in 2004, her wardrobe has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Out went grey suits and in came a more colourful, feminine style - although, as a recent appearance at the a reception for members of the Patronage of the Prince of Asturias Foundation at the Royal Palace in Madrid revealed, she's yet to give up the black.
So what are the secrets of Princess Letizia's enviable style? Like the Duchess of Cambridge, she knows what suits her lean body shape and is partial to a knee-length shift dress and a bracelet sleeve.
She adores a leg-lengthening nude heel and is almost as addicted to her Magrit suede tan court shoes as Kate is to her nude patent L.K Bennett 'Sledge' heels.
Out went grey suits and in came a more colourful, feminine style - although, as a recent appearance at the a reception for members of the Patronage of the Prince of Asturias Foundation at the Royal Palace in Madrid revealed, she's yet to give up the black.
So what are the secrets of Princess Letizia's enviable style? Like the Duchess of Cambridge, she knows what suits her lean body shape and is partial to a knee-length shift dress and a bracelet sleeve.
She adores a leg-lengthening nude heel and is almost as addicted to her Magrit suede tan court shoes as Kate is to her nude patent L.K Bennett 'Sledge' heels.
The Spanish consort also shares another trait with the UK's future queen: a penchant for homegrown labels and the high street.
In Letizia's case, that means slim-fitting sheath dresses picked up in Mango, Zara and Uterqüe - many of which she wears time and time again.
Her secrets: Like the Duchess of Cambridge, she knows what suits her lean body shape and is partial to a knee-length shift dress
That, however, doesn't mean she won't splash out on a more expensive frock should one catch her eye. Her favourite piece is reportedly a black guipure lace dress by local designer, Felipe Varela, which she wore on a state visit to Portugal in 2012, again for her 40th birthday party and again in March this year.
Another favourite is a softly fitted yellow and royal purple print dress by Hugo Boss which made its first appearance in summer 2012 before being dusted off the following year and spruced up with a black blazer.
Off duty, the Princess' style becomes markedly more relaxed, with cropped trousers, billowing shirts and even the odd pair of jeans making up the bulk of her wardrobe.
But as her occasional foray back into grey Hugo Boss tailored trousers reveals, some style habits die hard - Queen or not.
by Ruth Styles
'I personally hope for greater unity,' said Alba, 20, who had gone to central Madrid with her mother and sister to catch a glimpse of the new king after his swearing-in.
Felipe's father, Juan Carlos, will not attend the event to allow the spotlight to rest fully on the new monarch, according to the palace.
The outgoing king and his wife, Queen Sofia, will also stay away from an afternoon reception at the Royal Palace with 2,000 guests from all walks of society.
Juan Carlos and Sofia will however greet crowds from a balcony at the Royal Palace alongside the new monarchs.
Patriotic: Despite having just crashed out of the World Cup in the first round, Spaniards held their flags with pride and banners saying 'Long live King Felipe VI!'
Austerity: Determined to maintain the country's era of austerity, as one in three Spaniards remains unemployed, the family have opted for a low-key ceremony
It may have been a relatively low-key affair, but police were still aware of the tensions surrounding the monarchy, lining the streets with officers
Red and yellow: In the early hours of this morning, the main Cibeles square could be seen lined with Spanish flags ahead of the procession
'Felipe is going to be a good king because that is what he was brought up to do by his parents. He doesn't turn away from problems,' said bystander Rosario, an 80-year-old pensioner.
Last night, Juan Carlos signed legislation, approved by Parliament earlier this month, setting out the legal framework for the handover.
The retiring monarch, who underwent a hip replacement operation last November, used a walking cane and moved with difficulty during the televised signing ceremony.
By royal standards, the ascension of King Felipe and his wife Queen Letizia was humble affair, with reception guests served hot and cold tapas-style nibbles, to be eaten while standing.
There was no champagne, just sparkling cava wine from Spain's Catalonia region.
The reasoning behind that choice is easy to understand, says Emilio de Diego Garcia, history professor at Madrid's Complutense University.
'In a time when every expense is examined with a magnifying glass, particularly public money, any ostentation would have been criticized' he said.
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy immediately ratified the law, which went into force at midnight in Spain.
Monarchists: Crowds of wellwishers gathered outside the palace this morning to catch a glimpse of their new king, queen and princesses
Workers give last touches in preparation for the King's proclamation acts at the Lower House in Madrid
King-to-be Felipe has remained untouched by a royal corruption scandal, in which his brother-in-law is charged with embezzling millions of euros of public funds in a case that shocked ordinary Spaniards.
Juan Carlos also lost favour after going on a secret elephant hunting trip at the height of Spain's financial crisis in 2012.
While polls show the decision to hand over to Felipe has boosted the popularity of the royals, almost two thirds now also support the idea of a referendum on whether Spain should continue to be a constitutional monarchy, according to a recent poll by Metroscopia for El Pais newspaper.
Security forces are taking no chances and police have carried out house-to-house searches along the route King Felipe will be driven, with 7000 police and 120 snipers out on the streets. A Republican rally has been refused authorisation by the Madrid authorities.
Last night, Juan Carlos (pictured next to his wife Sofia) signed legislation, approved by Parliament earlier this month, setting out the legal framework for the handover
The retiring monarch, who underwent a hip replacement last November, used a walking cane and moved with difficulty during the televised signing ceremony
Handover: Juan Carlos, who will not attend today's event, embraced his son after he signed his papers
Monarchists expect the couple to be the signal of a new era of popularity for the royal family
Red and yellow flowers - the colours of Spain's flag - are decorating the route from Congress to the Royal Palace that will be taken by the motorcade and an escort of mounted guards.
Hundreds of Madrid buses will be decorated with Spanish flags and the palace is giving out 100,000 flags for well-wishers to wave as the new king is driven to a reception at the royal palace, a 1738 building used for visits of heads of state and special ceremonies.
Juan Carlos announced his surprise decision to abdicate on June 2, saying he was stepping aside after a four-decade reign to allow for younger royal blood to rally the country that is still trying to shrug off a double-dip recession and a 26 percent jobless rate.
During most of his reign, the monarch was held in high esteem for his role in helping steer the country from military dictatorship to democracy.
He took over the throne in 1975, two days after the death of longtime dictator General Francisco Franco, and then endeared himself to many by making army rebels stand down during an attempted military coup in 1981.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2662329/A-kiss-new-Queen-Spain-King-Felipe-takes-crown-tearful-Juan-Carlos-Letizia-worlds-glamorous-monarchs-wife.html#ixzz355DwK11t
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