Facts about Felipe
King Felipe VI Biography
Felipe VI has been the king of Spain since 19 June 2014, when he succeeded his father, King Juan Carlos I. Felipe VI was born Felipe Juan Pablo Alfonso de Todos los Santos; he was the third child and first son of Juan Carlos and his wife, Princess Sofia. After attending prep school in Canada, the future king and commander in chief attended the General Military Academy of Zaragoza from 1985 to 1988; he was made Lieutenant in 1989 and also earned his wings as a helicopter pilot. Felipe then earned a law degree from the Autonomous University of Madrid (1993) and a master’s degree in International Relations from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. (1995). In the years since he has devoted himself to his official duties, appearing often at public events and being groomed for the crown. He married the former Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano on 22 May 2004 in Madrid, and they have two daughters: Leonor (b. 31 October 2005) and Sophia (b. 29 April 2007). The abdication of King Juan Carlos was unexpected; he announced his decision to give up the throne on 2 June 2014, and Felipe succeeded him a few weeks later.
Extra credit
An avid sportsman, Felipe was was a member of Spain’s sailing team in the Soling class at the Barcelona Games of 1992; the squad came in sixth place… His wife, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano, was formerly a TV journalist with CNN; she was previously married from 1998-99… He is “named after Philip V (1683-1746), the first Bourbon king of Spain,” according to BBC News.