Retrospective of the Spanish Royal Family, Part 1 (February 2003 - June 2006)

[Elsa M.]

the attending of a bullfight before a wedding and it being a way of blessing the couple, do you know what symbolises what, it must be an ancient pagan belief (surely not religious).

I can't give you an extended explanation, since I am not an expert, but I believe it is part of an initiating ritual; first of all, it has a social/political nature (as you know, bullfight is a quite relevant cultural manifestation in Spain, so when someone is going to enter the Royal Family, it is somehow important to be welcome among the community); secondly, it has a cultural/ethnic nature, since the bullfighter ends his performance dedicating the death of his bull to the happiness of the couple, so he gives them his beret, together with his blessings.

Somehow, I believe it has some resemblances with some ancient pagan rituals of emulation... But then again, I'm not an expert; perhaps it would be better if a Spanish member could explain it...

 

[Sue-]

Aren't they nice?

 

[Elsa M.]

Photos posted by Alexandria, at the thread of November’s Royal of the Month:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3840

Source: Seegerpress and Corbis

Juan Carlos and Sofia’s engagement and wedding:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47886

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47887

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47888

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47889

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47895

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47898

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47899

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47896

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47897

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47900

 

[Elsa M.]

Photos posted by Alexandria, at the thread of November’s Royal of the Month:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3840

Source: Seegerpress and Corbis

Juan Carlos and Sofia as a young couple:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47901

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47902

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47903

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47904

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47905

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47906

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47907

 

[Elsa M.]

Photos posted by Alexandria, at the thread of November’s Royal of the Month:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3840

Source: Seegerpress and Corbis

The young family growing up through the years:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47921

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47922

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47923

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47924

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47925

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47926

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47927

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47928

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47929

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=47930

 

[Sue-]

Oh, she looks absolutely amazing in the last photo!

Three pics of Sofia with Felipe and Elena. I think they haven't been posted yet.

 

[Elsa M.]

1. Little Sofia and Irene of Greece;

2. Young Sofia.

 

[Mascha]

1. Little Sofia and Irene of Greece;

2. Young Sofia.

The little girl on photo 2 is (I think ) Elena, the woman on the left is Sofia, the man on the right is Juan Carlos. The other woman in the photo is Queen Frederica, Sofia's mother.

 

[Elsa M.]

Thanks, Mascha, I guess you're right!

Here's another one of Queen Sofia in el Rocío

 

[Mascha]

Thanks, Mascha, I guess you're right!

Sure! Here are some new confused: ) ones. (I hope they are new..)

 

[rchainho]

pics from the 25th aniversary of king juan carlos.

http://www.abc.es/informacion/juancarlos/album-privado/index.asp

1955 -1959:
1. Attending the Military school of Saragossa;
2. Attending the Aviation school of San Javier (Murcia), in 1958, where he attended his studies of official of the Air Force;
3. Practicing sport.

1960-1965:
4. H.M. as a student, with his companions of Law, in the Complutense University;
5. engagement and commitment with Doña Sofía;
6. Feeding the Infantes, next to Queen Sofía.

1966-1977:
7. christening of Don Felipe in 1968;
8. practicing Karate at La Zarzuela;
9. the day of the comunión of Infanta Elena.

 

[Elsa M.]

pics from the 25th aniversary of king juan carlos.
http://www.abc.es/informacion/juancarlos/album-privado/index.asp

The last set:

1977 -1999:
10. the King plays with his son on his eighth birthday;
11. the Count of Barcelona with his grandsons;
12. during the vacations of 1986, with the Princes of Wales and their children.

 

[rchainho]

more pictures.

 

[rchainho]

more pics that were to be in the photo gallery.

 

[Mascha]

Great pics rchainho!
I love the older pics!

 

[rchainho]

more pics of this family

 

[rchainho]

more pics to add...

 

[Sue-]

Thanks for posting these wonderful photos! I specially like this one http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showthread.php?p=189495#post189495
and all others with the children
Queen Sofia looked so amazing and lovely when she was younger, but shes still great today.

 

[rchainho]

summer holidays in Galicia, Pazo de Meirás with the ditactor Franco.

http://www.generalisimofranco.com/foto60.htm

 

[rchainho]

six more pics

 

[biathlon22]

One more picture

 

[Sue-]

From a visit to Athens in 1998. Very nice in my opinion.

 

[marezdote]

Great pics Sue! Did Sophia have the same restrictions that the rest of the Greek royal family did about traveling to Greece?

 

[Mascha]

Great pics Sue! Did Sophia have the same restrictions that the rest of the Greek royal family did about traveling to Greece?

I don't think so, because she could go to Greece as Queen of Spain.

 

[Alexandria]

I don't think so, because she could go to Greece as Queen of Spain.

Yes, that was the case that whenever Sofia visted Greece, her passport said that she was a citizen of Spain, though she was born in Greece.

Also, I think Sofia was in a different position than her brother and sister-in-law and their young family in that she wasn't part of the military or political coup that outsted the royal family from the nation. Sofia was by then living in Spain and far removed from the political ties, the only connection between her family members.

 

[Elsa M.]

From SeegerPress and Cover:

1-3 Juan Carlos and Sofia in 1962
4-6 Juan Carlos and Sofia in 1963
7 Juan Carlos and Sofia in 1967
8-10 The young family in 1969

 

[marezdote]

Hope this hasn't been posted before.

 

[rchainho]

more photos...

 

[rchainho]

more photos on juan carlos and others

 

[rchainho]

more photos on juan carlos childhood and adult.