Death Anniversary of Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona

On April 1st, 1993, the father of His Majesty King Juan Carlos I passed away at the University Hospital of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. The Count of Barcelona had battled cancer for many years.

Infante Juan was born on 20 June 1913, the third surviving son of King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia. In 1933, he became heir to the Spanish Throne following the renunciations of his two older brothers. In October 1935, he married Princess María de las Mercedes de Borbón Dos-Sicilias y Orleans. The couple had four childen: Infanta Pilar, Juan Carlos I, Infante Alfonso and Infanta Margarita.

The Count had a very difficult relationship with General Franco and lived for many years in exile at Estoril in neighbouring Portugal. In 1977, two years after his son became King, HRH Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona formally renounced his rights to the Crown at a ceremony at the Zarzuela Palace.

The Count was buried will the full honours of a King of Spain at the Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. His funeral was attended by royalty from across Europe and royal houses from around the wider world.

Filed under Historical Royals, Spain
Tagged Anniversary, Biography, Death, Juan Count of Barcelona.

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