Reign of Felipe VI: How Will Things Be Different?


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Felipe is pushing the right buttons to get the past behind them. The only thing I find difficult and a bit unfair is Sofia jr. being so limited in her future life. Unlike her parents and sister she is destined to leave the royal family at some point (when Leonor becomes Queen), yet she is not allowed to earn her living in a profession of her choice. What is expected of her, to work as a full time royal unless she will be kicked out?

I have to agree with you regarding Infanta Sofia as it does limit her options for the future.

It would have been nice if she could have pursued a life with a few royal engagements but with an independent career too.

However I do understand why the restrictions are in place.
 
I think King's requirements are very sound. As far as Infanta Sofia, I am sure that her father will worry about that 10 to 15 years from now. If she wants an independent career an amendment can be written. Anything can happen in the future to anyone.
 
I'm sure Sofia will be able to find a role that will keep her busy when she is older, note how it only says royals won't be allowed to work in the 'private sector'. That still leaves a fair amount of options open to her.
 
I'm sure Sofia will be able to find a role that will keep her busy when she is older, note how it only says royals won't be allowed to work in the 'private sector'. That still leaves a fair amount of options open to her.

I think that this affects Sofia, her life as a spare is more difficult that her sisters' life in many ways anyway. She will be the spare until her sister got married or has kids, and unless Sofia renounces her position before that, she will be a member of the SRF until Leonor becomes Queen, possibly when she approaching 40 years. Is she supposed to start a second career then, after having worked as a royal for over 15 years? First she has to work as a royal to support her sister/the institution and then she has to leave, wasting her best years instead of freely building her own career, but being expected to pick up her own expenses. Her choice of husband will be under scrutiny too, as he will be in Inakis position. He cannot work/do as he pleases either, who wants to marry into this position?

Its bad luck that the SRF is so small that Sofia is needed for royal life at all. An example where royals having their own life worked very well are the dutch princes, building their own life and only returning to royal duties when needed.

So Sofia can thank aunty Cristina for limiting her life options drastically, but she is too young to understand yet.
 
It is an ill-advised and populist move. When ends meet, no one can forbid a Spanish citizen to earn his/her own money, not even His Majesty The King. It is exactly this 'ban' which will cause problems because the King's sisters and the King's youngest daughter can not live from air and become more and more dependent on third parties. A most undesirable effect to this poor move.
 
Truly a MASTERSTROKE ! Bravo to the King, and his advisers.

Not at all. The King's sisters and the King's youngest daughter do (will) not receive any allowance from the State. This berufsverbot is very infringing with the right any Spanish or EU citizen enjoys to earn his/her own income freely. Note that companies as Iberia (Airlines), Repsol (oil), Endesa (energy giant), Red Eléctrica de España (energy power infrastructure), Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (banking), Indra Sistemas (defence technologies), Gas Natural Fenosa (Gas infrastructure and utilities), etc. are still partly or in majority owned by the State and belongs to the (semi-)public sector. It is ill-advised and impossible in any way to block someone from making an own independent career. The public service is open to any Spaniard, Infantes and Infantas included.
 
It is an ill-advised and populist move. When ends meet, no one can forbid a Spanish citizen to earn his/her own money, not even His Majesty The King. It is exactly this 'ban' which will cause problems because the King's sisters and the King's youngest daughter can not live from air and become more and more dependent on third parties. A most undesirable effect to this poor move.

The King's sisters can do what they want, they are not members of the SRF any longer. The problem is Infanta Sofia and a possible husband, who would become a member of the SRF as well. What kind of guy is Sofia supposed to marry, a rich man who does nothing for a living? :lol:
They are supposed to carry out royal duties until Leonor becomes Queen and then all of a sudden live on their own? Sofia will not be allowed to leave the SRF before her sister gets married and has kids to pursue an own career. She will have a lifestyle befitting the daughter of a King but she is given no chance to earn it in a decent way.
I understand Felipe is trying to prevent another Inaki-scenario but he is doing at cost of Sofia's freedom of choice. F&L and Leonor all have their royal position and job until the rest of their lives, but Sofia does not.
 
:previous:
Are we sure that this is a good thing? Woulnd't it effect Sofia too?:ermm:
 
The King's sisters can do what they want, they are not members of the SRF any longer. The problem is Infanta Sofia and a possible husband, who would become a member of the SRF as well. What kind of guy is Sofia supposed to marry, a rich man who does nothing for a living? :lol:
They are supposed to carry out royal duties until Leonor becomes Queen and then all of a sudden live on their own? Sofia will not be allowed to leave the SRF before her sister gets married and has kids to pursue an own career. She will have a lifestyle befitting the daughter of a King but she is given no chance to earn it in a decent way.
I understand Felipe is trying to prevent another Inaki-scenario but he is doing at cost of Sofia's freedom of choice. F&L and Leonor all have their royal position and job until the rest of their lives, but Sofia does not.
my boldng
King Felipe will be forced to find a son of a rich family, who can afford to live off his trust fund.
 
my boldng
King Felipe will be forced to find a son of a rich family, who can afford to live off his trust fund.

This will certainly make the monarchy more popular with the spanish people :lol:
 
my boldng
King Felipe will be forced to find a son of a rich family, who can afford to live off his trust fund.

... or the couple will be provided with a Trust Fund they can live off.
 
Zarzuela does not ask God save the King
King Felipe has decided that all the invitations and info issued from Zarzuela will no longer be issued in the traditional format "Su Majestad el Rey (que Dios guarde)". It seems that the invitations to the state dinner for president Michelle Bachelet in October were the first ones without the religious mention. In his effort to modernize and renovate the institution, from the pragmatic to the symbolic, king Felipe asked for an end to this tradition, which other European royal houses had been removed long time ago.
Zarzuela ya no pide que Dios guarde al Rey
Translation
 
I think that is a smart move... Religious issues are private matters
 
The flag ceremony and location of the flag at Zarzuela has been changed, instead of daily schedule it will be permanent, apart from 4 dates, when it will be lowered and hoisted: Jan 6th, June 19th, Oct 12th and Dec 6th (Constitution Day). The flag has been moved from office entrance to the front of Zarzuela.
La bandera ondear? d?a y noche en La Zarzuela - ABC.es
 
Well, I hate to see most any tradition die and I think the general removal of God from society is not helpful but since I'll never receive an invitation I suppose it doesn't matter.

Can someone explain the flag move and what exactly it implies? If the article translated correctly, it seems that the flag was flown at the entrance guardpost away from the palace and was raised/lowered daily with some pomp. Now it is flown in front of the office entrance permanently with the ceremonial limited to four days. To me this seems a practical matter and nothing more. Am I missing something? Also the entrance in the photo must be a back entrance and not the ceremonial entrance with the steps we see in photos Is this correct?

Thanks.
 
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The topic of the flag is only a problem for right-wing, tha flag is now more in line with Spanish law than it was before. The problem is to give voice to their ideology thay attack Letizia, as they always do.

The flag was used in Zarzuela as if it was a military building, rather than an institutional building, the headquarters of the Head of State. Now the flag will be permanently waving on the facade as it is in the Government Palace, Parliament, ministries and municipalities.

On religious references, all they are doing is conform to the Constitution, according to which in Spain there is no official religion.

In the coming weeks, there will be a new change, the king will approve the rule on gifts.

For me what is unfortunate is that in over 30 years, King Juan Carlos had not done much of these changes, because clearly in Zarzuela work more tradition and privilege ... than the law.
 
All this may be a consequence of Cristina's troubles but I can only say well done
 
His Majesty has all the makings of a GREAT King..
 
New tradition with the new regency

I were wondering since King Felipe became king has he started new tradition.
Does he do things different then king Juan Carlos
Or has he started something totalt new?
 
Well, it is more and more evoluing to a President Borbón and a First Lady Ortiz, to my purely personal humble opinion but others may argue "Well, that is modern monarchy". If everything which sticks a bit out of the surface has to be trimmed away, well, why not directly go for a republic then?
 
Transparency of this type is good, and I am glad this has been put in place.

I certainly agree. The more secrecy in any government can only hide many things and trouble. I did not realize that Spain was not an official Catholic Nation. For some reason I just was under the impression that it always was. Thanks all for information.
 
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