Mariano Rajoy signs the abdication act in the presence of Don Juan Carlos./Photo: A.R.Roldán/La Razón.
The Diplomat. Madrid.
The already King father, Juan Carlos, will follow the ceremony of his son’s proclamation at the Courts from The Zarzuela. The monarch signed his abdication yesterday and, this morning, he is draping over Philip VI the sash of captain general.
After this function, he will be the only member of the Royal Family who is not going to be present at the Congress of Deputies accompanying the new King, either at the presidential platform –where the queen Letizia, the princess Leonor and the infanta Sofía will be– or at the royal box with the queen Sofía, the infant Elena and her two sisters, the infantas Pilar and Margarita.
Don Juan Carlos made the decision of not going to the Lower Chamber to avoid taking the attention away
The King Juan Carlos will watch his son’s proclamation in television from one of the private rooms of the palace of The Zarzuela. He will be alone, only accompanied by some of his assistants, since the senior officials of the Royal Household will be present at the Congress of Deputies with the new King and Queen.
The already former head of the State made the decision of not going to the Lower Chamber to avoid taking the attention away. He will be with the new King and Queen when they go to the main balcony of the Royal Palace to greet the people on the Oriente square, but he will be absent from the royal audience afterwards in the Throne Room.