King Felipe of Spain At 50: A Photo Retrospective

His Majesty The King of Spain today celebrates his fiftieth birthday. He was born on January 30, 1968 in Madrid as the only son of the-then Prince Juan and Princess Sofia of Spain.

Felipe was educated in Spain and Canada, before studying law at the Autonomous University of Madrid and completing a Master of Science in International Relations at Georgetown University’s Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service. As a Prince, he also completed military training in the three branches of the Spanish Armed Forces: the army, the navy and the airforce.

In 2004, Felipe married journalist Letizia Ortiz, with whom he has two daughters, Leonor and Sofia. He ascended the throne in June 2014 upon the abdication of his father, Juan Carlos I.

Join us in a photo retrospective of the King of Spain’s first five decades…

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July 1969: Infante Felipe (C) with his parents, Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia, and elder sisters, Infantas Elena and Cristina, as a toddler in Madrid

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1971: Felipe with his father and sisters at La Zarzuela in Madrid

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November 1975: The installation of Juan Carlos as King of Spain; Felipe is seen standing next to his mother, the new Queen Sofia

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May 1978: Prince Felipe – now officially The Prince of Asturias – participates in his first military parade after being made an honorary soldier of the 1st King’s Immemorial Infantry Regiment

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August 1982: A life-long avid sailor, here Prince Felipe is shown ahead of a yacht race in Mallorca

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March 1987: Prince Felipe with President Raul Alfonsin of Argentina during an official visit to the South American country

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July 1992: Prince Felipe is Spain’s flag bearer during the opening ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, where he competed in sailing

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May 1995: Felipe during his graduation ceremony from Georgetown University

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1999: Prince Felipe shakes hands with the European Commission President, Jacques Santer, as he arrives in Brussels to begin a three-month internship

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September 2000: Felipe in the crowd during a handball match between Spain and Sweden at the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games

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May 2001: Prince Felipe during a visit to the Czech Republic

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October 2002: Prince Felipe presents the Prince of Asturias Awards

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January 2003: Prince Felipe and King Juan Carlos during a visit to Otan Betera in Valencia

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March 2004: Prince Felipe (C) marches with his sisters and members of Spain’s government in protest against those responsible for the March 12 Madrid train bombing that killed 198 people

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May 2004: The Prince of Asturias marries Letizia Ortiz

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January 2005: Prince Felipe inspects members of the Spanish military ahead of their departure from Alicante Harbour carrying aid to South-East Asia following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami

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November 2005: The Prince and Princess of Asturias with their first child, Leonor

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May 2006: The Prince during a visit to Costa Rica

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May 2007: Prince Felipe, holding his elder daughter Leonor, and his wife Princess Letizia, holding the couple’s newborn daughter Sofia

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November 2008: Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia lay a wreath at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi during a visit to India

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October 2011: The Spanish Royals attend National Day

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November 2012: Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia during a visit to Caspe

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June 19, 2014: King Felipe rides through the streets of Madrid on the day he took the Spanish throne

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June 2014: King Felipe and Queen Letizia meet with Pope Francis at The Vatican

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March 2017: King Felipe receives students at Zarzuela Palace

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July 2017: King Felipe toasts with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II during a banquet on the first day of the Spanish State Visit to the UK

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January 2018: King Felipe speaks at the World Economic Forum in Davos

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Tagged Birthday, Felipe VI of Spain.

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