Is There a Royal Family in Madrid?

By Michael Ferguson

If you’re curious about whether or not there is a royal family in Madrid, the answer is no. Unlike many other countries around the world, Spain does not have a monarchy in Madrid. Instead, the country is governed by a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with King Felipe VI as the current monarch.

While there may not be a royal family in Madrid, Spain does have a rich history of royalty. The Spanish monarchy has its roots in the Visigothic Kingdom, which existed from the 5th to 8th century AD. Over time, various monarchs ruled over different parts of Spain until Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile united the country in 1479 and became known as the Catholic Monarchs.

During their reign, Ferdinand and Isabella funded Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas, which led to Spain becoming a global superpower during the 16th century. The Habsburg dynasty then took over in 1516 with Charles I (also known as Charles V) becoming king. The Habsburg dynasty was followed by the Bourbon dynasty in 1700 with Philip V becoming king.

The Bourbon dynasty continued to rule over Spain until 1931 when King Alfonso XIII was forced into exile following a political crisis. This led to the establishment of the Second Spanish Republic until General Francisco Franco came to power following the Spanish Civil War in 1939. Franco ruled as a dictator until his death in 1975 when Juan Carlos I became king.

Juan Carlos I abdicated in 2014 following various scandals and controversies and was succeeded by his son King Felipe VI. While there may not be a royal family specifically located in Madrid, King Felipe VI and his family reside primarily at Zarzuela Palace just outside of Madrid.

In conclusion, while Madrid may not have its own royal family, Spain has a long and fascinating history with monarchy that has played an important role throughout its history. Despite the lack of a royal family in Madrid, Spain remains a proud constitutional monarchy with King Felipe VI as its current monarch.