MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
King Juan Carlos does not want his son “to wither waiting” as Prince Charles
The King of Spain and his son Prince Felipe, 46. 
Queen Elizabeth, 88 and still going strong. Charles will be 66 in November Spain's King Juan Carlos, 76, said he was abdicating in favor of his son because he did not want him “to wither waiting as Prince Charles expects to in England”, according to a report from the Daily Telegraph. The comment reportedly was made to his household staff: “I must give way; I have fulfilled my mission”
The King is expected to hand over the Spanish crown to Felipe most probably sometime next week following the approval of abdication legislation in Congress since the Spanish Constitution does not contemplate such a situation.
Rafael Spottorno, head of the royal household, added that the king said: “My intention was to rule a free and democratic country and that has been achieved.”
Juan Carlos is handing over to Crown Prince Felipe, 46, after 40 years. The King said that it was time for “a younger generation to step into the front line”.
Earlier this week and with a walking cane, the king presided over his last military parade, before his son takes over. Juan Carlos is suffering of poor health and has undergone surgery several times in the last few years.
Mr Spottorno was earlier reported to have said the king had been deciding whether to abdicate since his 75th birthday in January 2013.
Prince Charles at 65 is the oldest heir to the British throne for 300 years. He has been waiting for 62 years since becoming heir apparent at the age of three when his mother acceded to the throne in 1952, aged 25.
Royal historian Hugo Vickers said that the Queen is not likely to abdicate.
He added: “She was pretty irritated when Queen Juliana of the Netherlands abdicated in the 1980s because monarchs should not abdicate”.
Vickers said that unlike King Juan Carlos, who has faced a slump in his popularity, the 88-year-old Queen has showed no signs of slowing down. Fresh from a three-day visit to France for the 70th anniversary celebrations of D-Day, she then flew directly to the Derby on Saturday.
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Read all commentsand she does not have to hand over to Charles, but to William, which would avoid any issues with the church and indeed stop charles being a monarch that causes hassle by making political statements, which could see the end of the monarchy
Jun 10th, 2014 - 10:10 pm 0best to appoint william and kate, and have young blood, when she is ready, not when weak europeans with fading glory give up
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Jun 10th, 2014 - 10:27 pm 0Incorrect....she does.
Line of the Succession to the British Throne is determined by Law; it is not up to one's wishes, even those of the Reigning Monarch.
It would take an Act of the Parliament (of the UK and of all the countries of the Realm) to actually remove someone from from Line of the Succession - and a very, very serious reason would be required for that one.
Prince Charles could only loose his succession rights if:
- He marries a Catholic
- Converts to Catholic religion himself
- Abdicates after becoming a King
- Commits a treason and looses his succession rights by an Act of the Parliament
- Commits a highly serious crime (murder or similar) and is removed from Line of the Succession by an Act of the Parliament.
Elizabeth by the grace of god, Queen of England.
Jun 10th, 2014 - 10:50 pm 0Juan Carlos by the grace of Franco, King of Spain.
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