Back to your question. During Franco’s regime, there was no written constitution , but a group of Fundamental Laws. One was the Law of Succession, which declared Spain as a Kingdom and gave the conditions for the designation of a future King.
Juan Carlos was chosen as heir by Franco according to this law. But a law was passed to appoint him as heir.
Art 2 included the formula of the oath: loyalty to the Head of State and fidelity to the Fundamental Laws and rest of laws.
https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-1969-915
To become King , he also had to take an oath.
As he sanctioned and proclaimed the new constitution, no second oath was necessary.
Interesting and thank you. The figure that interests me in this topic is the former King Juan Carlos - because his title as heir was "Prince of Spain" and not "Prince of Asturias" - and am I also right in thinking that he took an oath but it was to the existing constitution and not the democratic one that came into force in the period after he became king? And then, since he was already king, there was no second oath required to the new post-France constitution?
Actually, in the constitutional period, beginning in 1812, Prince Felipe (now Felipe VI) has been the first Prince of Asturias to take his oath.
During the Ancien Regime, the PoA was sworn in by the Cortes, in a religious ceremony at the Church of Los Jeronimos in Madrid. The Prince or Princess was recognised as Heir, and dignitaries, including Bishops and Titles of the Kingdom, paid hommage to the heir.
An actual formula for the oath can only be seen in the 1812 constitution. The heir had to swear to defend and preserve the Catholic religion, respect the constitution and the laws and loyalty to the King. No other posterior constitution until the present one had a formula.
Regarding the actual oath - do you know if that oath has changed at all during the centuries this ceremony has been a custom? So for instance, as Spain's constitutions have changed over two centuries, have those changes also required some change to the words used in the oath itself? Just curious.
The Royal House, the Government and both houses of the Cortes have agreed the details of the ceremonies marking the 18th birthday of the Princess of Asturias.
On October 31st, the PoA will take her oath of allegiance to the Constitution before the Cortes.
Later, at the Royal Palace, she will be invested with the Collar of the Order of Carlos III, granted by the Government (actually by the King following a proposal by the PM). A luncheon with the Government and other authorities will follow.
In the evening, a private and family reception at the Palace of El Pardo. Her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, and her aunts, the Infantas Elena and Cristina, will be among the guests.
https://royalwatcherblog.com/2023/09/22/the-details-of-the-princess-of-asturias-18th-birthday/?utm_content=cmp-true
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