crown

Scenes initially set to be shot in September were postponed after Queen's passing

Workers remove setting that included ads in French dating from 1997, the year Lady Di died in Paris

Spain’s vice president says "debate on the utility of the monarchy is growing bigger with every new scandal"

Monarch was met with widespread protests on last trips to Catalonia

Musician had barricaded himself after expiration of 10-day window he was granted to turn himself in

Catalan capital's local council condemns Spanish government for helping former king leave Spain

Lawmakers to discuss former king Juan Carlos’ exit from Spain amid corruption allegations

Catalan president denounces "monumental scandal" as Spanish government gives support to the monarchy and praises king Felipe VI

The scandal-ridden monarch was Spain's head of state for almost 40 years, abdicating in favor of his son in 2014

Accused in a corruption investigation, the scandal-ridden monarch was Spain's head of state for almost 40 years

Catalan parties, business associations and other institutions have reacted  to the abdication of King Juan Carlos announced this Monday morning. All the left-wing parties except the Catalan Socialist Party (PSC) – which is part of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE) – have called for a referendum on the monarchy's continuity and the instauration of a Republic. In fact, a series of demonstrations were held in several Catalan cities demanding a new Republic. The other widespread reaction came from those not questioning the monarchy, although all of them ask for a "modern King." Instead, most of them ask Crown Prince Felipe to be sensitive to the Catalans' will to self-determination and they expect he will act as a mediator to enable a negotiated way out to the current political conflict.

As King Juan Carlos I announced the end of his 38 year reign, he will be remembered as the Head of State who drove the transition to democracy after the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and overcame the coup d'état on 23 February 1981. In 1969, Franco appointed him his successor, and he took the throne on 22 November 1975.  Within months King Juan Carlos had chosen Adolfo Suárez as the first Spanish Prime Minister after Franco's Dictatorship. Once the Spanish Constitution was approved in 1978 and parliamentary monarchy established after the 1981 coup, the King enjoyed years of relative stability as one of Europe´s most popular monarchs. However, since 2011, his image has deteriorated as a result of a long running corruption investigation into the business dealings of his daughter and her husband, and in 2012 his reputation was further tarnished by a €10,000 hunting trip to Botswana during Spain´s deep economic crisis.