Three years ago, on June 19, 2014, then-Prince Felipe VI took over the Spanish crown from his father, King Juan Carlos, in a ceremony that quite honestly wasn't that lavish at all. Unlike Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 [1], which featured scepters, orbs, crosses, swords, and, of course, a jeweled crown, Felipe VI's coronation involved simply standing in front of congress and completing an oath.
After a 39-year reign, King Juan Carlos abdicated the crown to his oldest son after a few health scares and a series of financial scandals involving his daughter Infanta Cristina in a low-key ceremony at the Congress of Deputies in Madrid. In front of parliament, Letizia looked on as Felipe promised to uphold the constitution in a pledge that took barely 30 seconds [2]. The new king didn't wear a crown or even a special outfit to the ceremony, he simply donned his military uniform, while his wife, Queen Letizia, wore a white coat by Spanish designer Felipe Varela [3] and his two daughters [4] showed off matching dresses with bow details.
After the ceremony, the royal family headed to the Palace of Zarzuela in an open-top car so King Felipe could wave as thousands of monarchy fans cheered for him. Once at the palace, the new king and queen waved from a balcony, even sharing a kiss. Scroll ahead to see the best photos of the day.
