King Felipe and his commoner queen herald new era for Spain’s monarchy

He is a tall former Olympic yachtsman who will take the throne largely unscathed by scandals that have battered the royal family. She is a former television presenter from a modest background who will break the mould of the classic royal. Together, they are the new king and queen of Spain.

Frequently smiling but more reserved than his father, the 1.98-metre Felipe, 46, had long suffered from comparisons with the easy-going Juan Carlos, who played a historic role in Spain's post-dictatorship transition.

Juan Carlos called Felipe "the best-prepared Prince of Asturias in Spanish history" during a televised interview in January 2013.

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Felipe completed one year of studies in Canada prior to three years' military training at the academies of Spain's army, navy and air force, when he learned to fly a helicopter.

After his military training, Felipe studied for a law degree at the Autonomous University of Madrid before following a two-year master's programme in international relations at Georgetown University in Washington.