Palazzo Malta on Via dei Condotti in January of 1938: the fourth standing from the left is King Don Alfonso XIII of Spain, baby Infante Juan Carlos is in the arms of his grandmother Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain (née Battemberg), Princess of Great Britain and Ireland, Cardinal Pacelli is chatting with Infante Don Jaime, Duke of Segovia, second son of King Alfonso. This cute baby is still living today and reigns as the King of Spain. Pray that he may be faithful to the grace of his baptismal promises.
Thanks, Rodolfo!
Spanish Kings are usually baptized in the baptismal font of St. Dominic which is kept at the Dominican Monastery in Madrid.
ReplyDeleteI was watching the WYD coverage, and I noticed that His Majesty King Juan Carlos was walking 'wobbly' and using a cane. Is he all right? Is it just a temporary infirmity? I was rather concerned when I saw this.
ReplyDeleteRegarding his baptism, I have a biography of his grandmother Queen Victoria Eugenia {Ena] which I bought at Harrods book department in London. There was a picture of her holding her new grandson in her arms.
Barb
I believe His Majesty the King of Spain was recovering from surgery, and insisted on being with His Holiness the Pope even against doctor's orders.
ReplyDeleteyeah, and Ted Kennedy received his
ReplyDeleteFirst Communion from Pius XII.
What's the message?
NO His Majesty is not quite all right. He has been quite a long time under medication but the official message is that He was healthy as an apple. He had some prostate trouble several years ago and from the impressions of several doctors I have known, he has been the last years under steroidal drugs because of the swelling and liquid accumulation he sufffered. He apparently has been on a strict diet to loose weight but that does not sound convincig. The general and private oppinion of doctors is that He is really suffering cancer and it has metastized to his lungs, and possibly to his bones. He has apparently made some objections to the lifestyle of His Heir Prince Philip, He apparently complained for his son's too many private and leisure trips, and He would be trying to leave things well tyed and give time for the Prince to be ready. During the WYD He asked for at least one strictly private interview, just his Holyness and His Majesty alone. The last news it that he has ankle sinew problems but it also not convincing. The outlook is baffling and suspicious: lets hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteDoes everything have to have a "message"? It's just an interesting fact. How many baptismal fonts have of saints have such a regard...
ReplyDeleteSue