The Coat of Arms of the Princes of Girona

The Prince or Princess of Girona (Catalan: Príncep o Princesa de Girona, Spanish: Príncipe o Princesa de Gerona) is one of the titles of the heir of the Crown of Spain. The title was historically accorded to the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Crown of Aragon. Current legislation mandates the title of Prince of Asturias to the heir of the Spanish throne but allows for the use of other traditional titles; the current title-holder, therefore, is Leonor, Princess of Girona.

Origin of the title

It originated in 1351 when King Peter IV of Aragon named his successor, to whom he conceded the title of Duke of Girona; the title embraced territories of the counties of Girona, Besalú, Empúries and Ausona.

In part I of the Constitucions i Altres Drets de Cathalunya, the section headed Genealogia dels Reys d'Aragó i Comtes de Barcelona speaks of the genealogy of John I of Aragon, son of Peter IV, saying that John and Violant had a son named James, "lo qual intitularen Delphi [Dauphin] de Girona". On 19 February 1416, Ferdinand I of Aragon, considering the title of duke insufficient, raised it to the rank of Principality of Girona.[1] However, these titles fell into gradual disuse until the 20th century as the heir of the King of Spain became better known by the hereditary title of the Crown of Castile, "Prince of Asturias."

Modern usage

In 1961, when announcing the wedding the future Juan Carlos I of Spain and Sofia of Greece, the Spanish Royal House issued the young prince, as titles of pretense, the style of "Prince of Asturias," "Prince of Girona," and "Prince of Viana" — these three titles referring to his status as heir apparent to the kingdoms of Castile, Aragon and Navarre respectively. He started using the titles of "Prince of Girona" on his passport during the rule of caudillo Franco, to avoid the more contentious title Prince of Asturias which was well known to be reserved for the heir of the throne of Spain. His father had adopted a similar tactic, styling himself Juan, Count of Barcelona; using the title of King of Spain would have been seen as directly subversive of the Francoist state. However, calling himself Count of Barcelona was a clear attempt at asserting his hereditary rights to then defunct Spanish throne, as there had been no Count of Barcelona who was not either King of Aragon or of Spain since the Middle Ages.

When Juan Carlos was finally given an official capacity in the Spanish state as heir to the kingdom by General Franco, he received the title of "Prince of Spain" and thus began to use this until he became King of Spain. On 21 January 1977 his son, Felipe, would be the first to use all of these titles in any official capacity for over 250 years.

With the accession of Felipe to the throne in 2014, his elder daughter Leonor became Princess of Girona, as heiress presumptive to the throne of Aragon. The Princess of Girona Foundation was created in 2009 and is now run on behalf of Princess Leonor: it funds programmes to aid young people.[2]

Holders

Picture Name Heir of Birth Became heir to the Crown Created Duke of Girona Ceased to be Duke of Girona Death Other titles before/whilst Duke Princess of Girona
Infante Juan
later John I
Peter IV 27 December 1350 1351 6 January 1387
became King
19 May 1396 Count of Cervera Martha of Armagnac
Yolande of Bar
Infante James John I 1382 6 January 1387 1388 Count of Cervera
Infante Ferdinand 1389 October 1389 Count of Cervera
Infante Peter 1394 1394 Count of Cervera
Infante Alfonso
later Alfonso V
Ferdinand I 1396 25 June 1412 January 1414 19 February 1416
Raised to Principality
27 June 1458 Count of Cervera Maria of Castile
Prince Charles John II 29 May 1421 27 June 1458 23 September 1461 Prince of Viana
Duke of Gandia
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Prince Ferdinand
later Ferdinand II
10 March 1452 23 September 1461
brother's death
20 January 1479
became King
23 January 1516 Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Duke of Gandia
Count of Ribagorza
King of Sicily
King of Castile and León
King of Upper Navarre
Isabella I of Castile
Prince John, Duke of Lorraine
(claimant)
René 2 August 1424 1466 16 December 1470 Duke of Lorraine
Duke of Calabria
Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Marie of Bourbon
Prince Nicholas, Duke of Lorraine
(claimant)
7 July 1448 16 December 1470 27 July 1473 Duke of Lorraine
Titular Duke of Calabria
Marquis of Pont-à-Mousson
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
-
Prince Juan Ferdinand II 28 June 1478 20 January 1479 4 October 1497 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Margaret of Austria
Prince Miguel 24 August 1498 28 August 1498 19 July 1500 Prince of Portugal
Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
-
Infanta Joanna
later Joanna I
6 November 1479 1502
recognized by the Aragonese Cortes at Zaragoza
3 May 1509
brother's birth
12 April 1555 Princess of Asturias
Princess of Viana
Duchess of Montblanc
Countess of Cervera
Lady of Balaguer
Duchess consort of Burgundy, Brabant, Limburg, Lothier, Luxembourg; Countess consort of Artois, Flanders, Charolais, Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland, Burgundy; Margravine consort of Namur
Philip, Duke of Burgundy and Lord of the Netherlands
Prince John 3 May 1509 Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
-
Infanta Joanna
later Joanna I
6 November 1479 3 May 1509
brother's death
23 January 1516
became Queen-regnant
12 April 1555 Queen of Castile and León
Duchess of Montblanc
Countess of Cervera
Lady of Balaguer
Duchess consort of Burgundy, Brabant, Limburg, Lothier, Luxembourg; Countess consort of Artois, Flanders, Charolais, Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland, Burgundy; Margravine consort of Namur
-
Prince Charles
later Charles I
Joanna I 24 February 1500 23 January 1516 14 March 1516
became King
21 September 1558 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Prince of Viana
Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Limburg, Lothier and Luxembourg,
Count of Artois, Burgundy, Flanders, Hainaut,
Holland, Namur and Zeeland
-
Prince Philip
later Philip II
Charles I 21 May 1527 16 January 1556
became King
13 September 1598 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
King of Naples
King of England and Ireland
Duke of Milan
Maria Manuela, Princess of Portugal
Mary I of England
Prince Carlos Philip II 8 July 1545 16 January 1556 24 July 1568 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
-
Prince Ferdinand 4 December 1571 18 October 1578 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
-
Prince Diego 15 August 1575 18 October 1578
brother's death
21 November 1582 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Prince of Portugal
-
Prince Philip
later Philip III
14 April 1578 21 November 1582
brother's death
14 April 1598
became King
31 March 1621 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Prince of Portugal
-
Prince Philip
later Philip IV
Philip III 8 April 1605 31 March 1621
became King
17 September 1665 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Prince of Portugal
Elisabeth of Bourbon
Prince Baltasar Carlos Philip IV 17 October 1629 9 October 1646 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Prince of Portugal
-
Prince Philip Prospero 20 November 1657 1 November 1661 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
-
Prince Charles
later Charles II
6 November 1661 17 September 1665
became King
1 November 1700 Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
-
Prince Felipe
later Felipe VI
Juan Carlos I 30 January 1968 22 November 1975 21 January 1977 19 June 2014 living Prince of Asturias
Prince of Viana
Duke of Montblanc
Count of Cervera
Lord of Balaguer
Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano
Princess Leonor Felipe VI 31 October 2005 19 June 2014 19 June 2014 Incumbent living Princess of Asturias
Princess of Viana
Duchess of Montblanc
Countess of Cervera
Lady of Balaguer

See also

Notes

  1. Thus, there has never been a "Principality of Girona" independent of the Crown of Aragon.
  2. "Princess of Girona Foundation".
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