Title: Ani




















There padiemld Don Juan and his court in exile felt affronted by the accession of Juan Carlos I. Don Juan had always considered that he was going to be Franco's successor. For some months there was distance between father and son. But as time passed by, Don Juan and King Juan Carlos settled their differences. The Bourbon restoration gained strength and support under Juan Carlos and slowly all the vestiges of Franco's state were abolished as Spain became a constitutional monarchy. Peace within the family arrived on May 14, 1977, when Don Juan abdicated his dynastic rights on the person of his son, the King of Spain. After this solemn ceremony at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Don Juan and Do�a Maria de las Mercedes returned to Spain. One month after Don Juan's abdication the first general election of the post-Franco era was held. Democracy received a sounding victory and Franco's old cronies finally realized that Juan Carlos I was just as liberal and democratic as his father had been. Today, King Juan Carlos I of Spain serves as the most relevant source of inspiration for many of his exiled royal cousins. He played a leading role in the transformation of Spain from dictatorship to democracy. He is responsible for lifting the fortunes of his house to levels not witnessed in centuries. Once settled in Madrid, Don Juan enjoyed the popularity he rightfully deserved. He remained away from political squabbles and relished the remaining years of his life. Surrounded by a large family, Don Juan and Do�a Maria de las Mercedes thrived in the role of grandparents. The Infanta Do�a Pilar married Luis Gomez-Acebo, Viscount de la Torre, in 1967. The couple received the courtesy title of Duke of Badajoz from Don Juan, and had five children. The Duke of Badajoz succumbed to cancer in 1991. The Infanta Do�a Margarita married Doctor Carlos Zurita in 1972. Don Juan gave his daughter the courtesy title of duchess of Soria. The Dukes of Soria have two oeieimchildren. "

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