Section 1 of Article 57 of the
1978 Constitution of Spain provides that The Crown of Spain is hereditary to the "" of His Majesty Don
Juan Carlos I de Borbón. To date, no clarification has been made whether this provision includes anyone beyond the direct descendants of King Juan Carlos. Successors may not be presumed to be synonymous with descendants. Section 3 of Article 57 further states that should all the lines designated by law become extinct, the
Cortes Generales shall provide for succession to the Crown in the manner most suitable for the interests of Spain.
Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz and
Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria, sisters of King Juan Carlos, respectively renounced their rights to the succession upon marriage but before the adoption of the Constitution. Similarly, the rights of earlier generations are clouded by renunciations and unapproved marriages which may or may not exclude them from succession. Section 5 of Article 57 provides that abdications and renunciations and any doubt in fact or in law that may arise in relation to the succession of the Crown shall be settled by an
organic act. Unless and until one clarifies the rights of the extended Family of the King, it is unknown who or if anyone follows Infanta Cristina's descendants in the line of succession.
Possible interpretations • The
Congress of Deputies, the lower house of the Cortes Generales, has the constitutional responsibility to clarify the succession when doubt arises. If "" is deemed to mean direct descendants, the succession ends with the heirs of Infanta Cristina. • If the renunciations by Infanta Pilar and Infanta Margarita are not deemed valid, their descendants would follow the line of succession:
Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona (1913–1993) •
King Juan Carlos I (b. 1938) •
Infanta Pilar, Duchess of Badajoz and Viscountess of La Torre (1936–2020) •
Don Juan Gómez-Acebo y Borbón, 3rd Viscount of La Torre (1969–2024) •
(11) Don Nicolás Gómez-Acebo y Carney, 4th Viscount of La Torre (b. 2013) •
(12) Don Bruno Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (b. 1971) •
(13) Alejandro Gómez-Acebo y Cano (b. 2004) •
(14) Guillermo Gómez-Acebo y Cano (b. 2005) •
(15) Álvaro Gómez-Acebo y Cano (b. 2011) •
(16) Don Luis Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (b. 1973) •
(17) Luis Felipe Gómez-Acebo y Ponte (b. 2005) •
(18) Juan Gómez-Acebo y Ponte (b. 2016) •
(19) Laura Gómez-Acebo y Ponte (b. 2006) •
Don Fernando Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (1974–2024) •
(20) Nicolás Gómez-Acebo y Halamandari (b. 2016) •
(21) Doña Simoneta Gómez-Acebo y Borbón (b. 1968) •
(22) Luis Juan Fernández-Sastrón y Gómez-Acebo (b. 1991) •
(23) Pablo Fernández-Sastrón y Gómez-Acebo (b. 1995) •
(24) María de las Mercedes Fernández-Sastrón y Gómez-Acebo (b. 2000) •
(25) Infanta Margarita, Duchess of Soria and Hernani (b. 1939) •
(26) Don Alfonso Zurita y Borbón (b. 1973) •
(27) Doña María Zurita y Borbón (b. 1975) ==Planned absolute primogeniture==