Editing Monarchy of Spain (section)

===King and international diplomacy===
[[File:OEI map.svg|thumb|right|300px|Members of the Organization of Ibero-American States. King Felipe VI serves as president.]]
Constitutionally the king accredits Spanish ambassadors to international states and governments, and foreign representatives to Spain are accredited before him. However, the government of the day manages diplomatic policy on behalf of the monarch.<ref name="Wiki Source Spa Constitution 78" /><ref name="Title II" /> Additionally, it remains the responsibility for the monarch to express the state's assent to international commitments and treaties, which must be in conformity with the Spanish constitution.<ref name="Wiki Source Spa Constitution 78" /><ref name="Title II" />

During his reign, Juan Carlos followed a foreign policy during the first decade of his kingship coined ''Reencounter and Reconciliation'', which greatly improved Spain's standing on the world stage.<ref name="Self Made Monarch" /> The king reconciled long standing historic tensions with the Netherlands and cultivated relationships with France and Germany which led directly to Spain's entry into the [[European Community]] and into NATO.<ref name="Self Made Monarch" /> Following the tensions between Franco and the Papacy over the reforms of the [[Second Vatican Council]], Juan Carlos' personal relations with successive popes greatly improved diplomatic relations between the [[Holy See]] and Spain, and with [[Pope Paul VI]] blessing Juan Carlos' democratic reforms.<ref name="Self Made Monarch" />{{NoteTag|Juan Carlos' had a special relationship with [[Pope Paul VI]] whose death greatly affected the king.}} According to historian Charles Powell, it was the king's goal to win Spain's full acceptance by other European powers.<ref name="Self Made Monarch" /> The king, a self-described ''[[Pan-European identity|Europeanist]]'', was awarded the prestigious [[Charlemagne Award]] in 1982 for his steadfast work towards democracy and for supporting European unity.<ref name="Self Made Monarch" /> The constitution gives the monarch special responsibility in promoting Spanish relations with members of its historic community, the nations formerly part of the [[Spanish Empire]] and also relations with Portugal and Brazil.<ref name="Wiki Source Spa Constitution 78" /><ref name="Title II" /> Fulfilling this responsibility, the king of Spain serves as president of the twenty-three member [[Ibero-American States Organization]]. With his support of democracy, various elements within Ibero-America political society have sought the king's advice on how to transition from a dictatorship to a democracy.<ref name="Self Made Monarch"/> For his efforts, by 2008 the king was voted the most popular leader in all of the [[Ibero-America]]n community.<ref name="most popular leader in Ibero-America">{{cite news |date=2008-10-07 |title=Uribe is the Ibero-American leader best valued by the citizens of his country |trans-title=Uribe is the Ibero-American leader best valued by the citizens of his country |url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/07/09/internacional/1215635605.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201213023652/https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2008/07/09/internacional/1215635605.html |archive-date=13 December 2020 |access-date=2009-12-01 |newspaper=[[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]] |language=es}}

The Spanish monarchy has its roots in the [[Visigothic Kingdom]] of [[Toledo, Spain|Toledo]] founded after the [[fall of the Western Roman Empire]]. Then, the [[Kingdom of Asturias]] fought the [[Reconquista]] following the [[Umayyad conquest of Hispania]] in the 8th century. A dynastic marriage between [[Isabella I of Castile]] and [[Ferdinand II of Aragon]] (the "[[Catholic Monarchs]]") united [[Spain]] in the 15th century. The [[Spanish Empire]] became one of the first [[Global power|global powers]] as Isabella and Ferdinand funded [[Christopher Columbus]]'s exploratory voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. The sea route he established paved the way for the Spanish conquest of much of the Americas.

As of 2023, the official budget for the Spanish monarchy is 8.4&nbsp;million euros, one of the lowest public expenditures for the institution of monarchy in Europe.<nowiki><ref></nowiki>{{Cite web |last=RTVE.es |date=2022-10-06 |title=La Casa Real mantiene congelado su presupuesto para 2023 |url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20221006/gobierno-congela-presupuesto-casa-real-2023/2405221.shtml |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=RTVE.es |language=es}}</ref>

The monarch is assisted in his diplomatic missions by the [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Foreign Ministry]], and high-ranking members of the Foreign Ministry are made available to the king when he is abroad representing Spain.<ref name="ec.europa.eu">{{cite web |title = Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation |publisher = Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation |date=2009-01-27 |url = http://www.maec.es/en/MenuPpal/Ministerio/Paginas/postingTXT(17-2)Ministerio.aspx |access-date=2009-12-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130213042448/http://www.maec.es/en/MenuPpal/Ministerio/Paginas/postingTXT(17-2)Ministerio.aspx |archive-date=13 February 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The royal household coordinates with the Foreign Ministry to ensure successful diplomatic engagements. Additionally, other members of the royal family, most notably the Prince of Asturias, may represent the Spanish State internationally. Though the Spanish monarchy is independent of the government, it is important that royal speeches are compatible with government foreign policy to project a unified diplomatic effort. To achieve balance, royal household [[speechwriter]]s confer with the Foreign Ministry to ensure that the official speeches strike the desired diplomatic tone between the king's views and government policy.<ref name="Self Made Monarch" />{{NoteTag|The king's speeches are generally reflective of the king's views and reviewed by the king before an event. When confirming with the Foreign Ministry, the speeches are reviewed so that they are largely general in nature and politically neutral in terms of specific policies followed by the government.}}<ref>{{YouTube|64dUYeK08Aw|King Juan Carlos calls for an immediate cease fire in Gaza}}</ref> When necessary and appropriate, the king and his government may focus on two different aspects in a diplomatic engagement. The king may emphasize one aspect, such as the promotion of democracy and historic relations; while the government focuses on the details of strategic planning and bilateral coordination.

The king and members of the royal family have represented Spain in Europe, Latin America, in the United States and in Canada, nations in the Middle East and North Africa, in China, Japan, the [[Philippines]], Australia, New Zealand and many countries in [[sub-Sahara Africa]]. The king and Prince of Asturias have addressed many international organizations which include the [[United Nations]], the institutions of the [[European Union]], the [[Council of Europe]], the [[Organization of American States]], [[UNESCO]], the [[International Labour Organization]], and the [[Arab League]]. Since 2000, Felipe has represented Spain in half of all diplomatic engagements.