On Monday, June 02, King Juan Carlos I of Spain announced his plans to abdicate in favor of his son, Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said that the process of Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe’s accession to the throne has been launched. Rajoy noted that in line with the Spanish Constitution, a law must be adopted that will allow Crown Prince Felipe to succeed his father. Juan Carlos I considered it to be the most suitable moment for a normal transition of power to the successor. The King has expressed hope that the process will be carried out with respect to the monarch as a symbol of freedom and democracy.

In this photo gallery we recall some of the most famous cases of abdication in recent history.