The Diamond Wedding Anniversary of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain

Juan Carlos and Sofía.

Today marks sixty years since the marriage of Prince Juan Carlos of Spain and Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. The couple were twice on 14 May 1962: firstly in a Roman Catholic ceremony held at 10am in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, and secondly in a Greek Orthodox ceremony held at noon in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. The Gotha turned out in full force with the Greek and Spanish royal families to witness the union of the man and woman who would in 1975 become the King and Queen of Spain.

Princess Sophia arrives in the Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius on the arm of her father, King Pavlos of Greece, and followed by her eight bridesmaids.

The Count and Countess of Barcelona witness the marriage of their son and daughter-in-law.

The couple at the altar.

Sophia puts the wedding band on Juan Carlos's hand.

Juan Carlos places the wedding ring on Sophia's hand.

The Prince and Princess depart the Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius.

The Prince and Princess greet the crowds lining the streets of Athens on their way to the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sophia in the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Behind them are Princess Anne-Marie of Denmark and Crown Prince Constantine of Greece, who married in Athens two years later.

The couple during the crowning ceremony.
Behind them one sees the Duke of Calabria, King Paul of Greece, and Prince Christian of Hannover.

Juan Carlos and Sophia depart the Metropolitan Cathedral.

Queen Juliana of the Netherlands (obscured), Queen Frederica of Greece on the arm of the Count of Barcelona, behind them is Queen Mother Helen of Romania, Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain, Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, Queen Ingrid of Denmark (obscured), and King Olav of Norway.