The Royal House of Spain seems to be preparing everything necessary for the funeral of former King Juan Carlos I.
At 86 years old, although he faces some mobility problems, his overall health is quite good.
However, he has decided to take a cue from the late Queen Elizabeth II and leave everything ready for when his time comes, but it hasn’t been all that simple for him.
Elizabeth II, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 96, created a very detailed plan for her funeral in advance, known as Operation London Bridge.
However, the same is not true for the emeritus monarch, and there are many details to be arranged before King Felipe’s father dies.
What is known about the funeral of King Juan Carlos I?
Recently, several media outlets have begun to show concern about the funeral of Juan Carlos I, reflecting valid concerns about an inevitable event that should not have to be a mystery.
In fact, it has been reported that the emeritus monarch himself has been feeling some anxiety regarding his funeral arrangements.
According to ‘Monarchy Confidential’, in April it was mentioned that he was ‘obsessed’ with how things would be organized after his passing.
It is important to note that Juan Carlos I currently resides in Abu Dhabi, which further complicates the scenario, as the logistics of transferring his body to Madrid would be a real challenge if he were to pass away outside Spain.
However, what has really caught the media’s attention is not only his concern about residing outside the country.
Juan Carlos’ funeral plan should follow the historical protocol that has been used for other kings of Spain.
Since the 16th century, Spain’s monarchs have been buried in the Royal Crypt of El Escorial Monastery.
But there is a more complicated process: their bodies are not buried immediately in the Pantheon of the Kings, but are preserved for several decades in a place where the bodies are expected to dehydrate and mummify.
Only monks are allowed access to this space, whose task is to reduce the size of the bodies to fit in the tiny lead chests used as coffins.
Currently, the concern echoing in the media is related to this transfer, as there are no more urns left in the Crypt for new monarchs. The last one bears the name of John III, who passed away in 1993.
Given this scenario, former King Juan Carlos I could opt not to be buried in the Crypt of the Kings, which would be a rather unusual decision.
Still, as far as we know, he has no plans to rest anywhere other than El Escorial.
In fact, it has been reported that he has already begun conversations with people close to him about the need to open a new subterranean crypt connected to the existing one.