Maria de Borbon y Orleans; Mother of Spain’s King

Maria de las Mercedes de Borbon y Orleans, 89, the mother of Spain’s King Juan Carlos. De Borbon, the widow of Don Juan de Borbon, held the title of countess of Barcelona. She married in 1935 and three years later gave birth to Juan Carlos while living in exile in Rome during the Spanish Civil War. Although her husband never became king, her son returned to Spain during the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco and was later crowned as monarch. Her son is widely revered for helping to guide Spain’s transition to democracy after nearly four decades of authoritarian rule. On Jan. 2 in the royal residence on Lanzarote in Spain’s Canary Islands.