Prince Felipe de Bourbon, the heir to the Spanish throne, will move to shore up the future of his nation's young monarchy on Saturday when he ties the knot with his choice of princess, former journalist Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano.
The pair's marriage is a perfect symbol of the young, dynamic and modern Spain which Felipe's father King Juan Carlos urged to step forward in opening the new session of parliament last month.
Felipe, 36, who comes across as a solid if studious personality, is the third child of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia but the royal couple's only son.
Under the Constitution, as the sole male heir he enjoys direct right of ascendency to the crown -- but that could change for future generations if the new Socialist government goes ahead with plans to change the rules and bestow succession rights on a female heir.
That would mean that if the first-born of Felipe and Letizia turns out to be a girl she could become head of state regardless of any younger brothers.
After spending the formative years of his education at Madrid's Santa Maria de los Rosales School which he left in 1984, nine years after his father ascended the throne with the monarchy restored post Franco and seven years after he himself received the title of Prince of Asturias, Felipe had one year's study in Canada.
There followed three year's military training at the Academies of Spain's three Armed Forces.
Afterwards, Felipe took a law degree at the Autonomous University of Madrid before, in 1993, following a two-year Master's program in International Relations at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.
Jose Maria Aznar, who stepped down as conservative prime minister in March, will be a part-time lecturer at the same university from September.
The prince has a keen interest in facilitating young people's access to the business world and is honorary president of a slew of associations and foundations.
He also has a great interest in the environment and is a keen sailor, appearing in Spain's Olympic squad at the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona and carrying the overall team flag.
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