Carlism, that traditionalist movement which for over a century contested the Spanish dynastic succession, may be reaching a sad and disconcerting epilogue. Don Sixto Enrique de Borbón Parma, the last standard-bearer of this current, spends his days in a nursing home in France, under the legal guardianship of the Gallic state, in a situation that mixes confusion and nostalgia for a political ideal that resists disappearing.
A movement fundamental to understanding Spain
Carlism was born in the 19th century as a response to Spanish liberalism and the disputed succession after the death of Ferdinand VII. It defended the traditional monarchy, regional charters, and a Catholic social model. Over decades, it was much more than a political party: it represented a vision of the Spains, marked by devotion to order and dynastic legitimacy. However, with the death of Alfonso Carlos de Borbón in 1936, the last direct successor of the main line, the succession issue became complex. Alfonso Carlos himself instituted a regency in Don Javier de Borbón Parma to ensure the movement’s continuity, leaving the door open to future disputes over legitimacy.
In this context, Don Javier’s sons, Don Sixto and his brother Carlos Hugo, became key and opposing figures. Carlos Hugo, at the head of a branch of Carlism from the 1970s, sought to integrate into the chaotic post-68 world, bringing the Carlist party closer to self-management socialist proposals and alliances with left-wing sectors, which deeply divided the movement. Don Sixto, on the other hand, maintained a more traditional and discreet profile, focused on dynastic legitimacy and the defense of the historical principles of Carlism.
Incapacity and internal division
Don Sixto’s end is unleashing an unexpected additional crisis within Carlism. After being diagnosed with a degenerative disease that severely affected his cognitive capacity, he was forced to leave his castle in Lignières and live under judicial guardianship in France. The legal situation fell to a lawyer appointed by the French state, who looks after his interests.
The problem is that part of Don Sixto’s entourage continued to disseminate decisions and statements in his name, despite his incapacity. Other loyalists, upon visiting him, confirmed that his condition prevented him from making decisions about his succession or the direction of the Traditionalist Communion, which generated accusations of usurpation and concealment of information. According to sources close to the matter, this situation has caused notable bewilderment among followers: some feel betrayed, others disoriented, and the movement’s cohesion hangs by a thread.
Carlos Javier: the reunification option?
In this scenario, a possible bridge to unity emerges: Carlos Javier de Borbón Parma, nephew of Don Sixto and current pretender from the branch of Carlos Hugo. In an interview granted to Vanitatis in March 2025, he acknowledged having visited his uncle at the residence, ensuring that his living conditions were optimal:
“Yes. When we were informed that the French state had judicially incapacitated him and that he was admitted to a nursing home, in the family we have been concerned to ensure that his living conditions are optimal. I myself, as Head of the Family, have visited my uncle Sixto along with my brother Jaime at the residence to inquire about him. It was a very emotional encounter” (Vanitatis, March 2025).
The proposal of Carlos Javier as a reference for the Traditionalist Communion would represent a curious path to reunification. Although his profile is that of a moderate and courtly Dutchman, close to conservative institutions and distant from his father’s ideological controversies, he can offer stability. This option, however, poses a challenge: reconciling historical doctrinaires close to Don Sixto, who might feel that the movement is diluting in the hands of a figure less committed to the traditional principles defended by his uncle.
Other alternatives and perspectives
Beyond Carlos Javier, the alternatives are scarce and complicated. Seeking another pretender within the Borbón-Parma family tree implies risks of legitimacy and acceptance; considering someone from the Isabelline branch, like Luis Alfonso de Borbón—pretender to the French throne—would involve negotiating renunciations and dynastic adjustments. Finally, some sectors of Carlism might opt to declare the throne vacant, following the doctrine of the CTC (Carlist Traditionalist Communion), which recognizes legitimacy up to Don Alfonso Carlos and remains open to analysis of the dynastic succession situation.
A gray and melancholic epilogue
The image of Don Sixto, aristocrat, traveler, and bohemian, today under legal guardianship and surrounded by memories, reflects the trajectory of Carlism: a great ideal in aspiration, fragmented in execution, and finally facing the reality of its time. His last days condense disputes, loyalties, and nostalgia, offering an inevitable lesson: history, even when lived with pride and drama, ends up imposing its own order.
Carlism, through the figure of Carlos Javier or future decisions, now faces an uncertain horizon, seeking to reconcile memory and ideals with a world where legitimacy is not measured only by blood or right, but also by the capacity to adapt and endure. The sad story of the last Carlist standard-bearer not only narrates the decline of a movement, but also the fragility of any movement built on the vile human condition of any specific subject.