It has not been a good year for Spain’s royal family. A series of PR nightmares and a decline in popularity came to fruition on Sunday, when thousands of Spaniards gathered in Madrid to protest the family’s right to a royal title.

The march went through the centre of the Spanish capital on Sunday, which marked the 82nd anniversary of the establishment of Spain's last democratically-elected republic.

The republic was overthrown by an army uprising that led to a civil war and the 36-year military dictatorship of General Francisco Franco.

Franco appointed then Prince Juan Carlos as his successor as head of state, a job the royal took over as king upon the dictator's death in 1975.

King Juan Carlos has been mainly popular throughout his rein. He oversaw Spain’s transition to a democratic state and has since taken a back seat in Spanish politics.

Recently though, the royal family’s extravagant lives have been put under a microscope in the wake of the serious financial crisis taking place in Spain. Since the family takes public funding, missteps such as a lavish safari and the allegations that Princess Cristina attempted to embezzle public money, has made downtrodden Spaniards simply angry.