Spain's King Felipe VI has granted his first noble titles after a decade on the throne, creating tennis legend Rafael Nadal as the 1st Marquess of Llevant de Mallorca.
The ceremony on Thursday marked a historic moment for the Spanish monarchy, as Felipe had previously only confirmed existing hereditary titles rather than bestowing new ones.
Nadal, 39, who has captured 22 Grand Slam singles titles throughout his illustrious career, will be able to pass the marquessate to his two-year-old son Rafael Jr.
The royal household stated that the recipients' "respective careers are exponents of excellence, whether in the service of the Crown or in the field of thought, culture, science, arts and sport."
Paralympic swimmer Teresa Perales received the hereditary title of Marchioness of Perales, which will pass to her son Mariano Menor Jr.
Singer Luz Casal was also honoured with a noble title during the ceremony, though specific details of her designation were not disclosed.
The highest-ranking title went to Jaime AlfonsÃn, who served as King Felipe's right-hand man for nearly three decades and was made a grandee of Spain.
The ceremony coincided with celebrations marking the tenth anniversary of Felipe's accession to the throne in 2015.
Felipe VI has taken longer than any other Spanish monarch to grant noble titles, having spent his first decade confirming the succession of over 2,600 existing titles without creating new ones.
His father, Juan Carlos, took a markedly different approach during his reign, granting 55 noble titles in total.
The first of Juan Carlos's titles controversially went to Carmen Polo, widow of dictator Francisco Franco, who became Duchess of Franco and Lady of Meirás with the rank of Grandee of Spain.
That title, along with four others, was later revoked by the government as part of legislation to remove symbols of the dictatorship.
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Juan Carlos also ennobled Vicente del Bosque, making him a marquis following Spain's 2010 World Cup victory.
Felipe's cautious approach to nobility reflects his efforts to restore the Crown's reputation, having revoked his sister Infanta Cristina's Duchy of Palma title just before his first anniversary as king.
This action followed corruption scandals involving Cristina, who was accused of being an accessory to tax fraud committed by her husband.
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