career

It's often said that certain professions have a shelf life - with some approaching much faster than others. But Andrés García-Carro is defying these notions. It takes gumption like that to earn the nickname the Spanish King - and go on to become one of the oldest ever models still working at 91 years of age. Interestingly, Garcia-Carro was not always a model and the profession was not remotely on his radar. In fact, not long ago, he was a pensioner whose life had been rather quiet. But his potential as a model was "discovered" by his granddaughter, 27-year-old Celine Van Heel, while also helping her discover a passion for photography. Now, he's a viral sensation who channels the looks of Hollywood's most chiseled Golden Age actors. Discovering the modeling potential of Andrés García-Carro View this post on Instagram A post shared by THE SPANISH KING (@thespanishking_) Garcia-Carro's granddaughter Celine discovered his potential as a model during the early months of COVID-19 and the subsequent global lockdown. "He was my first subject, my first muse," she revealed. "I discovered photography thanks to him." The proximity gave the two a chance to further bond, though they'd always been close even before the pandemic, and so Celine had always known he carried a stylish and timelessly sophisticated way about him. RELATED: World’s Oldest Doctor, Howard Tucker, Shares Secret To A Long Life At 100 Years Old She also helped the world discover him and helped Garcia-Carro establish a career as a model, one of the oldest in the world, surpassed only by Carmen Dell’Orefice, another 91-year-old who graced the cover of Vogue Czechoslovakia. The Spanish King Instagram page has over 45.1k followers and counting! A commendable feat in general and considering his relatively recent entry into the field - but Garcia-Carro has expanded his fame even further. Andrés García-Carro has become an international sensation Andrés García-Carro has become an international sensation / YouTube Part of the greatness behind Garcia-Carro and his rise to fame is how natural he is in front of the camera. At his age, he still calls to mind the rugged looks of Hollywood's most gilded era, reminding the world of phenomenal stars who have now passed far before Garcia-Carro. As if the looks alone weren't enough, Celine assures that he actually really knows what he's doing when he's put to work. "He knows how to pose," says Celine. "I think he was born knowing how to pose. You can put anything on him and he looks amazing." Celine still works closely with him for new photography campaigns - in fact, the two just wrapped up a project in Gran Canaria that has yet to be released by time of writing. García-Carro is glad to be keeping busy / YouTube screenshot But he has many other clients who want him in their publications. They include Carolina Herrera, Esquire, Vogue, GQ, and Zara - and that's not even including the Spanish version of Master Chef, as well as several films and shows. It's quite the change of pace for the nonagenarian, who didn't have to deal with the international spotlight and a very particular industry's way of doing things. So, what's his biggest grievance? "I regret not to have started this career 20 years before." With everything that he's doing now, Garcia-Carro feels he looks "even younger than before" and wants to keep having an active role in his life every day. View this post on Instagram A post shared by THE SPANISH KING (@thespanishking_) RELATED: 87-Year-Old Judd Hirsch Becomes Second-Oldest Oscars Nominee