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For Prince Juan Carlos, 35, waiting patiently in the wings to become King once Franco dies or retires, the new governmental setup offers a small additional degree of political authority. For the first time, he has the ceremonial right to approve new Cabinet members: Carrero Blanco's first act, after taking his oath of office, was to call on Juan Carlos at Zarzuela Palace and submit the list of new ministers. Predictably, there were no princely objections. The prince may now attend Cabinet meetings, another new prerogative. (In the past, he was briefed on discussions.) Most Spaniards who want change pin their hopes on the prince, whom they regard as being more liberal than Franco or Carrero Blanco. For the time being, however, Juan Carlos was simply faced with another wait. Was he bored? "The prince is very shrewd, very cool, very cautious," says a longtime friend. "Twenty years of eating thorns for breakfast makes a man very tough."