There he is again! Ex-King Juan Carlos is back in Spain. He stayed in Abu Dhabi for almost two years. A few scandals had preceded it.
In August 2020, the Spanish royal family announced that former monarch Juan Carlos was leaving his native country and settling in Abu Dhabi. The ex-king left his wife Sofía in Spain. Juan Carlos landed on Spanish soil for the first time on Thursday evening. He landed at Vigo Peinador Airport in Galicia and was welcomed by his daughter Elena and friends.
A few hours earlier, the palace announced that Juan Carlos was coming to Spain to attend a sailing regatta. In addition, the 84-year-old will travel to Madrid on Monday to meet King Felipe, his wife Sofía and other family members.
Juan Carlos’ host is “overwhelmed” by the ex-monarch’s visit
Juan Carlos will spend his time in Galicia next to the sailboat with his longtime friend Pedro Campos, reports “hola.com”. Campos was a professional sailor and is President of the Sanxenxo Yacht Club, which organizes the regatta. He told elmundo.es that he was “delighted” but also a little “overwhelmed” by the visit of the former monarch.
As the site further reports, it is not yet clear whether Juan Carlos will actually sail or just watch. This will be decided spontaneously when the regatta starts on Friday.
His scandals haunt Spain’s ex-king to this day
While the father of the incumbent king is given a friendly welcome in Galicia, the mood in the country is not untroubled. “El Mundo” headlines another online article: “The spectacle of the return of the Emeritus complicates the plan of La Moncloa with the crown”. In Spain, Juan Carlos bears the title of King Emeritus, and La Moncloa is the seat of the Prime Minister. The Spanish royal family has been under pressure for years – not least from Juan Carlos himself.
In 2012 it was discovered that Juan Carlos broke his hip while hunting in Africa. A picture of the then king with a killed elephant appears. In the hunting party a lady who is said to have been his mistress. Then his youngest daughter Cristina and her husband Iñaki Urdangarin came under suspicion of money laundering and embezzlement. Even Juan Carlos’ name was mentioned in the Nóos case. The king and his daughter were later exonerated. The monarch abdicated in 2014, leaving the royal family in deep crisis. In the years leading up to his flight into exile, Juan Carlos was under investigation. In addition, his alleged lover gave a television interview and talked about the time together. Accordingly, Juan Carlos should not only have given her 65 million euros, but also want to have left his wife Sofía for her. The move to the United Arab Emirates followed in 2020.
Since his accession to the throne, it has been up to King Felipe and Queen Letizia to save the threatened monarchy. A few weeks ago, the government and royal family decided to introduce measures for more transparency and efficiency. In addition, the royal accounts should also be checked by the Court of Auditors. It’s about the survival of the monarchy – that after Felipe, his eldest daughter Leonor also sits on the throne. Juan Carlos is better kept at a distance. An overnight stay in the Madrid Palace was therefore out of the question.
Quellen: Hello, The World.
