According to media reports, Spain’s controversial former king Juan Carlos is planning an early visit to his homeland. The 85-year-old, who has been living in exile in Abu Dhabi for more than two and a half years, wants to visit Spain between April 17 and 23, the usually well-informed daily El Mundo reported on Monday, citing friends of König’s father Felipe VI The royal family does not comment on the ex-monarch’s private activities.
First, Juan Carlos wanted an invitation from King Charles III. to a “private lunch” in London, it said. Afterwards, the passionate sailor wants to take part in a regatta in Sanxenxo in north-west Spain, as he did on his first and only home visit to date in May 2022. In the Galician town, Juan Carlos has several close friends.
Live in Abu Dhabi
The former king, who was head of state in Spain for almost 40 years, left his homeland at the beginning of August 2020 for an unknown destination. A few days later he turned up in Abu Dhabi, where he has been living in exile ever since because of various affairs.
After all criminal investigations into financial irregularities against him had been dropped in spring 2022, it was assumed in Spain that Juan Carlos would visit his homeland more often and eventually return. But on the first home visit in May last year, a lot went wrong.
missed chance
According to the media, it was not only the intense media hype that caused “discomfort” in both the royal family and the left-wing government. Juan Carlos’ behavior was criticized as “immodest”. At that time, the old king “missed the opportunity” to “ask for forgiveness” from the citizens and to “explain the actions of the past few years, which were neither ethical nor exemplary,” according to the government.
