According to media reports, the regatta plans of the controversial Spanish former king Juan Carlos on his first home visit after almost a year fell through. The 85-year-old had to cancel his participation in the competition off the coast of Sanxenxo in the Galicia region in the north-west of the country on Sunday due to the very bad weather conditions, the state television broadcaster RTVE and other media reported, citing the organizers. The boat “Bribón”, which is normally steered by Juan Carlos, won the regatta.
Before returning to Abu Dhabi, where he has been living in exile since August 2020 due to various affairs, Juan Carlos flew to Vitoria on Sunday evening, it said. One of Juan Carlos’ medical officers works in the capital of the Spanish Basque country.
The father of King Felipe VI, who was Spain’s head of state for almost four decades until his abdication in June 2014, arrived in Galicia on Wednesday for the first home visit since May last year. In Sanxenxo he stayed with a close friend. Unlike last year, this time he didn’t make a single statement. As far as is known, no meeting with Felipe (55), wife Sofía (84) or other royals is planned.
In the spring of 2022, all criminal investigations into financial irregularities against Juan Carlos were dropped in Spain. It was therefore assumed that he would visit his homeland more often and eventually return for good. But a lot went wrong on the first home visit. It was not only the media hype that caused unease among the royal family and the government at the time. Juan Carlos’ behavior was criticized as “immodest”. The government said at the time that he had “missed the chance” to ask the citizens for forgiveness and to explain himself.
