Updated on 05/16/2022 at 3:25 p.m
- Since the criminal investigations against Spain’s former king were dropped, his return from exile has been expected again and again.
- Now the time has come – but only for a short time and without an overnight stay at home.
According to media reports, Spain’s controversial former king Juan Carlos is planning a first home visit for the coming weekend for almost two years. This was reported by Spanish media on Monday, citing journalist Fernando Ónega, who also published a biography of the ex-monarch.
The 84-year-old is expected on Saturday from exile in Abu Dhabi in the port city of Sanxenxo in Galicia in northwestern Spain and will stay until Sunday, wrote the state TV broadcaster RTVE. There was initially no official confirmation.
King Felipe VI and his father meet in Madrid
King Felipe VI According to media reports, the day before he had agreed to meet his father in Madrid. Felipe promised that during a phone call to his father, RTVE and other media reported on Sunday, citing the royal family.
The king made the call from Abu Dhabi, where he was on a condolence visit over the death of longtime President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Khalifa bin Sajid. Although father and son were both in Abu Dhabi, they would not have met. It was not known whether the meeting in Madrid would take place next weekend.
Juan Carlos lives in exile
Juan Carlos initially left his homeland on August 4, 2020 for an unknown destination. He later showed up in Abu Dhabi. At the beginning of March, after the end of all criminal investigations against himself, he announced that he wanted to remain in exile for the time being, but would soon be making sporadic visits to his homeland.
The influential daily newspaper “El Mundo”, which is close to the royal family, reported on Friday that Juan Carlos was angry because his son only wanted to allow a short visit to the royal residence Zarzuela near Madrid without an overnight stay. Like the left-wing government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Felipe is intent on averting damage to the royal family by being too close to Juan Carlos.
Spaniards turn away from monarchy
According to a survey conducted a good six months ago, a narrow majority of Spaniards (53 percent) are convinced that the monarchy is an outdated institution that should be abolished. Juan Carlos is certainly to a large extent to blame for this.
After all, the 84-year-old only escaped criminal proceedings for financial irregularities because he was either protected by his immunity as king until his abdication in 2014 or the actions were statute-barred. Sánchez stressed that the ex-monarch owed the Spanish people an explanation. (sbi/dpa)
Felipe has tested positive for the corona virus. How is the Spanish king? At an appointment, his wife Letizia answered this question from journalists without a word.
Source-web.de