Former King Juan Carlos Reunites with Son King Felipe for First Time Since Fleeing Spain Due to Scandal

Peter Mikelbank
·4 min read
King Felipe VI of Spain and King Juan Carlos
King Felipe VI of Spain and King Juan Carlos

Carlos R. Alvarez/WireImage King Felipe VI of Spain and King Juan Carlos in 2018

After nearly two years in self-imposed exile in Abu Dhabi, Spain's former King Juan Carlos reunited with his family in Spain on Monday.

During his 12-hour private visit to Zarzuela Palace in Madrid, the 84-year-old former monarch, who fled Spain amid allegations of tax fraud and money laundering in 2020, had a "long conversation" with his son, the current King Felipe VI, and had lunch with several royal family members, including his wife Queen Sofia, 83.

Spain's royal palace said in a statement following Juan Carlos' departure, "His Majesty The King and Don Juan Carlos have had a long conversation about family issues as well as about different events and their consequences on Spanish society since the King's father decided to move to Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2020."

The visit marked the first time Juan Carlos has seen his family since he left Spain under a cloud of scandal. Juan Carlos, who was once revered for his role in Spain's transition to democracy, abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son, who has since distanced himself from his father.

Following Juan Carlos' conversation with his son, the two men joined a family lunch at the palace. While Juan Carlos' wife sat with the family, she was unable to join in on the lunch as she recently tested positive for COVID-19 following a visit to Miami and was wearing a mask.

TOPSHOT - Spain's former King Juan Carlos I waves from his "Bribon" boat, as he attends the regatta of the InterRias trophy of 6M Spanish Cup, in the Galician town of Sanxenxo, northwestern Spain, on May 21, 2022. - Spain's former king returned to the country on May 19, 2022 for his first visit since he left nearly two years ago following a string of financial scandals. (Photo by Brais Lorenzo / AFP) (Photo by BRAIS LORENZO/AFP via Getty Images)

BRAIS LORENZO/AFP via Getty Spain's former King Juan Carlos I waves as he arrives at the nautical club in the Galician town of Sanxenxo on May 20

Later that afternoon, Juan Carlos embarked on his return trip to Abu Dhabi.

The royal palace referred to a letter Juan Carlos wrote his son in March upon his departure.

"As was made public, in his letter to S.M. the King of March 5, Don Juan Carlos primarily states his wish to establish his place of stable and permanent residence in Abu Dhabi for personal reasons; and secondly, his decision to organize his personal life and his place of residence in areas of a private nature, both during his visits and if he were to reside in Spain again in the future, in order to continue enjoying the greatest possible privacy," the statement read.

King Juan Carlos Queen Sofia of Spain
King Juan Carlos Queen Sofia of Spain

Carlos R. Alvarez/WireImage Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos in 2017

Juan Carlos arrived in Spain last week and attended a sailing race in Sanxenxo before traveling to Madrid for a brief visit with his family.

His brief return comes two months after Spain's Public Prosecutor's Office announced that it dropped three separate investigations into the former King's financial affairs, citing insufficient evidence, the statute of limitations, and immunity he held while serving as head of state.

A similar investigation opened by Swiss authorities concerning "aggravated money laundering" was dropped in Geneva in December for the same reasons.

In making its announcement, the Spanish prosecutor stressed its decision did not mean absolution.

TOPSHOT - Spain's former King Juan Carlos I waves from his "Bribon" boat, as he attends the regatta of the InterRias trophy of 6M Spanish Cup, in the Galician town of Sanxenxo, northwestern Spain, on May 21, 2022. - Spain's former king returned to the country on May 19, 2022 for his first visit since he left nearly two years ago following a string of financial scandals. (Photo by Brais Lorenzo / AFP) (Photo by BRAIS LORENZO/AFP via Getty Images)

BRAIS LORENZO/AFP via Getty Juan Carlos on May 21

"The public prosecutor wishes to make it clear that, despite the investigation, no criminal action can be taken against His Majesty Juan Carlos de Borbón for the reasons outlined in the decree – basically the lack of incriminating evidence, the statute of limitations, the inviolability of the head of state, and tax regularisation," the Public Prosecutor's Office said in a statement read, according to The Guardian.

The former monarch's visit wasn't without controversy. Government spokeswoman Isabel Rodríguez said the ex-monarch "missed an opportunity" to "provide explanations and ask for forgiveness."

Spain's former King Juan Carlos I sits in a car after landing by a private jet at the Peinador airport in Vigo, Pontevedra, on May 19, 2022, before heading to the northwestern resort of Sanxenxo to attend a three-day regatta. - After nearly two years in exile in the United Arab Emirates following a string of financial scandals, Spain's former king makes his first trip home on May 19, 2022, on a brief visit that has sparked widespread criticism. (Photo by Brais Lorenzo / AFP) (Photo by BRAIS LORENZO/AFP via Getty Images)

BRAIS LORENZO/AFP via Getty Juan Carlos on May 19

Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

"Without a doubt, he has lost the opportunity that Spanish society deserves, but also democracy. I think I should have taken advantage of this visit, this presence in our country, to account for those actions that we have known and are not compatible with the exemplary nature and transparency that is required of an institution such as the Casa del Rey," said Rodriguez.

Juan Carlos' visit was far from discreet. He received extensive media coverage during his stay in the town of Pontevedra amid the regatta. There was also a demonstration of several hundred people in Madrid on Sunday protesting his visit.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Orsted says Taiwan wind project to power TSMC on track for 2025 finish

    Denmark's Orsted, the world's biggest offshore wind farm developer, said on Wednesday a project in Taiwan that will provide power for chipmaker TSMC is progressing well and is on track for completion next year. Orsted said in March of last year it had made a final investment decision to go ahead with its planned 920 megawatt (MW) Greater Changhua 2b and 4 offshore wind farms, which will mostly supply Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker.

  • US Senate passes bill that could see TikTok banned

    The app's owner, ByteDance, has nine months to sell its stake or face being blocked in the US.

  • Toyota's scandal-hit Daihatsu aims to resume vehicle development this year

    Scandal-hit Toyota Motor subsidiary Daihatsu aims to fully resume developing vehicles by as early as the end of this year, the president of the compact carmaker told reporters, adding that he saw opportunities in South America and Africa. Daihatsu last year said it had rigged safety tests for some 88,000 small cars, most of them sold under the Toyota brand, with the scandal posing a reputational risk for Japan's largest automaker. New President Masahiro Inoue was dispatched from Toyota to turn Daihatsu around and put it on a path to growth.

  • Arrests follow barricades and encampments as college students nationwide protest Gaza war

    Standoffs between pro-Palestinian student protesters and universities grew increasingly tense on both coasts Wednesday as hundreds encamped at Columbia University faced a deadline from the administration to clear out while dozens remained barricaded inside two buildings on a Northern California college campus. Both are part of intensifying demonstrations over Israel's war with Hamas by university students across the country, leading to dozens of arrests on charges of trespassing or disorderly conduct. Columbia's President Minouche Shafik in a statement Wednesday set a midnight deadline to reach an agreement with students to clear the encampment, or “we will consider alternative options.”

  • Mets vs. Giants Highlights

    Mike Yastrzemski and the Giants defeat DJ Stewart and the Mets, 5-1

  • Mariners vs. Rangers Highlights

    Julio Rodríguez and the Mariners defeat Adolis García and the Rangers, 4-0

  • TV tonight: the fascinatingly diverse world of bar and bat mitzvah

    The coming-of-age ceremonies of different Jewish traditions are explored in an insightful new BBC documentary. Plus: salvage diving in the bitter seas of Nova Scotia. Here’s what to watch this evening

  • FOREX-Dollar suffers PMI hangover, Aussie jumps on inflation surprise

    The dollar nursed its wounds on Wednesday following big tumbles against the euro and sterling, but the yen remained mired near 34-year lows even as Japanese officials stepped up intervention warnings. The Australian dollar made the most of a weakened greenback as it rallied on the back of hotter-than-expected local consumer price data, leading markets to abandon hopes for any rate cuts from the Reserve Bank of Australia in the near-term. "The Australian dollar has benefited from a re-evaluation of the RBA's monetary policy path, but geopolitical risks remain."

  • Brain op failings at trust for more than decade

    One man wasn’t told that probes had been placed in the wrong place for nearly eight years.

  • Scraptoft farmer 'heartbroken' as lamb killed in dog attack

    Will Renner says his flock has been attacked three times in the last 10 days of lambing season.

  • Australian police execute search warrants as part of a 'major operation' over church stabbings

    Detectives and secret service agents investigating the stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church executed search warrants in the city on Wednesday as part of a major operation, officials said. The Joint Counter-Terrorism Team, which incorporates federal and state police as well as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation’s main domestic spy agency, said in a statement there is no current threat to public safety. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said the operation was related to a knife attack in a Sydney church on April 15 in which an Assyrian Orthodox bishop and priest were injured.

  • Protect young people from crime, Londoners say

    We've been speaking to Londoners to find out how crime and violence is affecting their lives.

  • Report claims shorter, unhealthier lives in Kent

    The report says life expectancy is below the average for England in some parts of Kent.

  • Peterborough store selling solely local products looks to expand

    A city centre store stocking items from local entrepreneurs says it is bucking the High Street trend.

  • Torchlit march held in Yerevan to mark mass deaths of Armenians

    Thousands gathered for a torchlit procession in Yerevan on Tuesday to commemorate those Armenians killed in Ottoman Turkey more than a century ago.

  • Grade II listed hotel could be converted into flats

    The owner of the hotel and health club wants to turn the Edwardian mansion into 15 flats.

  • Bug splat survey shows decline in insect numbers

    The annual Bugs Matter survey is compiled by hundreds of volunteers across Kent and the UK.

  • Jersey minister takes aim at no-fault evictions

    The housing minister says a new proposed law will balance the needs of tenants and landlords

  • Thames Valley PCs who disarmed 'gunman' honoured for bravery

    PCs Tom Blount, Oliver Smith and Sarah Clark tackled a man wielding an imitation firearm.

  • 'You feel you’re not good enough as a parent'

    A new study says North Ayrshire is the area where people are most likely to need help to put food on the table.