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Apparently he wants to return to Spain as soon as possible: Former King Juan Carlos
Photo: Andrea Comas / dpa
According to his biographer, former King of Spain Juan Carlos, who lives in exile in Abu Dhabi, wants to return to his home country as soon as possible.
"He's counting the days," said French writer and historian Laurence Debray in an interview with the AFP news agency.
Debray, who dedicated the book My Fallen King: Juan Carlos of Spain to the monarch, said she last saw him last month.
The statement is surprising because Juan Carlos had stated the opposite just a few weeks ago.
In a letter published by the Spanish Crown in early March, he wrote that he initially wanted to continue living in Abu Dhabi for reasons “that are private and only concern me”, but that he wanted to visit his homeland “frequently” to see family members and friends see.
Investigations in Spain against the former head of state had previously been discontinued.
The 84-year-old, who was once praised for his role in Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy, has been the subject of numerous scandals since his abdication in 2014.
Among other things, it was about questionable gifts of money in the millions from Saudi Arabia and allegations of money laundering.
At the center of the suspicions was a sum of $100 million (€65 million) that Saudi Arabia's then King Abdullah had deposited in 2008 into a Swiss bank account that Juan Carlos had access to.
In Spain, therefore, there were three proceedings against him.
Another trial against his former lover is imminent
In August 2020 he went into exile in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
At the beginning of March this year, the Spanish judiciary closed its investigations.
The reasons were lack of evidence, statute of limitations and the sanctity enjoyed by Juan Carlos as head of state.
Carlos' son Felipe VI.
distanced himself from his father on several occasions.
Among other things, last year he withdrew from Juan Carlos the financial allowances of 200,000 euros per year that are usual for ex-monarchs.
Regarding the letter from Carlos, which the royal family published in early March, Felipe VI said succinctly: »His Majesty the King (Felipe VI) respects and understands the will of His Majesty the King Don Juan Carlos, which was expressed in his letter comes."
Even if the investigations were stopped in Spain, Carlos is threatened with another process in Great Britain: His former lover, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, has filed a complaint of harassment there.
A London court rejected a request by Juan Carlos for personal immunity last week.
has/AFP