The ex-king of Spain Juan Carlos obtained Monday, July 18 in London the authorization to appeal to the British justice against the refusal to grant him immunity in a case where he is prosecuted for harassment by a former companion.
Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, 58, a Danish businesswoman, is suing Juan Carlos to obtain damages for alleged acts of harassment.
Affected by three investigations
In March, the High Court in London ruled that Juan Carlos "
was no longer a
'
sovereign
'
or a
'
head of state
'
conferring personal immunity
on him ."
A setback for the 84-year-old ex-king of Spain who lives in exile in the United Arab Emirates, while Spanish justice had closed three investigations in early March, targeting him in particular for corruption and embezzlement.
According to documents presented by the plaintiff's lawyers, she had an "
intimate romantic relationship
" with the former monarch between 2004 and 2009. After their breakup, they remained friends before Juan Carlos sought to rekindle their relationship.
When the businesswoman '
clearly indicated her refusal
', the ex-king engaged in '
harassing behaviour
', she claims, accusing her of '
organizing
' a series of malicious acts , causing him "
distress and anxiety
".
Read alsoJuan Carlos' Spanish stay makes his former subjects wince
Juan Carlos is surrounded by scandals and revelations about his lavish lifestyle in Spain, where he was a central figure in the democratic transition after the death of dictator Franco in 1975. He abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son Felipe VI, who distanced himself.