The ex-king of Spain Juan Carlos won a round on Tuesday December 6 against his former mistress who accuses him of harassment: British justice granted him immunity until his abdication in 2014, without ending to the procedure.
Because most of the alleged facts took place after this date and are now likely to be debated in an embarrassing trial for the 84-year-old ex-monarch in exile.
Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn was Juan Carlos' mistress between 2004 and 2009. She claims that after their breakup, from 2012, she was spied on and harassed for eight years on the orders of the former monarch.
This 57-year-old Danish businesswoman, but also her children, have allegedly been threatened.
His house would have been visited.
He would have demanded that she give him gifts, such as works of art, jewelry and money for an amount of 65 million euros.
In exile in the United Arab Emirates since October 2020
She filed a harassment complaint in October 2020 in London, where she lives.
She is seeking compensation for psychological harm and loss of income due to anxiety, as well as a restraining order.
But the ex-king, who has lived in exile since 2020 in the United Arab Emirates and strongly denies the accusations, had initiated legal proceedings to obtain immunity.
Read alsoJuan Carlos' Spanish stay makes his former subjects wince
In March, the High Court in London ruled that he did not enjoy personal immunity, no longer being a head of state or a member of the royal family, even in the case of actions prior to his abdication.
But this Tuesday, on appeal, the British judges considered that the acts alleged against the former monarch during the period “
prior to the abdication
” were covered by immunity “
in the courts
” of the United Kingdom.
However, this appeal decision does not end the procedure because most of the facts denounced by Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, also known as Corinna Larsen, are after 2014.
Relationship revealed in 2012
"
Corinna's claim can now progress to a trial in the High Court in London
," responded her lawyer Michael Kim.
“
Most of Corinna's complaint... is unaffected and should go to trial.
She raises very serious allegations of harassment that have continued over a long period of time, which will be examined in detail when the trial takes place
,” he added.
In a press release, the defense of the ex-king reiterated to reject the accusations of his former mistress: “
In its judgment, the Court of Appeal underlined that His Majesty strongly refutes that he harassed directly or indirectly (the 'accuser) and dismisses her allegations as false
," Carter-Ruck Solicitors insisted.
Juan Carlos' relationship with Corinna Larsen became public knowledge in 2012 when the monarch broke a hip while vacationing in Botswana.
The revelation, which occurred against a backdrop of record unemployment in Spain, had provoked anger in his country.
Read alsoCharles Jaigu: “Juan Carlos, fallen king and great man”
Having acceded to the functions of Head of State in 1975, after the death of the dictator Franco who had designated him as his successor, King Juan Carlos I has been hailed internationally for decades, and respected at the national level. , for allowing the return of democracy to Spain.
His popularity plummeted after personal scandals, including his relationship with Corinna Larsen, and revelations about his lavish lifestyle in Spain from 2012. Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son Felipe VI, who distanced himself from him.
The legal proceedings take place at a time when a controversial podcast, entitled "
Corinna and the King
", produced by two London journalists, is having a certain success in Spain.
Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn confides how her relationship opened the doors to a "
dangerous
" world for her and tells how she found herself involved against her will in criminal investigations in Spain into the origin of Juan's fortune. Charles.
Corruption and embezzlement investigations closed since March.