L’exil forcé et doré de l’ancien roi espagnol Juan Carlos

L’ancien roi d’Espagne Juan Carlos assistant aux actes commémoratifs marquant le 40ème anniversaire de la Constitution espagnole à Madrid, le 6 décembre 2018. OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP
LE FIGARO : RÉCIT - L’ex monarque, qui a fui d’éventuelles poursuites judiciaires il y a un an, aurait, dans sa retraite d’Abou Dhabi, le mal du pays.

«Le roi émérite lira probablement cet article.» Tel est le drôle d’avertissement par lequel le journal El País entamait, début août, le récit de la vie quotidienne aux Émirats arabes unis de Juan Carlos, roi d’Espagne depuis la mort de Franco en 1975, jusqu’à son abdication en faveur de son fils Felipe VI en 2014. L’ex-chef d’État n’est pas réputé être un lecteur particulièrement avide. Mais, à la retraite et exilé sur l’île de Zaya Nurai, le roi s’ennuie.

Voilà un an que Juan Carlos a justifié son départ d’Espagne par une lettre pleine de non-dits et sous-entendus adressée, non pas à son peuple, mais à son fils. Le 3 août 2020, le Palais dévoilait que son ancien locataire avait communiqué «sa décision, méditée, de séjourner, en ce moment, hors d’Espagne» dans le but de «faciliter l’exercice des fonctions (de Felipe VI, NDLR) dans le calme et la sérénité». Lesdites fonctions, devait-on fatalement en conclure, avaient été sérieusement altérées par ce que Juan Carlos appelait pudiquement «certains événements passés de ma vie privée». Il s’agissait moins des affaires de jupons, sur lesquelles les sujets peu puritains de sa majesté ont fermé les yeux pendant 39 ans de règne, que des accusations d’enrichissement personnel et de fraude fiscale autour de présumées commissions occultes. Un an après, nous apprend la presse espagnole, Juan Carlos aimerait bien rentrer… mais le moment ne semble jamais le bon! » | Par Mathieu de Taillac | Publié : lundi 23 août 2021 ; mis à jour : mardi 24 août 2021

Juan Carlos choque l’Espagne en s’installant à Abu Dhabi »

Espagne : le roi appelle au respect des «principes moraux» en plein scandale autour de Juan Carlos »

Espagne : le crépuscule de Juan Carlos en cinq dates »

Juan Carlos, la chute d’un roi rattrapé par le scandale »

Espagne : la dernière révérence de Juan Carlos

le roi d'Espagne Juan Carlos abdique au profit de son fils, Felipe VI.

LE POINT: Le roi d'Espagne signe la loi permettant son abdication. Madrid en fleurs attend Felipe VI, qui deviendra officiellement à minuit son nouveau monarque.

C'est la dernière loi qu'il signera. Après 39 ans de règne, le roi d'Espagne Juan Carlos autorise sa propre abdication. Il laisse la place à son fils Felipe, qui prêtera serment jeudi dans une capitale fleurie pour l'occasion, héritant du lourd mandat de redorer l'image d'une monarchie discréditée. Affaibli par les ennuis de santé et usé par les scandales, Juan Carlos, âgé de 76 ans, laisse place à son fils, qui deviendra à 46 ans, dès la publication de la loi au Journal officiel, à minuit, Felipe VI, nouveau roi d'Espagne. Devant quelque 160 invités, l'ambiance sera à la solennité dans l'imposante salle des Colonnes du palais royal de Madrid pour la dernière cérémonie officielle de Juan Carlos, prévue à 18 heures. Durant cet acte "très court, lors duquel aucune parole ne sera prononcée", selon la Maison royale, Juan Carlos, qui marche avec difficulté, appuyé sur une béquille, signera la loi d'abdication devant son épouse Sofia, son fils Felipe et sa belle-fille Letizia, qui devient, à 41 ans, la première reine d'Espagne à ne pas avoir de sang royal. » | Source AFP | mercredi 18 juin 2014

Juan Carlos Has Fled Spain, But Questions Over His Past Will Follow Him

THE GUARDIAN: The immunity once afforded the former Spanish king won’t protect him any more against allegations of graft and fraud

For the past century and a half, job security has not been part of the Spanish monarchy’s experience. When former king Juan Carlos announced that he was packing his bags and heading into a form of exile on Monday, he was really following a family tradition.

No one would be more aware of that than 82-year-old Juan Carlos himself, who was born in exile and – reportedly – in relative impecunity (by royal standards) after his grandfather Alfonso XIII fled the country in the face of popular revolt in 1931.

It took General Francisco Franco, who came to power with the help of Hitler and Mussolini after turning a failed coup into the Spanish civil war in 1936, to restore the monarchy. But this only came after a vengeful Franco had himself ruled with absolute power, while violently suppressing democrats and making liberal use of death sentences, for almost four decades.

To secure the restoration, Juan Carlos had first to suck up to Franco, agree that the proper heir to the crown (his own father, Don Juan) should be leapfrogged, and then wait patiently for the dictator to die. When that finally happened in 1975, Juan Carlos received a dictator’s powers – and refused to criticise his predecessor as head of state. » | Giles Tremlett | Wednesday, August 5, 2020

Spain Moves to Protect Juan Carlos from Paternity Suits

Juan Carlos lost his immunity from prosecution when he passed
the throne on to his son, Felipe

BBC: Spain's politicians admitted Friday that they are rushing to pass new legislation to shield former King Juan Carlos from two paternity suits.

Juan Carlos, 76, lost his immunity from prosecution after handing power to his son, Felipe, following a 39-year reign.

A senior politician said amendments would be added to a package of judicial reforms so that only Spain's Supreme Court can hear cases against him.

Two separate paternity suits were filed against Juan Carlos in 2012.

Alberto Sola Jimenez from Spain's Catalonia region and Ingrid Jeanne Satiau, a Belgian national, both claim to be the former king's children.

His legal immunity meant that the suits were not processed at the time but the cases could now be brought again in ordinary courts. » | Friday, June 20, 2014

Spain’s Juan Carlos Makes a Big Tax Payment amid New Financial Probe

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The former king of Spain paid about $820,000, his lawyer said. He did not say why, but the news came amid the latest investigation into possible financial wrongdoing by Juan Carlos.

MADRID — King Juan Carlos, Spain’s former monarch, has paid about $820,000 in back taxes, his lawyer said on Wednesday, amid an investigation by prosecutors into whether he and other members of the royal family used bank accounts in other people’s names to hide assets from the tax authorities[.]

The king’s lawyer, Javier Sánchez-Junco Mans, did not say why or when Juan Carlos had made the payment. But the announcement came just a month after Spanish media revealed an investigation into possible tax evasion and money laundering based on the former king and his relatives using those bank accounts to pay their credit card charges.

The anticorruption prosecutor’s office has confirmed the existence of a new case involving the king, but has not elaborated. He was already the subject of another investigation by the same office. » | Raphael Minder | Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Juan Carlos, opéré avec succès d'une lésion sans cellule maligne, se porte bien
LE POINT: Le roi d'Espagne Juan Carlos, pilier de la jeune démocratie espagnole, a été opéré samedi à Barcelone d'un nodule pulmonaire bénin "sans aucune cellule maligne", à l'âge de 72 ans, et "se porte très bien" après l'intervention, ont indiqué ses médecins.

L'intervention qui a pris fin vers 11H45 (09h45 GMT) a permis d'extirper un nodule pulmonaire de type bénin, a déclaré en conférence de presse le chirurgien de l'hôpital clinique de Barcelone Laureano Molins.

Une première analyse du nodule pulmonaire extirpé dans la matinée, a montré qu'"il n'y a aucune cellule maligne" de type cancéreux, a-t-il ajouté.

Le souverain espagnol, âgé de 72 ans, "est éveillé et se porte très bien", a souligné le médecin, précisant qu'a priori aucun traitement post-opératoire ne serait nécessaire. >>> AFP | Samedi 08 Mai 2010

King Juan Carlos of Spain Recovering from Surgery
THE TELEGRAPH: King Juan Carlos of Spain is recovering from surgery to remove a growth from a lung, the Royal Palace said.

The palace said the 72-year-old monarch was successfully operated on in a hospital in the northeastern city of Barcelona.

Surgery was directed by doctor Laureano Molins Lopez-Rodo.

"It's good news, the lesion is benign," Dr Molins said at a post-operation press conference, adding that there were "no malign cells" in tissue removed from the upper part of the king's right lung.

Queen Sofia told journalists gathered at the hospital in the afternoon that doctors had said the king could be given the all clear to go home in four days.

"He has very impressive health," she said, smiling. >>> | Saturday, May 08, 2010

Spanish Royal Family's Popularity Boosted by King Juan Carlos's Abdication in Favour of Prince Felipe

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Approval ratings for King Juan Carlos's reign increase from 41 to 65 per cent following his abdication to hand the throne to 46-year-old heir Prince Felipe


Spains royal family has become more popular among Spainiards following the abdication of Juan Carlos for his son Crown King Felipe VI.

Overall, 55.7 per cent of those polled in the June 3-5 survey by Sigma Dos supported the institution of the monarchy in Spain, up from 49.9 per cent when the same question was posed six months ago.

57.5 per cent believed the prince could restore the royal family’s lost prestige.

An overwhelming majority of Spaniards believe the new king, Felipe VI, would make a good monarch and more than three-quarters believe King Juan Carlos was right to hand over the throne to his son.

The poll, published in Spain’s right-leaning daily El Mundo newspaper on Monday, is likely to encourage the departing King, who announced a week ago that he hoped the change would usher in a “new era of hope”. » | Fiona Govan | Monday, June 09, 2014

King Juan Carlos: 'I Don't Want My Son to Grow Old Waiting Like Prince Charles'

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Spanish monarch reportedly expressed a desire to hand the throne to heir while Prince Felipe was still a young man to stop him "withering" like Prince Charles

King Juan Carlos told courtiers that he wanted to abdicate in favour of his son because he did not want his heir to “grow old waiting for the throne like Prince Charles”.

The 76-year-old monarch, who announced last Monday that it was time for “a younger generation to step into the front line,” is said to have been influenced in his decision to abdicate by the situation of the Prince of Wales, who at 65 is the oldest heir to the British throne for 300 years.

It emerged on Sunday that King Juan Carlos had privately told those close to him that he felt it was right to pass the throne on while his heir was still a young man.

“I do not want my son to wither waiting like Prince Charles,” he reportedly told Rafael Spottorno, chief of the royal household, according to a report in Spain’s daily El Mundo newspaper. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid and Matthew Holehouse | Sunday, June 08, 2014

Spaniens Ex-König Juan Carlos: Flucht in die Karibik? | DW Nachrichten

Der ehemalige spanischer König Juan Carlos ist ins Ausland geflüchtet. Einst hoch angesehen bei vielen Spaniern, ist der frühere Monarch des Landes, Juan Carlos, durch zahlreiche Affären und Skandale ins Zwielicht geraten. Bedrängt von Justizermittlungen und Korruptionsverdacht, hat sich der 82-Jährige nun ins Ausland abgesetzt.

Princess Cristina of Spain May Be Named in Corruption Case

THE GUARDIAN: King Juan Carlos's daughter likely to be formally named as a suspect in multimillion-euro scandal ahead of possible indictment

As a financial scandal engulfs the royal family and politicians begin to call for his abdication, Spain's King Juan Carlos faces one of the worst weeks in his 37-year reign, with prosecutors set to ask a judge to formally name his daughter Princess Cristina as a suspect in a multimillion-euro fraud and money-laundering case.

The request, which would be a preliminary step to a possible indictment, is poised to be made next week and will be based on the testimony of Diego Torres, a former business school lecturer who became the partner of Cristina's husband, Iñaki Urdangarin.

Juan Carlos's nightmare week starts in Palma de Mallorca , when Urdangarin must appear before an investigating magistrate who has demanded that he and Torres post a joint bond of €8.1m (£7m).

The size of the bond points to the millions of euros that – via a foundation in which the princess served as a board member – the two men allegedly obtained from fraudulent deals with politicians keen to bathe in the reflected glory of royalty. Part of the money was allegedly then laundered through offshore accounts.

"If the princess sits in the dock, the blow to the monarchy's prestige will be huge," said Miguel Bernad, head of the controversial far-right Clean Hands movement that has sent a prosecutor to join the case and who will ask investigating magistrate José Castro to formally name the king's daughter as a suspect. » | Giles Tremlett in Madrid | Friday, February 22, 2013

Spain's King Juan Carlos to Abdicate

Spain's King Juan Carlos delivers a speech to explain
the reasons for his abdication

THE GUARDIAN: Monarch says he is proud of country's transition to democracy but son Felipe has the maturity to 'open a new era of hope'

After 39 years on the throne, King Juan Carlos of Spain will abdicate in favour of his son Crown Prince Felipe, the king said in a televised address on Monday.

Hours after the prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, broke the news, the king explained his decision on Spanish television and radio. He highlighted his pride in the "transformation of Spain" and the "tremendous amount achieved by all" since the country's transition into democracy.

"Today, when I look back, I cannot help but feel pride and gratitude towards all of you," he said.

The decision to step down, he said, was made after his 76th birthday in January. His son Felipe, he assured Spaniards, "has the maturity, preparation, and sense of responsibility necessary to assume the title of head of state and open a new era of hope which combines the experience and momentum of a new generation." Read on and comment » | Ashifa Kassam | Monday, June 02, 2014

Skandal Royal: Juan Carlos – Brudermord?
König Juan Carlos von Spanien ist einer der beliebtesten Monarchen der Gegenwart. Nur wenige wissen von einem tragischen Geheimnis aus seiner Kindheit. Am 29. März 1956 starb sein Bruder Alfonso im Alter von 15 Jahren an den Folgen einer Schussverletzung am Kopf. Offiziell war von einem Unfall die Rede. Alfonso hätte sich beim Waffenreinigen unabsichtlich umgebracht. Ein Band der Stille legte sich über diesen Tod - bis zum 17. April 1956. An diesem Tag veröffentlichte eine italienische Zeitung eine schockierende Nachricht: Die offizielle Erklärung der spanischen Botschaft sei gelogen. Die italienische Presse druckte eine andere Version: Juan Carlos soll abgedrückt und seinen Bruder mit einem Kopfschuss getötet haben.
Das Video hier abspielen | Sonntag, 22. April 2012

Queen Goes Riding on Anniversary of Coronation as Spain's King Juan Carlos Abdicates

Queen Elizabeth II horseriding at Windsor Castle, Berkshire

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Constitutional historians say Spanish king's abdication will have no effect on the Queen

As the Queen marked the 61st anniversary of her coronation by going for a gentle pony ride in Windsor today, King Juan Carlos of Spain announced his abdication after 40 years on the throne.

His decision is unlikely to have been welcomed by the Queen, and nor will it have weakened her resolve to carry on as monarch for the rest of her life, according to constitutional historians.

The British monarchy, unlike Spain’s, is a sacerdotal system, meaning Kings and Queens are consecrated during a religious ceremony in which they swear before God to carry out their various duties. Edward VIII abdicated before he had been crowned, meaning he never took the Coronation Oath, thus avoiding a constitutional crisis.

The Spanish crown, in contrast, is a far more ceremonial position; monarchs are crowned, but not consecrated, meaning they are not bound by a religious oath to carry on for life.

The historian Hugo Vickers said that unlike King Juan Carlos, who is in poor health and has faced a slump in his popularity, the Queen, who is 88, is "firing on all cylinders". » | Gordon Rayner, Chief Reporter | Monday, June 02, 2014

Espagne : le roi Juan Carlos de nouveau opéré

LE POINT: L'Espagne s'interroge sur une possible abdication du souverain, âgé de 75 ans. Sa popularité s'est effritée au fil des années après une série de scandales.

Le roi Juan Carlos d'Espagne a été opéré mardi pour une infection à la hanche gauche, une nouvelle intervention qui alimente le débat sur l'éventualité d'une abdication, rejetée par le souverain lui-même, et sur le rôle du prince héritier Felipe. L'opération, qui a duré deux heures et demie, qualifiée de "succès" par la maison royale, a permis la pose d'une prothèse provisoire de la hanche gauche, a expliqué à la presse le docteur Miguel Cabanela, qui a dirigé l'intervention. Le roi, âgé de 75 ans, devra donc être opéré une nouvelle fois dans "huit semaines au minimum" afin que lui soit posée une prothèse définitive, a ajouté le médecin, un spécialiste espagnol de renom venu spécialement des États-Unis.

Arrivé en voiture à l'hôpital privé Quiron, à Pozuelo de Alarcon dans la banlieue de Madrid, le roi, souriant, avait salué de la main les journalistes, répondant par un bref "très bien" à ceux qui lui demandaient comment il allait. Quelques heures plus tard, alors que la reine Sofia arrivait au chevet de son mari, un homme nu a surgi devant l'entrée de l'hôpital en criant "Non aux crimes secrets de la CIA !". Il a été maîtrisé par les services de sécurité au bout de quelques secondes. À la suite de douleurs apparues ces dernières semaines et de difficultés grandissantes à se déplacer, les médecins avaient diagnostiqué une infection et décidé de cette intervention, destinée à remplacer la prothèse que le roi avait reçue en novembre 2012. » | Le Point.fr | mercredi 25 septembre 2013

LE FIGARO: Affaibli, Juan Carlos exclut d'abdiquer : Le roi d'Espagne a subi mardi une énième opération de la hanche, qui relance le débat sur sa succession. » | Par Mathieu de Taillac | mardi 24 septembre 2013

Ex-King Juan Carlos Leaves Spain amid Corruption Allegations

Spain's former king Juan Carlos has left the country as criminal prosecutors investigate allegations of corruption. He has been accused of receiving a $100m gift from the late Saudi king for backing a high-speed rail contract. The move has reignited debate about the role of the monarchy in Spain.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Juan Carlos, Spain’s Former King, Quits Country Amid Multiple Investigations »

Former Spanish King Juan Carlos 'Leaves Spain' amid Corruption Investigations | DW News

Spain's former king Juan Carlos has left the country amid allegations of corruption. There are reports he is in the Dominican Republic, though no official announcement has been made. Prosecutors have long been investigating Juan Carlos. The longtime monarch is facing accusations he took a kickback from Saudi Arabia when Spanish companies won a contract to build a railway between Mecca and Medina. The King's former lover - Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein - is suspected to have received the bribe money.

Spain's King and Queen Will Not Celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversary

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Spain's royal court has confirmed that King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia will not hold any private or public celebrations of their Golden Wedding anniversary in a development that appears to confirm an estrangement in the relationship.

When King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia celebrated their silver wedding anniversary on May 14, 1987 they hosted a lavish reception at the Royal Palace inviting 25 other couples from across Spain who married on the same day.

But their golden wedding anniversary which falls next Monday will be marked with no such celebration.

The lack of a formal celebration has done much to fuel speculation over the state of the 74-year-old Monarch's marriage.

The last bout of speculation began when King Juan Carlos fractured his hip during an ill-fated safari trip to Botswana to hunt elephants.

Amid the public outcry over the nature and expense of the private trip, which led to an unprecedented apology by the shame faced monarch issued on the steps of the hospital, it was noted that Queen Sofia had paid only a brief visit to his bedside.

Royal commentators were quick to remark that the 26-minute bedside visit by Queen Sofia, who had not been on the hunting trip but visiting her Greek relatives, hinted at the deep breakdown in their relationship.

"The failure of his marriage to Queen Sofia, from whom he is practically separated, is public knowledge," wrote Jose Antonio Zarzalejos, a royal commentator and the former director of respected daily ABC. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Related »

Spanien: König Juan Carlos nimmt Abschied

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Ein Monarch dankt ab: Spaniens König Juan Carlos verabschiedet sich aus dem Amt. Trotz der bescheiden gehaltenen Zeremonie wollten Monarchie-Gegner demonstrieren - doch sie dürfen nicht.

Madrid - Für den Monarchen und seine Frau ist es das letzte gemeinsame Bankett: Spaniens König Juan Carlos und Königin Sofía nehmen Abschied vom Thron. Das Königspaar, 76 und 75 Jahre alt, lud am Dienstag die Repräsentanten der wichtigsten Institutionen des Staates zu einem Abschiedsessen in den Zarzuela-Palast. » | kes/dpa | Dienstag, 17. Juni 2014

Former Spanish King Wins Bid to Throw Out Ex-lover’s Lawsuit in English Court

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Judge rules £126m harassment case brought by Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn outside court’s jurisdiction

Corinna Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn was attempting to sue Juan Carlos, the former Spanish king, accusing him of harassment. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA
A £126m lawsuit brought against the former king of Spain by his ex-lover cannot go to trial in England, a judge has ruled.

Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, a Danish businesswoman with homes in England, was attempting to sue Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014, in the high court of England and Wales. On Friday, the judge, Mrs Justice Rowena Collins Rice, said the case was outside the court’s jurisdiction.

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn claims she suffered intrusive, intimidatory and adverse episodes since their relationship came to public attention in 2012 in the aftermath of an elephant-hunting trip to Botswana.

She alleged that this included ordering the then head of Spain’s national intelligence agency to harass and threaten her. Documents submitted to an earlier hearing alleged that a book about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, was left in her home as a warning. Juan Carlos denied the claims made against him and had sought to have them struck out. » | Haroon Siddique, Legal affairs correspondent, and Sam Jones in Madrid | Friday, October 6, 2023

Un article connexe ici.

Health Scare Sparks King 'Abdication' Rumours

THE LOCAL (SPAIN): Spain's Royal Palace announced on Friday King Juan Carlos will have hip surgery, but not before the rumour started circulating that the 75-year-old monarch was about to abdicate because of ill health.

The health of Spain's monarch was the subject of much debate in Friday, the Spanish edition of the Huffington Post reported.

Early in the day, the palace had scheduled a news conference for 6pm to give details on the status of the King's health.

In the intervening period, the country's El Confidencial reported the King would soon be travelling to the United States for specialist advice regarding pain in his left hip.

That story was also reported by Catalonia's La Vanguardia newspaper while the news site Vox Populi said the King would have surgery in the US, but not for an operation on his hip.

Alongside the media speculation, Twitter messages flew about hinting at a possible abdication of the Spanish Head of State.

"There's a rumour that the Royal Family will announce the abdication of King Juan Carlos at 6pm. If it's true we will have to thank him for his great service to Spain," tweeted Juan Gomez. » | The Local/AFP | Friday, September 20, 2013