The royal palace said in a statement on Monday that the former Spanish king, Juan Carlos, informed his son, King Felipe, that he had decided to leave the country, and that came after allegations of corruption had surfaced in recent weeks.
The statement of the palace quoted Juan Carlos' speech to his son as saying, "I have the desire to do the best for the benefit of the Spanish people and its institutions, and you as king. I inform you of my decision to leave Spain at this time."
King Felipe thanked his father, Juan Carlos, for his decision, highlighting the "historical importance that his father's rule represents" for democracy in Spain, stressing "the principles and values that underlie democracy in accordance with our constitution and the legal framework for our work."
It is not yet known where the former king will go, but the statement said that his decision to leave the country is due to his desire to facilitate the tasks of his son, the king, in peace and quiet.
Last June, the Spanish Supreme Court opened an investigation into the involvement of Juan Carlos, 82, in a contract for the high-speed railway linking Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, after the Swiss newspaper "La Tribune de Geneva" reported that he had received $ 100 million from The late King of Saudi Arabia, and through his lawyer, Juan Carlos declined to comment on the allegations.
The Spanish monarchs enjoy judicial immunity while in office, but Juan Carlos abdicated the throne to his son in 2014, which could make him vulnerable to trial.
Juan Carlos sat on the throne in 1975 after the death of General Francisco Franco and received very great respect for his role in leading Spain from dictatorship to democracy, but his popularity collapsed in subsequent years due to a series of scandals which prompted him to abdicate.