Spain: the return of the king embarrasses his son Felipe VI as the government of Pedro Sanchez

The former king of Spain, Juan Carlos, back in his country, in Sanxenxo, Galicia, May 20, 2022. © AP - Lalo R. Villar

Text by: RFI Follow

2 mins

Returning to Spain on Thursday after two years of exile in the United Arab Emirates, King Emeritus Juan Carlos embarrasses the current King Felipe VI and the government of Pedro Sanchez.

And this, even if justice closed without follow-up last March the accusations of corruption of which he was the object.

This Monday, he will see his son as part of a private visit before returning to Abu Dhabi.

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At 84, we saw him as happy as a child when he set foot on

a six-meter long sailboat, with which he was world champion in 2017. We also saw him applauded by hundreds of supporters in Sanxenxo, this Galician port known for its regattas and where Juan Carlos chose to settle a few days after a long period of absence in Spain, a country of which he was head of state for 39 years before leaving abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son

, specifies our correspondent in Madrid,

.

►Also read: Controversy in Spain after a tax regularization of ex-king Juan Carlos

This return

 embarrasses to the highest point, not monarchical or conservative Spain, which applauds this visit on the grounds that Juan Carlos no longer has any judicial pots, but the Sanchez government, according to which the ex-king owes explanations and apologies to the Spaniards.

It's the same thing with the Royal House where his son Felipe VI, who advocates exemplarity, would have done well without this hyper-mediatized stay in Galicia.

The Royal House wanted a low-key trip before returning to Abu Dhabi.

But the king emeritus does not intend to stop there, and he now intends to return to Spain regularly, to see his friends and family.

Queen Sophia still lives in Madrid.

He claimed he will be back in a few weeks...always to the embarrassment of Felipe VI, the heir to the throne.

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• Spain

• Juan Carlos

• Felipe VI

• United Arab Emirates