Fresh troubles are on the horizon in Spain, as rumours arise that King Juan Carlos was prevented from visiting the country again.
The former Monarch was supposed to return to Sanxenxo, where he also stayed during his visit in May, for the second leg of a sailing competition, which will take place on the 10th of June, and for the world Championships, which will be from the 14th to the 18th.
In the World Championships, King Juan Carlos’s boat, the Bribón, is the defending champion of two consecutive titles, which is why the cancelation at the last minute of this second trip “for strictly personal reasons” has led to some debate.
King Juan Carlos decided to move to Abu Dhabi in August of 2020, following intense scrutiny over his money affairs and ongoing investigations into allegations of financial impropriety, which he always denied.
After all investigations into his finances ended earlier this year, without any charges, King Juan Carlos started talking about a potential return to Spain, although at first it wasn’t clear whether it would be on a permanent or temporary base.
In March, he sent a letter to his son, King Felipe VI, expressing his wish to return regularly to Spain to visit family and friends, but remain based in the United Arab Emirates, “for reasons that belong to me and only me”, he wrote.
And then, in May, he made his first trip back to the country he ruled for almost four decades, for the first time in roughly two years.
Juan Carlos received a warm welcome in Sanxenxo with large crowds turning out to cheer him. However, there was controversy, too. A large media presence attended the club with one journalist asking the former monarch if he had any explanations or apologies to offer. He replied “Explanations of what?”.
The Spanish government didn’t seem too happy with handling of the situation, and could be behind the cancelation at the last minute of King Juan Carlos’s second trip to Spain, according to some sources.
News of these trips connected with the Sanxenxo sailing competitions come directly from the President of the city’s Royal Nautical Club, Pedro Campos, who also hosted the former Monarch during his last trip.
