King Juan Carlos has announced his plans for returning to Spain in a letter sent to his son, King Felipe, that Casa Real has made public.
The former monarch plans to reside permanently in Abu Dhabi, but he will return to Spain “frequently.” However, he will not stay in Zarzuela Palace when he does return to the country he led for decades.
Juan Carlos requested that Felipe, who he said he is immensely proud of, release his letter to the public for all Spaniards to read. He thanked Abu Dhabi and its people for their “wonderful hospitality.”
In his letter, Juan Carlos addresses the investigation into his finances by the State Attorney General and the issues it caused. Now that he will not be charged, the King wants to return to Spain but “not immediately.”
“I prefer, at this time, for reasons that belong to my private sphere and that only affect me, to continue residing permanently and stable in Abu Dhabi, where I have found peace of mind, especially for this period of my life. Although, naturally, I will frequently return to Spain, which I always carry in my heart, to visit family and friends,” he wrote.
King Juan Carlos expressed his desire to “end this stage of my life from the serenity and perspective that time has elapsed,” referring to his retirement from public life in 2019.
The King does not plan to return to public life.
His Majesty does not plan to live in the royal palaces when he returns to Spain. “In this sense, both during my visits and if I were to reside in Spain again in the future, it is my purpose to organise my personal life and my place of residence in areas of a private nature in order to continue enjoying the greatest possible privacy,” he said.
He went on to admit that he recognises the importance of public opinion toward him due to actions in his private life, which the King said he regrets. King Juan Carlos did say, though, that he felt “legitimate pride in my contribution to democratic coexistence and freedom in Spain, the result of the collective effort and sacrifice of all Spanish people.”
Casa Real has said that King Felipe understands the desires of his father.
