The Spanish government has reportedly asked the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Emeritus of Spain, Juan Carlos I, not to attend Her Majesty’s state funeral amid a legal dispute that threatens to drive a wedge between the government and the monarchy.
As soon as Buckingham Palace sent an invitation to King Emeritus Juan Carlos I, representatives of the Spanish government stepped in to make it clear that King Felipe VI, son of Juan Carlos and current King of Spain, was their preferred choice to represent the state. abroad.
Spanish government officials privately contacted Juan Carlos I, 84, to ask him not to attend the funeral, according to what was published by the newspaper “El Debate”. But the king emeritus can choose to attend in his own capacity, without the blessing of the Spanish government.
As a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, the royal family extended an invitation to him, the photos of Juan Carlos I at the state funeral would be the first of the king emeritus captured at a royal event since his abdication, which could undermine the king’s position Felipe VI, nephew of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
King Charles, who lives in Abu Dhabi, resigned after almost 40 years on the throne after his daughter’s husband was embroiled in a controversial elephant hunting scandal.
It has been announced that the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II will take place on September 19 at Westminster Abbey at 11 am, and the Spanish media generated a wave of speculation about whether Juan Carlos I will attend.
Juan Carlos I, who abdicated the Spanish throne in 2014, is awaiting trial in the United Kingdom after the country’s High Court ruled that he is not entitled to Sovereign Immunity in a case related to the alleged harassment of his ex-lover .
He faces accusations that he sent Spanish agents to Britain to harass and threaten his ex-lover and German businesswoman, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, 58, who alleges his servants broke into her Knightsbridge flat to spy on her.
Prosecutors in Switzerland and Spain shelved the cases last year after investigating him on suspicion of money laundering and tax evasion over a separate $100 million payment from the Saudi government.
But the case of harassment is still open in the United Kingdom: Juan Carlos I tries to appeal the ruling that denies him immunity from prosecution due to his royal status. Carlos had a number of adventures during his time on the Spanish thrones, including in the back of a van parked behind the Palacio de Oriente, according to a new HBO documentary series.
It is not the only scandal in which the former monarch is involved
Spanish authorities are also investigating the disappearance of 600,000 euros (520,000 pounds sterling) allegedly stolen by a close friend of Juan Carlos I.
Despite once being among the world’s most popular monarchs, polls showed roughly two-thirds of Spain wanted the king to abdicate, underscoring how quickly public opinion can change.
Juan Carlos returned to Spain for a short visit in 2022, but has spent the last two years living in exile in Abu Dhabi. All of Don Juan Carlos’ trips abroad have been closely watched by the Spanish government.
“Currently the head of state is Felipe VI and, like his father, he also represents the existing family ties between the two royal houses,” Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said in an interview over the weekend. .
Albares hopes that the Spanish government will continue to have “the closest possible relationship” with the United Kingdom after the Queen’s death, calling it “a very important country for Europe” after the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union, he said.
Queen Elizabeth died at the age of 96 on Thursday, Buckingham Palace announced, marking the end of a reign that saw close relations between the Windsors and the Bourbons. Felipe IV, Queen Letizia, as well as Queen Sofía, former Queen of Spain and wife of Juan Carlos, have also received their corresponding invitations from Windsor.
ABC