A controversial royal has vowed to make a major move after refusing to stay silent on a royal feud. The former King Juan Carlos I of Spain, who abdicated in 2014, has faced various allegations about his behaviour over the years, as well as suggestions of financial impropriety and infidelity.
The former monarch, who has lived in the United Arab Emirates since 2020, has largely avoided his home country since he abdicated in favour of his son, King Felipe VI. However, while Juan Carlos may be fairly happy in his current home, sources close to him have said he will relocate to Spain or Portugal.
Spanish news site, Monarquía Confidencial, reported that he said: “If I remain in exile, let it be close to Spain, like my father.”
It is believed that if Juan Carlos cannot move back to Spain then he will opt to settle in Portugal, where he is already looking for a residence according to sources close to him.
The former monarch has lived in exile in Abu Dhabi for five years and reportedly wants to find another solution as he has not been given the opportunity to return to Spain. This was confirmed to MC by sources close to him.
This comes after the controversial royal recently broke his silence and aired his feelings about how he has been treated since leaving Spain in 2020.
Monarquía Confidencial reported that Juan Carlos said: “I have kept quiet a lot, for the good of the institution and Spain, but there are things I can no longer tolerate.”
Juan Carlos’s decision to give up the throne came after he faced accusations of corruption, which he always denied.
While he has not lived in Spain since 2020, he has made various visits to the country for regattas, private visits and family events.
However, these have been surrounded by controversy, restrictions and political statements that, according to these sources, have contributed to the feeling of personal injustice and increasing disconnection from the institutional core.