Swiss newspaper 20 minuten (in German) has reported that the controversial photo of Spanish king emeritus Juan Carlos I with the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was released by the Saudi foreign ministry on their Twitter profile.
The photo "unleashed a wave of outrage in Spain", they report: "'a disgraceful photo', it's called. Bin Salman is under suspicion of being involved in the death of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi".
The crown prince is argued to have benefited from the image, showing him enjoying cordial relations with a figure like the former head of state. On the other hand, the photo has not been as positive for the Spanish monarchy.
The newspaper notes that despite the palace being reported as describing the meeting as "strictly ceremonial" and of no "institutional significance", the PSOE government has called for an explanation.
"Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 in favour of his son Felipe VI. He has long cultivated close contacts with the Saudi royal family," they add.