Juan Carlos I, Spain's disgraced king emeritus, has again set foot on the soil of his former kingdom. His private plane from London landed shortly after 1:30pm in the Galician city of Vigo, from where he left by car in the direction of the Atlantic seaside town of Sanxenxo, accompanied by his friend Pedro Campos. It is the second time he has returned to Spain since he left the country unannounced in 2020, and as on the first return trip last year, a visible security operation was deployed at Vigo airport, keeping at bay the dozens of journalists who sought images of his fleeting passage through the airfield.
Thus, for the second time since he left for Abu Dhabi to get away from his problems with justice, he is back in Spain. The formula for the trip is similar: the patriarch of the Spanish royals is travelling to Sanxenxo to attend the Copa de España races organized by the local yacht club in which his boat, the Bribón, is taking part.
This time, his return to Spain also aroused anticipation and reluctance on the part of the Zarzuela palace, since the royal household did not know of his impending visit until it was published in the press. All of this illustrates the difficult relationship within the Spanish royal family. Those in the former king's circles defend his return to the Spanish state, asserting that he is no longer in the spotlight of the justice system after Spanish prosecutors dropped their corruption investigations; however, his image remains a dead weight for the Spanish monarchy, which has been unable to turn the page.
The emeritus is following the travel itinerary that had been announced. He passed through the United Kingdom - with visit to Real Madrid's match against Chelsea included - before flying to Galicia this Wednesday. His departure is expected to be on Sunday, April 23rd. Members of the press had been gathering since before his arrival outside the residence of the president of the Royal Nautical Club of Sanxenxo (Pontevedra), Pedro Campos.
More visits in the future
If the lack of communication between the abdicated king and the Zarzuela strains royal relationships, the fact that he plans to come to Spain more frequently does not help either. Juan Carlos I would like to spend time on board his yacht Bribón as it prepares to compete in the world championship of the 6 metre class, which will take place on the Isle of Wight between August 31st and September 8th. According to those close to the former king, if he wants to win this competition with his crew, it will not be enough to train for two or three days in Galician waters. Meanwhile, it is believed that the Spanish royal house asked Juan Carlos to postpone these visits until after the municipal elections on May 28th.
The view from Albion
Before setting foot in Sanxenxo, the former Spanish king passed through London. There he was seen meeting friends as well as watching Real Madrid's Champions League victory at Stamford Bridge. The Daily Mail claimed that Juan Carlos had taken breakfast with king Charles III; however, the British monarchy confirmed to the UK embassy in Madrid that there was no meeting between the two.