Former Spanish King Juan Carlos to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral

Madrid:

Former Spain king Juan Carlos will halt self-imposed exile in Abu Dhabi to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.

The Spanish Royal House said on Monday that Juan Carlos and his wife have conveyed their intention to accept an invitation from the British Foreign Office to attend the funeral on 19 September.

The former monarch left Spain for Abu Dhabi in August 2020 after prosecutors began investigating allegations of fraud in Spain and Switzerland. The investigation was later dropped due to insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations. Juan Carlos has declined to comment on various allegations of wrongdoing.

Juan Carlos may also face trial in Britain for harassment brought against him by his ex-boyfriend, Corinna zu Sion-Wittgenstein. He has vehemently denied the allegations.

Once respected for his role in the country’s transition to democracy, the former king’s popularity plummeted after a series of scandals. He stepped down in 2014 and now holds his permanent residence in the Gulf state.

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