Mystery Ends as Spain’s Ex-King Surfaces in United Arab Emirates
Mystery Ends as Spain’s Ex-King Surfaces in United Arab Emirates
(Bloomberg) --
Former King of Spain Juan Carlos I is in the United Arab Emirates after leaving the country earlier this month, the Royal House said on Monday.
Juan Carlos has been in the U.A.E. since Aug. 3, a spokesman for the Royal House in Madrid said by phone Monday. The revelation brings to an end nearly two weeks of speculation about the whereabouts of the ex-head of state.
Juan Carlos, who abdicated the throne in 2014, revealed earlier this month that he was abandoning Spain in order to make it easier for his son King Felipe VI to exercise his duties. But in a letter to Felipe published on the Royal House website, he didn’t disclose where he was going, unleashing a wave of conjecture about his destination.
The ex-king has been plagued by legal problems, including a Swiss investigation into alleged payments he received from Middle Eastern royals. Juan Carlos remains available to answer questions from prosecutors, his lawyer, Javier Sanchez-Junco, said earlier this month when he announced plans to leave Spain.
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