King Emeritus Juan Carlos I arrived this Thursday at Vigo airport (northwest Spain) in a private plane, after almost two years outside of Spain. He was received by his eldest daughter, the infanta Elena.
Juan Carlos de Borbón, 84 years old, who has held the title of king emeritus since he abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son, Felipe VI, returned to his country for the first time since he left in August 2020 to live in Abu Dhabi.
His departure from Spain occurred after the controversy over the information published on alleged irregular business abroad, which led to three investigations by the Spanish Supreme Court Prosecutor’s Office, which finally filed them last March.
LAST MINUTE: First images of King Juan Carlos on his return to Spain https://t.co/jYWNgjCOvJ pic.twitter.com/gHsexRooVb
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After filing these investigations, the emeritus king expressed his intention to visit Spain privately, which took place this Thursday.
The visit of the former head of state will last until Monday, when he will travel to Madrid, where he will see his son Felipe VI, Queen Sofía and the other members of his family at the Palacio de la Zarzuela, the monarch’s official residence. This before leaving that same day for the United Arab Emirates, so he will not spend the night in his former residence.
The purpose of the trip is to attend the regattas in the Galician town of Sanxenxo, a sport that Juan Carlos de Borbón is a great fan of and has practiced for years.
Upon arrival at Vigo airport, his daughter and the sailor and president of the Real Club Náutico de Sanxenxo, Pedro Campos, a friend of his closest circle and at whose address he will stay while he is in Galicia, were waiting for him at the foot of the runway.
In that Galician town it is expected that in the next few hours he will receive his closest friends to greet them and exchange impressions.