King Charles set for 'secret lunch' with controversial former royal: Details
King Charles will reportedly enjoy a private lunch with Spain’s former monarch, King Juan Carlos, on Tuesday.
The 85-year-old was spotted in London recently ahead of his reunion with Charles, his distant cousin. He is expected to be in the crowd watching Chelsea take on Real Madrid in the football this evening, before flying to Spain on Wednesday.
The news has sparked raised some eyebrows given Juan Carlos's controversial public persona. But the two men have long been close.
Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 and now lives in Abu Dhabi, was invited to attend the funeral of the late Queen – whom he was allowed to call Lilibet – last year.
He was not there in an official capacity; his son King Felipe and wife Queen Letizia were Spain's royal representatives.
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However, he was extended a personal invitation as a member of her family. Both were great-great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria.
Self-exiled Juan Carlos has also been invited to attend King Charles's coronation on 6 May. However, the Spanish government have indicated their unhappiness at that plan, preferring for Felipe and Letizia to attend alone.
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It therefore seems unlikely that the former King will be in the congregation for the historic event. His luncheon with Charles this week is probably the last time they will meet in person before the coronation takes place.
Juan Carlos was credited with overseeing Spain's transition from dictatorship to democracy in 1975. But he abdicated following a series of scandals involving his family, including a corruption investigation involving his daughter's husband, Inaki Urdangarin, who was later jailed.
The former king has spent years in self-imposed exile in the United Arab Emirates, after leaving Spain over allegations of fraud which were eventually dropped.
In December, Juan Carlos won an appeal to block part of a case brought against him in the UK by his ex-lover. Businesswoman Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein has accused the former monarch of directing a campaign of harassment against her since their relationship broke down in 2009.
But the UK judges ruled the former king had immunity over allegations related to the time he served as monarch.
