Spain’s scandal-hit and exiled former King Juan Carlos, 85, ‘will fly to London next week to meet King Charles for a private lunch’

The exiled former King of Spain, Juan Carlos, will reportedly return from hiding in the Middle East next week for a private lunch with King Charles III. fly to London.

The controversial 85-year-old king, who has been at the center of corruption investigations and a long and ongoing legal battle with his former lover in his home country, is also expected to make only his second visit to Spain since his shock departure in August 2020.

Spain’s leading daily El Mundo reports that he will travel from London to the Galician resort of Sanxenxo, one of the places he visited on his first return home in May last year, after moving to Abu Dhabi almost three years ago. to take part in a regatta. .

Juan Carlos accompanied his son, the current King of Spain, Felipe VI, and other members of his royal family, including Letizia Ortiz, wife of Felipe’s former TV journalist, to Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last September.

At the time, the Spanish government described his trip as “private” and insisted that Juan Carlos’ son and daughter-in-law were the only royal representatives there in an official capacity.

MailOnline has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.

The exact day Juan Carlos will fly to London has not yet been announced, but the visit is expected to take place before Charles III’s coronation. Held on May 6. Pictured: King Charles III. waves to the crowd as he enters St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire on Sunday, April 9

According to El Mundo, Juan Carlos originally planned to travel to Spain again in mid-May, but decided to postpone his plans to next week because it was an “inappropriate date” so close to the May 28 local and regional elections.

The exact day he will fly to London has not yet been announced, but the visit is expected to take place before Charles III’s coronation. Held on May 6.

The former king, who is still married to his wife Sofia despite numerous extramarital affairs, is accused of ignoring Princess Diana when she was just 25 during a holiday she and then-Prince Charles took to Majorca in 1986. .

Spanish royal expert Pilar Eyre made the claim in a 2012 book.

Diana herself denied anything unusual had happened, but admitted that while the voluptuous former king was “charming” he could be “a bit too considerate”.

A 2017 book by Spanish author Amadeo Martinez Ingles called Juan Carlos a sex addict and claimed he had slept with nearly 5,000 women.

Apart from his extramarital affairs, which reportedly led to secret love children, the former Spanish king is at the center of corruption investigations and faces charges of molestation by former mistress Corinna zu Wittgenstein-Sayn in a case that last year in the professional court in London.

Judges at Britain’s Court of Appeal ruled in December that Juan Carlos, who ruled as king of Spain from 1975 until 2014 when he abdicated in favor of his son, enjoyed immunity until his resignation.

Their lawsuit, brought before the High Court in London, is due to be heard in court later this year.

Their relationship remained a secret until 2012, when it was revealed they were on safari together in Botswana at the height of Spain’s economic crisis.

The trip came to light after the former monarch broke his hip in a fall and had to be flown back to Madrid for surgery.

Juan Carlos left Spain for a luxury hotel in Abu Dhabi after Swiss prosecutors launched an investigation into bank accounts he allegedly held in tax havens.

King Juan Carlos I, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, was invited by Buckingham Palace to attend the late monarch’s funeral. He is now ready for King Charles III. to meet before the coronation in May

Spain’s disgraced former King Juan Carlos arrived at Westminster Abbey for the Queen’s funeral (pictured) last year despite a dispute with the Spanish government over his attendance

Apart from his extramarital affairs, which reportedly led to secret love children, the former Spanish king is at the center of corruption investigations and is being molested by former mistress Corinna zu Wittgenstein-Sayn (pictured in London in 2014) in a case which the London Court of Appeal last year Year

Spain launched its own investigation, based in part on information shared by Switzerland, including a probe into cash the former king allegedly received as part of his involvement in a high-speed rail deal in Saudi Arabia.

The scandals he was involved in ruined his reputation, although investigations into alleged corruption and tax evasion were launched after he ruled out legal action by settling his tax debts.

Earlier this year, it was reported that businesswoman Corinna zu Wittgenstein-Sayn, 57, sold her Shropshire mansion after telling friends she feared for her safety.

Juan Carlos, a great-great-grandson of Britain’s Queen Victoria, is now a tax resident of the United Arab Emirates.