An intriguing drama is unfolding on the Spanish book market, with honorary King Juan Carlos I at its center. Three decades later, the landmark biography “The King. Conversations with Don Juan Carlos,” written by aristocrat José Luis de Vilallonga, is returning to bookstore shelves. The reissue was initiated by his widow, Sélène de Vilallonga, and this move appears to be a direct response to a new book about the monarch that French writer Laurence Debray is preparing to release.
Sélène de Vilallonga’s decision is more than just a commercial move timed to coincide with the competing publication. It is an act of safeguarding her late husband’s legacy and, in some ways, that of the honorary king himself. Sélène has repeatedly stated that her husband’s work, based on trusted conversations with the monarch in 1992, holds unique value. In her view, no new works can add any significant details to the portrait of Juan Carlos from that era. The reissue, now featuring a preface by renowned writer Pilar Eyre, is meant to remind readers of the achievements of the monarch, which, according to the widow, have recently been undeservedly relegated to the background.
Vilallonga’s book captured the monarch at the height of his popularity, right after the triumphant Olympic Games in Barcelona and the Expo in Seville. It was a completely different historical context, preceding a string of scandals, his abdication, and self-imposed exile in Abu Dhabi. Silyen de Vilallonga consistently defends the position that the king’s personal mistakes should not overshadow his historical role. She also categorically denies rumors that her husband’s memoirs were written under pressure or with the involvement of third parties, such as the king’s close friend Marta Gaia, emphasizing the author’s professionalism and literary talent.
On the other side of the literary ring stands Laurence Debray, an intellectual with an equally fascinating background. Her book, ‘Rapprochement,’ promises a fresh perspective on the monarch’s life. Debray, the daughter of well-known French revolutionaries connected to Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, has admired the Spanish king since her youth, seeing him as a symbol of democratic reforms. Her previous work, ‘My Fallen King,’ already showed her deep interest in Juan Carlos as a figure. Thus, her new book is not just a biography, but the result of many years of reflection, backed by a unique personal and family background.
Thus, Spanish readers witness a clash of two eras and two perspectives. On one side is the classic portrait of the reformist king, created by his contemporary and trusted confidant. On the other is a modern attempt by a new-generation author to interpret the complex and controversial monarch. Only time and the public’s response will reveal which of these stories proves more convincing.
