The Spanish royal family of the Bourbons seems unable to go even a month without a fresh wave of tension gripping the country. The past few weeks have been particularly turbulent, and just when it seemed things were calming down, honorary king Juan Carlos I delivered a new, completely unexpected blow. In recent years, Spaniards have seen it all: from the abdication of the monarch and the imprisonment of his son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarin to the notorious late-night escapades of grandson Froilán. But even the royal palace was unprepared for this turn of events.
It all began with the honorary king’s memoirs titled “Reconciliación,” which were released in France and are hitting Spanish bookstores this week. In Zarzuela, it seemed there was acceptance of the publication, and many believed the main damage had already been done by the numerous excerpts translated and published in the media over the past month. The recent gala lunch at the El Pardo palace, marking 50 years since the restoration of the monarchy, looked like an attempt to close another chapter of family disputes and showcase unity. But that was merely an illusion.
Although Juan Carlos gave three interviews to French media to promote his book, he firmly promised not to speak with Spanish journalists on the subject. This likely gave Zarzuela hope for calm ahead of the Spanish release. That turned out to be a serious miscalculation. Contrary to all expectations, the former monarch released a video that immediately went viral and flooded news feeds. In the video, he personally explains to Spaniards why he decided to publish his memoirs and touches on other aspects of his reign. Technically, it wasn’t an interview, but it amounted to a highly publicized promotional campaign.
The video itself is rather odd. It was recorded during the honorary king’s recent visit to Vitoria. Rumor has it, Juan Carlos sent it to several friends, asking them to help it go viral. The quality and presentation are so unusual that some even suspected the use of artificial intelligence. Be that as it may, the message from King Felipe VI’s father is crystal clear. “I want to leave a brief message for young Spaniards, especially those who don’t know Spain’s history,” he says. “Your fathers and grandfathers carried out an exemplary transition to democracy under very difficult circumstances. We all took risks, but thanks to the generosity and efforts of everyone, we made this country what it is today.”
He goes on to explain that he wrote his memoirs so that the older generation could recall historic moments and the younger generation could learn about recent history “without biased distortions” from someone who was at the center of events. At the end of his address, the honorary king asks for support for his son: “The monarchy played an important role in this transition. I ask you to support my son, King Felipe, in his hard work to unite all Spaniards. Thank you for listening to me, a warm embrace to you all.”
For the Zarzuela Palace, this video was a real media bombshell. The reaction followed almost immediately. An official spokesperson for the royal household told the media they were unaware of the upcoming release. Moreover, the palace does not understand the purpose of this move and considers it “inappropriate and unnecessary.” This is the honorary king’s first direct address to Spaniards since announcing his abdication in 2014.
For the record, Juan Carlos I was King of Spain from 1975 to 2014. His reign marked the country’s transition from Franco’s dictatorship to democracy, which gained him tremendous popularity. However, his later years on the throne were overshadowed by a series of corruption and personal scandals. In 2014, he abdicated in favor of his son Felipe VI. In 2020, amid new financial investigations, Juan Carlos left Spain and has since been living in Abu Dhabi, making occasional short visits to his homeland.
