Spain’s former King Juan Carlos ‘will fly to London to meet King Charles for a private lunch’

Exiled former Spanish king Juan Carlos will reportedly fly to London from his hideout in the Middle East next week for a private lunch with King Charles III.

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

Leading Spanish 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 to his homeland last May after moving to Abu Dhabi nearly three years ago, to part to take 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, the wife of Felipe’s former TV journalist, at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral last September.

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

MailOnline has contacted 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 on May 6. Pictured: King Charles III waves to the crowd as he enters St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, Sunday, April 9

El Mundo says Juan Carlos initially planned to make another trip to Spain in mid-May, but decided to bring his plans forward to next week because it was an “inadequate date” so close to 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 on May 6.

The former king, who is still married to his wife Sofia despite numerous extramarital affairs, is accused of passing Princess Diana when she was just 25 during a holiday she and then-Prince Charles spent in 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 libidinous former king was “charming,” he could be “a little too considerate.”

A 2017 book by Spanish writer Amadeo Martinez Ingles called Juan Carlos a sex addict, claiming he slept with nearly 5,000 women.

Aside from his extramarital affairs, which reportedly led to secret love children, the former Spanish king is at the center of corruption investigations and charged with harassment by former lover Corinna zu Wittgenstein-Sayn in a case heard by the London Court of profession last year.

Judges of Britain’s Court of Appeal ruled in December that Juan Carlos, who reigned as King of Spain from 1975 until 2014 when he abdicated in favor of his son, had immunity for the period before he stepped down.

Her claim, made in London’s High Court, is expected to be heard at trial later this year.

Their relationship remained a secret until 2012 when it emerged that they had been on safari together to 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 opened 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 to meet King Charles III ahead of May’s coronation

Spain’s disgraced former King Juan Carlos arrived at Westminster Abbey last year for the Queen’s funeral (pictured), despite an argument over his presence with the Spanish government

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

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

The scandals he was embroiled in left his reputation in tatters, although investigations into him for alleged corruption and tax fraud were filed after he eliminated the possibility of legal action by paying off his tax debts.

It was reported earlier this year that businesswoman Corinna zu Wittgenstein-Sayn, 57, sold her stately home in Shropshire after telling friends she feared for her safety.

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