Juan Carlos of Spain was the monarch reinstated after the fall of the dictator Franco in 1975. He reigned for approximately 39 years until his abdication in June 2014. Once venerated for his instrumental role in the peaceful transition of Spain from dictatorship to democracy, since 2012 his public popularity has plummeted, due to hunting scandals and allegations of financial wrongdoing.
In 2012 Spain was suffering a recession and unemployment rates skyrocketed. Meanwhile, Juan Carlos broke his hip while on a luxury safari featuring a private jet with a mistress in Botswana. Photos showed him holding a gun atop a dead elephant and outrage ensued which eventually led to his abdication in 2014.
In 2017 his son in law Uñaki Urdangarin was jailed for financial wrongdoing. Recently Juan Carlos was revealed to have accepted a “gift” of 100 million dollars from the late Saudi Arabian King Abdullah, 84 million of which went to one of his many lovers, Corrina zu Zayn – Wittgenstein. This month, Juan Carlos renounced his royal allowance and fled Spain to an undisclosed location. This unbelievably scandalous downfall truly questions the future of the Spanish monarchy. 62% of Spaniards believe a referendum is necessary to determine the necessity of a Spanish monarchy in 2020. The current king, Felipe VI (son of Juan Carlos), could be the last king of Spain.
Written by Isa
Artwork by Zara Masood
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