Khaberni - In his memoirs released on Wednesday in France, former King of Spain Juan Carlos describes himself as a wounded man, recognizing his previous mistakes and affirming his dream of returning to his homeland from the self-imposed exile following numerous scandals.
Juan Carlos, now 87 years old and residing in the United Arab Emirates since 2020, writes in his memoirs, published for the first time, "Not a day passed without overwhelming nostalgia, as if Spain were still clinging to me. He admits to being very afraid of leaving without being able to say everything, to explain everything."
In his book "Reconciliation," released by Stock Publications and spanning 500 pages co-written with Laurence Debray, the king, who abdicated in 2014, admits to "mistakes," such as his relationship with one of his mistresses, the German aristocrat Corinna Larsen, whom he mentions without naming her.
The former monarch writes in the first person, "I cannot avoid this issue, as it adversely impacted my reign and my life. I address it reluctantly. This will surely be the only time."
The two were together in Botswana in 2012 during a lavish elephant hunting trip where Juan Carlos suffered a hip fracture. The news of Juan Carlos's relationship with Larsen and his participation in this opulent trip at a time when Spain was deep in an economic crisis led to a significant outcry and contributed to tarnishing the king's reputation.
In his memoirs, the former king also touches on the many gifts he received during his reign, describing his acceptance of one worth $100 million from the late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz as a "grave mistake." He adds, "It was a gift I did not know how to refuse."
The co-author Laurence Debray, who conducted the memoir writing sessions with the king in French, notes that Juan Carlos openly and very explicitly states, "() that he regrets certain things."
She adds, "It’s his narrative, his truth. It truly is history in the general sense, but described from the inside, from his personal point of view."
Debray, who had previously written a biography of the king in 2013 and interviewed him for a documentary before his abdication in 2014, moved to Abu Dhabi in September 2022 to work on his memoirs.
Returning Home
Juan Carlos took over the leadership of the Spanish state in 1975, after the death of dictator Franco, who chose him as his successor.
He was a prominent figure on the international stage and was greatly respected and esteemed for decades for bringing democracy back to Spain.
He recounts in his memoirs, "I was sitting beside Franco on his hospital bed shortly before his death, he took my hand and said, as if breathing his last: Your Majesty, I only ask one thing of you: to maintain the unity of the country. I was therefore free to launch reforms."
Debray considers Juan Carlos as still a unique European figure, as he is one of the few leaders still alive from the World War II era.
In his memoirs, the former king also mentions his wife Sofia, who remained in Spain, where he visits her occasionally. He says, "I deeply regret that my wife never traveled to see me. I believe she does not want to upset our son, the current King of Spain, Felipe VI."
In Spain, where Juan Carlos's memoirs will be published in December, he was seen as a jovial man, approachable, and very beloved, according to Debray who describes him as in reality a very lonely man, torn between his family and Franco since his early childhood.
Juan Carlos affirms his wish to be able to return to Spain, to his homeland, more than anything else at the end of his life. He adds, "I wish to reclaim my position, my status as a man who dedicated himself entirely to his country and hopes to be buried there, honored."
