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Juan Carlos I Publishes French Memoir, Owning Personal 'Errors' and Detailing Rift With Felipe VI

The release serves as a bid to reframe his legacy during the monarchy’s 50th anniversary as the royal household keeps its distance.

Overview

  • The 512-page Reconciliación, written with Laurence Debray, goes on sale in France today, with a Spanish edition scheduled for December 3.
  • He acknowledges extramarital "desvíos sentimentales," labels most alleged affairs as fictitious, and praises Queen Sofía while denying rumored liaisons.
  • He calls his relationship with Corinna Larsen "the weakness of a man," saying it harmed his reign and family life and influenced his decision to leave Spain.
  • He accepts the Saudi $100 million as a "grave error" and ties his 2020 move to Abu Dhabi to media and government pressure after Swiss account revelations, saying he left to avoid burdening the Crown.
  • He recounts a rupture with Felipe VI after the king renounced his inheritance and cut his stipend, criticizes Letizia’s impact on family cohesion, and claims he helped grandson Froilán adopt a steadier life while in Abu Dhabi.