Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Juan Carlos' Memoir Admits $100 Million Gift, Faults Family, Denies Diana Affair

The disclosures land as Madrid prepares 50th‑anniversary events that largely exclude the former king.

Overview

  • The book, Réconciliation, co‑authored with Laurence Debray, is set for a November 5 release in France with a Spanish edition due in December, following advance interviews with Le Figaro and other French outlets.
  • Juan Carlos calls accepting $100 million from Saudi King Abdullah in 2008 a “serious mistake,” with previously opened investigations in Spain and Switzerland reported as shelved years ago.
  • He says Felipe VI “turned his back out of duty,” cites a “personal disagreement” with Queen Letizia, and notes that Queen Sofía has not visited him in Abu Dhabi.
  • He rejects rumors of an affair with Princess Diana and describes her as “cold, taciturn, distanced, except in the presence of paparazzi,” according to published excerpts.
  • He defends his role in Spain’s transition and recounts betrayal by General Alfonso Armada during the 1981 coup attempt, while FAZ reports he made a brief private visit to Spain and Portugal this week.