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Juan Carlos Says He Accidentally Killed His Brother in 1956 in New Memoir

His new memoir details an accidental 1956 shooting that he says has haunted him for decades.

Overview

  • The former Spanish king recounts the incident at the family home in Estoril on Maundy Thursday 1956 when he was 18 and his brother Alfonso was 14.
  • He writes that the brothers removed the magazine from a .22 pistol without realizing a round was still in the chamber and that a ricochet struck Alfonso in the forehead, who died in their father's arms.
  • He says the death has shadowed his life, describing enduring guilt, loss, and the feeling that his life grew darker after the shooting.
  • The account appears in Reconciliación, published in France on November 5 with wider release scheduled for December 3.
  • Coverage notes there was no formal investigation or autopsy at the time, and the book also addresses his exile in the United Arab Emirates, financial controversies, and a stated wish to return to Spain.