Editing Juan Carlos I (section)

== Retirement ==
After abdication, Juan Carlos continued to have a role as institutional representative of the Crown.

From June 2014 to June 2019, he attended several Latin American presidential inaugurations such as the second inauguration of [[Juan Manuel Santos]] as president of Colombia,<ref>{{Cite news |last=L |first=Elizabeth Reyes |date=2014-08-06 |title=El Rey Juan Carlos visita Colombia para la toma de posesión del presidente Santos |language=es |work=El País |url=https://elpais.com/politica/2014/08/06/actualidad/1407322492_764468.html |access-date=2023-08-27 |issn=1134-6582}}</ref> the inauguration of [[Tabaré Vázquez]] as president of Uruguay,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-28 |title=El Rey Juan Carlos se reúne en Montevideo con Tabaré Vázquez |url=https://www.larazon.es/espana/el-rey-juan-carlos-se-reune-en-montevideo-con-tabare-vazquez-IE8996912/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=www.larazon.es |language=es}}</ref> and the [[inauguration of Mauricio Macri]] as president of Argentina.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vanitatis.elconfidencial.com/casas-reales/2016-01-04/el-rey-juan-carlos-despide-el-ano-en-los-angeles-otra-vez_1130370/ |website=Vanitatis |publisher=[[El Confidencial]] | date=4 January 2016 |title=El Rey Juan Carlos despide el año en Los Ángeles (otra vez) |first=M. |last=Bolonio}}</ref> He also represented the [[Monarchy of Spain|Crown]] in different cultural<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-10-19 |title=El primer acto oficial del rey Juan Carlos en 4 meses es la inauguración de una exposición en el Palacio Real |url=https://www.publico.es/politica/primer-acto-oficial-del-rey.html |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=www.publico.es}}</ref> and sports<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-08-30 |title=El Rey Juan Carlos asiste al primer partido del Mundobasket |url=https://www.europapress.es/andalucia/sevilla-00357/noticia-rey-juan-carlos-asiste-primer-partido-copa-mundo-baloncesto-fiba-2014-20140830161331.html |access-date=2023-08-27 |publisher=Europa Press}}</ref> events, funerals,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Telemadrid |date=2014-12-12 |title=Don Juan Carlos y doña Sofía asisten en Bruselas al funeral de la reina Fabiola |url=https://www.telemadrid.es/noticias/internacional/Juan-Carlos-Sofia-Bruselas-Fabiola-0-1637536264--20141212014252.html |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=Telemadrid |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Díaz |first=Javier |date=2017-12-16 |title=Juan Carlos y Sofía, en el funeral de estado de Miguel I de Rumanía |url=https://www.vanitatis.elconfidencial.com/casas-reales/2017-12-16/miguel-de-rumania-funeral-juan-carlos-sofia-casas-reales_1493879/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=vanitatis.elconfidencial.com |language=es}}</ref> and awards ceremonies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-10-27 |title=Economía/Macro.- Agustín Maravall recibe el Premio Rey Juan Carlos de Economía 2014 |url=https://www.europapress.es/economia/macroeconomia-00338/noticia-economia-macro-agustin-maravall-recibe-premio-rey-juan-carlos-economia-2014-20141027141705.html |access-date=2023-08-27 |publisher=Europa Press}}</ref> Finally, the former sovereign was also present in the events about the 40th anniversary of the [[Spanish Constitution of 1978]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Collado |first=Paloma Esteban;Ángel |date=2018-11-30 |title=La Casa Real rehabilita a don Juan Carlos con tres actos en el aniversario constitucional |url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2018-11-30/rey-juan-carlos-40-aniversario-constitucion-congreso-diputados_1677254/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=elconfidencial.com |language=es}}</ref>

On 27 May 2019, King Juan Carlos announced by a letter to his son Felipe his intention to retire from public life on 2 June 2019<!--Announced his pending abdication on 2 June 2014, which took effect on 19 June 2014-->.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 May 2019 |title=Cese de actividades institucionales de S.M. el Rey Don Juan Carlos |language=es |work=[[Casa de Su Majestad el Rey de España]] |location=Palacio de La Zarzuela |url=https://www.casareal.es/ES/AreaPrensa/Paginas/area_prensa_comunicados_interior.aspx?data=108 |access-date=29 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=27 May 2019|title=Juan Carlos I anuncia su retirada de la vida pública|language=es|newspaper=[[La Vanguardia]]|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/sucesos/20190527/462516737351/juan-carlos-felipe-vi-retirada-carta-casa-real-video-seo-ext.html|access-date=29 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="Telegraph2019" />

===Corruption investigations===

==== 2020 Saudi rail deal ====
[[File:Talgo 350 SRO.jpg|thumb|The construction of [[Haramain high-speed railway|a high-speed railway]] in Saudi Arabia was allegedly coordinated with kick-backs to Juan Carlos during the late 2000s.]]
Recordings of the former King's alleged mistress [[Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn]] speaking with a former police chief were leaked to the press in mid-2018.<ref name="Telegraph2018">{{cite news|title=Former king of Spain Juan Carlos I accused of using 'lover' to secure low-tax property deals|author=Hannah Strange|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=11 July 2018|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/11/former-king-spain-juan-carlos-accused-using-lover-secure-low/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/11/former-king-spain-juan-carlos-accused-using-lover-secure-low/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Sayn-Wittgenstein claimed that Juan Carlos received [[Kickback (bribery)|kick-backs]] from commercial contracts in the [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Gulf States]] – particularly in the late-2000s construction of the €6.7&nbsp;billion [[Haramain high-speed railway]] in [[Saudi Arabia]] – and maintained these proceeds in a [[Banking in Switzerland|bank account in Switzerland]].<ref name="Telegraph2018"/><ref>{{Cite news|date=4 August 2020|title=Spain's ex-King Juan Carlos leaves country|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53642283|access-date=4 August 2020}}</ref> She alleged that he purchased properties in Monaco under her name to circumvent the [[Economy of Monaco#Tax haven|tax treatment of lawful residents]], stating "[not] because he [loved] me a lot, but because I reside in Monaco."<ref name="Telegraph2018"/> She further claimed the head of the [[National Intelligence Centre (Spain)|Spanish intelligence service]] warned her that her life, and those of her children, would be at risk if she spoke of their association. The allegations drew demands for Juan Carlos to be investigated for corruption in early June 2019.<ref name="Telegraph2019">{{cite news|title=Spain's former king Juan Carlos bows out of public life after 'snub' from son Felipe over military parade|work=The Daily Telegraph|author=James Badcock|date=1 June 2019|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/01/spains-former-king-juan-carlos-bows-public-life-mixed-legacy/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/06/01/spains-former-king-juan-carlos-bows-public-life-mixed-legacy/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>Matthew Campbell, Juan Carlos: with a final olé, Spain's King of Shame limps out of spotlight, The Sunday Times, 2 June 2019</ref>

Swiss authorities began investigating Juan Carlos in March 2020 in relation to a $100&nbsp;million gift to Sayn-Wittgenstein in 2012.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=5 March 2020|title=ERC, Junts, Compromís y Errejón piden que el Congreso investigue al Rey Juan Carlos I|url=https://www.europapress.es/nacional/noticia-erc-junts-compromis-errejon-piden-congreso-investigue-rey-juan-carlos-20200305141619.html|publisher=[[Europa Press (news agency)|Europa Press]]}}</ref> This donation was linked to alleged kick-back fees from Saudi Arabia.<ref name=":1"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.elespanol.com/espana/20200706/juan-carlos-encargo-zarzuela-estructura-ocultara-suiza/502950220_0.html|website=El Español|title=Juan Carlos I encargó en Zarzuela "crear una estructura" para ocultar dinero saudí en Suiza|author=María Peral|date=6 July 2020}}</ref> Sayn-Wittgenstein reportedly told the head Swiss prosecutor on 19 December 2018 that Juan Carlos had given her €65&nbsp;million out of "gratitude and love", to guarantee her future and her children's, because "he still had hopes to win her back".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2020-07-04/corinna-larsen-declaro-que-juan-carlos-i-le-dio-65-millones-por-gratitud-y-no-para-esconder-el-dinero.html|website=El País|date=4 July 2020|title=Corinna Larsen declaró que Juan Carlos I le dio 65 millones "por gratitud" y no para esconder el dinero|author=José María Irujo}}</ref> A letter written by Juan Carlos to his Swiss lawyers in 2018 stated the gift was irrevocable, despite his having asked in 2014 for the return of the money.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bolsamania.com/noticias/ultima-hora/juan-carlos-i-confirmo-por-escrito-que-la-transferencia-de-65-millones-a-corinna-fue-un-regalo--7614971.html |title=Juan Carlos dejó escrito que la transferencia de 65 millones a Corinna fue un regalo |publisher=Bolsamania |date=19 November 2020}}</ref> On 14 March 2020, ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' reported that his son Felipe, King of Spain since 2014, appeared as second beneficiary (after Juan Carlos) of the Lucum Foundation, which had received a €65&nbsp;million donation by King [[Abdullah of Saudi Arabia]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/Felipe-VI-aparece-beneficiario-offshore_0_1005799909.html |website=eldiario.es|title=Felipe VI es el segundo beneficiario de la fundación que recibió los 100 millones de Arabia Saudí, según The Telegraph |date=14 March 2020}}</ref> On 15 March 2020, the [[Royal Household of Spain|Royal Household]] declared that Felipe VI would renounce any inheritance from his father. Additionally, the Household announced that the former king would lose his public stipend from the State's General Budget.<ref name="abc2020">{{Cite web |url=https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2020-03-15/el-rey-renuncia-a-la-herencia-de-don-juan-carlos-y-le-retira-su-asignacion-de-los-pge_2499376/|website=El Confidencial|title=El Rey renuncia a la herencia de don Juan Carlos y le retira su asignación pública |date=15 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/casa-real/abci-renuncia-herencia-juan-carlos-202003151948_noticia.html|website=ABC|title=El Rey renuncia a la herencia de Don Juan Carlos|date=15 March 2020}}</ref>

In June 2020, the public prosecutor's office of the [[Supreme Court of Spain]] agreed to investigate Juan Carlos's role as facilitator in [[Haramain high-speed railway#Phase II|Phase II of the high speed rail connecting Mecca and Medina]], intending to determine the criminal relevance of events that took place after his abdication in June 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/Fiscalia-Supremo-Juan-Carlos-AVE_0_1035896583.html|website=eldiario.es| author=Marcos Pinheiro|title=La Fiscalía del Supremo asume la investigación contra el rey Juan Carlos por el AVE a La Meca|date=8 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-06-08/supreme-court-prosecutors-to-investigate-spains-emeritus-king-over-kickback-scheme.html|website=El País|author=Reyes Rincón |title=Supreme Court prosecutors to investigate Spain's emeritus king over kickback scheme|date=8 June 2020}}</ref> As King of Spain, Juan Carlos was immune from prosecution from 1975 to 2014 by [[sovereign immunity]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=4 August 2020|title=Spain's ex-King Juan Carlos leaves country|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53642283|access-date=4 August 2020|quote=Spain's Supreme Court has said it aims to establish Juan Carlos's connection with the Saudi project after his abdication in June 2014. At that point he lost his immunity from prosecution.}}</ref>

A further investigation by Swiss authorities was undertaken regarding €3.5 million paid from the Lucum Foundation to the Bahamas-based bank Pictet & Ciein for a society called Dolphin, which was controlled by the lawyer Dante Canónica, who also controlled Lucum.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-07-13/switzerland-investigates-35-million-transfer-from-bank-account-held-by-spains-emeritus-king-to-bahamas.html |title=Switzerland investigates €3.5m transfer from account held by Spain's emeritus king to The Bahamas |publisher=El Pais |date=13 July 2020}}</ref>

In December 2021, the Swiss prosecutors dropped all cases due to the impossibility of proving any illegality.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Williams|first=Ollie A.|title=Insufficient Evidence That Spanish King Accepted $100 Million Saudi Bribe Says Swiss Prosecutor|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverwilliams1/2021/12/15/insufficient-evidence-that-spanish-king-accepted-100-million-saudi-bribe-says-swiss-prosecutor/|access-date=2021-12-16|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref>

====Credit cards and bank accounts====
Spanish prosecutors opened an investigation into the use by Juan Carlos and other members of the royal family of credit cards used between 2016 and 2018 which were paid for by an overseas account to which neither Juan Carlos nor any member of the royal family were signatories, leading to accusations that the funds are undisclosed assets of Juan Carlos, and as the card drawings exceeded €120,000 in one year, comprised undisclosed income and was therefore a tax offence in Spain.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.elnacional.cat/en/politics/juan-carlos-sofia-spanish-royal-corruption-credit-cards_553122_102.html |title=Juan Carlos, Sofía and other Spanish royals, investigated over opaque credit cards |publisher=EL National |date=3 November 2020}}</ref> Mexican millionaire and investment banker Allen Sanginés-Krause has been named as the owner of the cards, a friend of Juan Carlos to whom he donated sums of money using Air Force Colonel Nicolás Murga Mendoza as an intermediary.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://elcierredigital.com/investigacion/523687998/allen-sangines-krause-millonario-mexicano-caprichos-juan-carlos-I.html |title=Allen Sanginés-Krause: Éste es el millonario mexicano que pagaba los caprichos de Juan Carlos I y familia |publisher=elcierredigital |date=5 November 2020}}</ref>

In December 2020, Juan Carlos reportedly paid 678,393.72 euros to Spain's tax agency for the concept of defrauded money in an affair of "opaque credit cards" used between 2016 and 2018 by himself, his wife and some grandchildren, intending to avoid further scrutiny from the Supreme Court's prosecutor, the payment being an admission of fraud.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/amenaza-imputacion-obliga-juan-carlos-i-reconocer-fraude_1_6493138.html|website=[[eldiario.es]]|title=La amenaza de la imputación obliga a Juan Carlos I a reconocer su fraude|first=Pedro|last=Águeda|date=9 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.elnacional.cat/en/politics/juan-carlos-sends-678000-euros-to-spanish-tax-agency-for-undeclared-credit-cards_564270_102.html |title=uan Carlos I sends 678,000 euros to Spanish tax agency for undeclared card spending |publisher=elnacional |date=9 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ara.cat/en/Juan-Carlos-the-image-monarchy_0_2578542405.html |title=Juan Carlos I and the monarchy's image |publisher=ara in English |date=9 December 2020}}</ref>

Swiss and Spanish prosecutors also investigated several accounts related to the former King, such as an account in Switzerland with almost €8 million<ref name="ElN1111">{{cite news |date=11 November 2020 |title=More dirty laundry for Spain's Juan Carlos: 5 million dollars from Kazakhstan |publisher=El National |url=https://www.elnacional.cat/en/politics/dirty-laundry-spain-juan-carlos-kazakhstan_555648_102.html}}</ref> and an attempt to withdraw nearly €10 million from [[Jersey]], possibly from a trust set up by or for Juan Carlos in the 1990s.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2020/11/10/exiled-king-tried-to-take-money-from-a-jersey-bank-account/ |title=Exiled king 'tried to take money from a Jersey bank account' |publisher=Jersey Evening Post |date=10 November 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/news/spanish-former-king-jersey-investigation/#.X7D35C-l2fU |title=WATCH: Former Spanish king facing Jersey funds probe |publisher=Bailiwick Express |date=9 November 2020}}</ref> Juan Carlos claims he is "not responsible for any Jersey trust and never has been, either directly or indirectly".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/news/former-spanish-king-denies-hiding-wealth-jersey/#.X7QDtC-l3Uo |title=Former Spanish king denies hiding wealth in Jersey |last=Potigny |first= Fiona |publisher=Bailiwick Express |date=17 November 2020}}</ref>

In March 2022, Spanish prosecutors closed all cases against him<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-02 |title=Spanish prosecutors shelve fraud probes into former king Juan Carlos I |url=https://www.euronews.com/2022/03/02/juan-carlos-i-spanish-prosecutors-shelve-fraud-investigations-into-former-king |access-date=2022-03-29 |website=euronews |language=en}}</ref> following the same decision from Swiss prosecutors in December 2021.<ref name=":2" />

====Zagatka Foundation====
Founded in Liechtenstein in 2003 and owned by Álvaro de Orleans-Borbón, a distant cousin of Juan Carlos who lives in Monaco received a large sum of money from Switzerland, Juan Carlos is named as the third beneficiary.<ref name="w24n163">{{cite news |url=https://www.web24.news/u/2020/03/zagatka-and-lucum-the-two-foundations-under-suspicion-in-switzerland-related-to-the-king-emeritus.html |title=Zagatka and Lucum, the two foundations under suspicion in Switzerland related to the King Emeritus |publisher=web 24 news |date=16 March 2020}}</ref> In 2009 Álvaro de Orleans-Borbón paid a cheque from Mexico for €4.3 million into the account which the Swiss adjudicated belonged to Juan Carlos.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://elcierredigital.com/investigacion/722146667/alvaro-orleans-sombra-negocios-juan-carlos-borbon.html |title=Álvaro Jaime de Orleans-Borbón: El ingeniero en la sombra de los negocios de Juan Carlos I |publisher=Elcierre |date=17 June 2020}}</ref> Juan Carlos appears to have drawn down funds from the Zagatka foundation to spend €8 million between 2009 and 2018 on private flights, with [[Air Partner]] receiving around €6.1 million.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/espana/2020/11/17/rey-emerito-gasto-8-millones-vuelos-placer/00031605608466494590909.htm |title=El rey Juan Carlos gastó presuntamente ocho millones de euros en vuelos de placer |publisher=La Voz de Galicia |date=17 November 2020}}</ref> Zagatka used commissions due to Juan Carlos and paid to Zagatka to invest millions, mainly in Ibex35 companies between 2003 and 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bcfocus.com/king-juan-carlos-i-reportedly-invested-opaque-millions-of-euros-in-ibex-stocks/ |title=King Juan Carlos I reportedly invested opaque millions of euros in Ibex stocks |publisher=bcfocus |date=24 November 2020 |access-date=2 December 2020 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125172819/https://bcfocus.com/king-juan-carlos-i-reportedly-invested-opaque-millions-of-euros-in-ibex-stocks/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 25 February 2021, Juan Carlos paid 4 million euros to the [[Spanish Tax Agency]] to avoid new tax offenses in relation with these flights.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 February 2021 |title=Juan Carlos I paga más de cuatro millones a Hacienda por los vuelos privados que le sufragó una fundación de su primo |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/juan-carlos-i-paga-cuatro-millones-hacienda-rentas-no-declaradas_1_7254171.html |website=[[eldiario.es]]}}</ref>

====Lucum foundation====
A Panamanian Lucum foundation had Juan Carlos as the first beneficiary and [[King Felipe VI]] as a named second beneficiary,<ref name="w24n163"/> although Felipe has subsequently relinquished any inheritance from his father Juan Carlos.<ref name="elp137"/> Lucum received $100 million from the Saudi royal house in 2008.<ref name="elp137"/> Swiss prosecutors are concerned about who at the Swiss bank [[Mirabaud Group|Mirabaud & Cie]] knows who the account was for and what was discovered about the source of the funds from the Ministry of Finance of Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pledgetimes.com/the-swiss-bank-internally-hid-the-identity-of-the-king-emeritus-in-the-millionaire-account/ |title=The Swiss bank internally hid the identity of the king emeritus in the millionaire account |publisher=Pledge Times |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=2 December 2020 |archive-date=26 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226113928/https://pledgetimes.com/the-swiss-bank-internally-hid-the-identity-of-the-king-emeritus-in-the-millionaire-account/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> They are also concerned about a transfer of €3.5m from Lucum to an account held by Dante Canónica in the Bahamas.<ref name="elp137">{{cite news |url=https://english.elpais.com/spanish_news/2020-07-13/switzerland-investigates-35-million-transfer-from-bank-account-held-by-spains-emeritus-king-to-bahamas.html |title=Switzerland investigates €3.5m transfer from account held by Spain's emeritus king to The Bahamas |publisher=elpais |date=13 July 2020}}</ref> In 2012 the Mirabaud bank, which had concealed from its employees the beneficial owner of the account,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://bcfocus.com/the-swiss-bank-hid-the-identity-of-juan-carlos-i-in-the-millionaire-account-from-its-employees/ |title=The Swiss bank hid the identity of Juan Carlos I in the millionaire account from its employees |publisher=BC focus |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=11 December 2020 |archive-date=19 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019044429/https://bcfocus.com/the-swiss-bank-hid-the-identity-of-juan-carlos-i-in-the-millionaire-account-from-its-employees/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> asked for the account to be closed, due to possible adverse publicity; this was when the bulk of the funds were transferred to [[Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn]].

===Claims of harassment===
In 2020, Sayn-Wittgenstein, resident in the United Kingdom, filed an harassment case in London against Juan Carlos, claiming he'd pressured her to return the money given to her after their break up in 2012. In 2022, Juan Carlos won an appeal that he had immunity from those allegations relating to 2012–2014 when he was still King.<ref>{{cite news |title=Spain's former King Juan Carlos wins partial immunity in ex-lover case |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-63877098 |date=6 December 2022}}</ref>

In 2023, the High Court of England and Wales threw out the case on the grounds that it had no jurisdiction in the matter, but made no judgement as to the substance of the allegations.<ref>{{cite news |title=Juan Carlos: Court throws out ex-lover's €145m legal case |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67036622 |date=8 October 2023}}</ref>

===Relocation abroad===
[[File:J. Warx - Tipo Incógnito (retallat).jpg|thumb|Satirical mural in [[Benimaclet]], [[València]], about Juan Carlos's relocation to Abu Dhabi.<br>(The caption 'Juancar? Who is Juancar? My name is [[Fear of Flying (The Simpsons)|Guy Incognito]]', is a reference to an episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'')]]
On 3 August 2020, the [[Royal Household of Spain|Royal Household]] announced Juan Carlos wished to relocate from Spain because of increased media press about his business dealings in Saudi Arabia, and he had left a letter to his son saying so.<ref>{{cite news |date=3 August 2020 |title=El rey Juan Carlos abandona España ante la "repercusión pública de ciertos acontecimientos pasados" en plena investigación sobre sus finanzas |language=es |work=elDiario |url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/rey-juan-carlos-abandona-espana-repercusion-publica-acontecimientos-pasados_1_6145406.html |access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Amid a financial scandal, former Spanish King Juan Carlos I says he is leaving Spain to live in another country |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/amid-a-financial-scandal-former-spanish-king-juan-carlos-i-says-he-is-leaving-spain-to-live-in-another-country/2020/08/03/0df33322-d5a6-11ea-a788-2ce86ce81129_story.html|access-date=3 August 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en}}</ref> By the time the letter had been made public, he had already left the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rtve.es/noticias/20200803/rey-juan-carlos-se-trasladara-vivir-fuera-espana/2029881.shtml|website=RTVE|title=Juan Carlos I comunica su decisión de abandonar España|date=3 August 2020}}</ref> Journalists speculated that he might have fled to the [[Dominican Republic]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 August 2020|title=Don Juan Carlos ya está en República Dominicana|trans-title=Don Juan Carlos is already in the Dominican Republic|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/casa-real/abci-juan-carlos-si-exilio-nueva-zelanda-202008040230_noticia.html|website=ABC|language=es}}{{registration required|s}}</ref> [[Portugal]],<ref name="Minder"/> [[France]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=4 August 2020|title=Where's Juan Carlos? Spain mulls former monarch's future|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/spain-juan-carlos-1.5673390|website=CBC}}</ref> and [[Italy]],<ref name=":0"/> and, later, as of 7 August, the [[Emirates Palace]] in [[Abu Dhabi]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.es/espana/casa-real/abci-primer-viaje-juan-carlos-lunes-vigo-dabi-202008070630_noticia.html|work=ABC|title=El primer viaje del Rey Juan Carlos fue el lunes de Vigo a Abu Dabi|date=7 August 2020|first=Pilar|last=Vidal}}</ref> The Royal Household initially declined requests to publicly disclose Juan Carlos's location;<ref>{{Cite news|last=Kassam|first=Ashifa|date=4 August 2020|title=Spain speculates over whereabouts of scandal-hit ex-king Juan Carlos|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/04/spain-speculates-scandal-hit-former-king-whereabouts-juan-carlos|access-date=4 August 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/09/juan-carlos-spain-king-abu-dhabi-reports|title=Juan Carlos, Spain's disgraced former king, may be in Abu Dhabi, reports suggest|access-date=9 August 2020|work=The Guardian|date=9 August 2020}}</ref> on 17 August, the Royal Household confirmed that, since 3 August, Juan Carlos had been in the [[United Arab Emirates]], where he arrived by taking a private plane from [[Vigo–Peinador Airport|Vigo Airport]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://elpais.com/espana/2020-08-17/la-casa-real-confirma-que-juan-carlos-i-se-tralado-el-pasado-dia-3-a-emiratos-arabes-unidos.html?ssm=TW_CM|work=El País|date=17 August 2020|title=La Casa Real confirma que Juan Carlos I se trasladó el pasado día 3 a Emiratos Árabes Unidos|author=Miguel González}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Royal House confirms former king of Spain, Juan Carlos I, has been in United Arab Emirates since Aug. 3 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/royal-house-confirms-king-spain-juan-carlos-united-72417772 |access-date=17 August 2020|work=ABC News|date=17 August 2020}}</ref>

Since then, he has visited Spain regularly, mainly the town of [[Sanxenxo]], in the north of Spain, to do one of his favorite activities, sailing.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-20 |title=El Rey Juan Carlos vuelve a España y se refugia en casa de su amigo |url=https://www.elmundo.es/espana/2022/05/20/6286a7ee21efa0d0648b4589.html |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=ELMUNDO |language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=20 April 2023 |title=Former King Juan Carlos returns to Spain for 2nd visit since self-imposed exile |url=https://www.thestatesman.com/world/former-king-juan-carlos-returns-to-spain-for-2nd-visit-since-self-imposed-exile-1503173796.html |website=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-26 |title=El rey Juan Carlos llega a Sanxenxo para participar en las regatas |url=https://www.diezminutos.es/familia-real/monarquia-espanola/a44646549/rey-juan-carlos-vuelve-espana-regatas-sanxenxo/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=Diez Minutos |language=es-ES}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=EFE |date=2023-09-25 |title=El rey emérito vuelve este lunes a Sanxenxo |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-09-25/el-rey-emerito-vuelve-este-lunes-a-sanxenxo.html |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=El País |language=es}}</ref> He was also present at the private celebration that the Spanish royal family made at the [[Royal Palace of El Pardo]] to celebrate [[Leonor, Princess of Asturias|Leonor]]'s 18th birthday.<ref>{{Cite web |last=González |first=Miguel |date=2023-10-31 |title=Juan Carlos I asiste a la cena familiar en El Pardo por el cumpleaños de la princesa de Asturias |url=https://elpais.com/espana/2023-10-31/juan-carlos-i-asiste-a-la-cena-familiar-por-el-cumpleanos-de-la-princesa-de-asturias.html |access-date=2023-11-03 |website=El País |language=es}}</ref>