Has King Juan Carlos emeritus defied the Spanish royal family by posing in Abu Dhabi with his daughter Elena and his controversial grandson Felipe Juan Froilán de Marichalar, on the same day of Princess Leonor’s reappearance?
The Spanish press has interpreted the latest photograph of King Juan Carlos as a clear family fracture, delimiting once and for all the two clear sides that have been established.
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Photo of King Juan Carlos next to Infanta Elena and Felipe Juan Forilan
The former Spanish monarch reappeared this Easter Sunday from Abu Dhabi, the country where he went into exile in 2020 to get away from the controversies that pursued him for his finances.
This time he did not appear alone, he was accompanied by the sister of King Felipe VI, Infanta Elena and his son, Felipe Juan Froilan who went to work in that country fleeing the controversies that had been splashing him in Spain. Victoria Federica could not attend as she is in Cancun fulfilling her commitments as an influencer.
Father, daughter and grandson posed in front of the entrance of the Abrahamic Center, a space of divulgation located in the Saadiyat Cultural District. Something to note in the photo is that the king emeritus does not appear with his usual cane, which has surprised many.
A family fractured in two and on the warpath?
For many experts in Spanish royalty, it is no coincidence that this photograph coincided with the reappearance of Leonor and Sofía with her family after several months of absence.
Apparently the image is a clear fracture in the royal family and the photo has been compared to the one released last year, which also coincided with another reappearance of the Princess of Asturias.
Both events would be part of a carefully planned strategy to draw attention and overshadow certain public events. Some people have interpreted these photos as a provocation towards the royal family and that the coincidence suggests that they are not the result of chance.
“There is a division in the Spanish royal family”, as observed by journalist Pilar Eyre. Many family members are unhappy with the attitude of King Felipe and Queen Letizia towards them, and have united to express their frustration.
What is evident, however, is that the family reunions where the entire Spanish royal family used to meet to share the days of Holy Week are now a thing of the past.
