Dilip Kuner
SPAIN’S royal family has arrived in Mallorca for their annual summer holiday.
King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters are staying at the Merivent Palace where they traditionally spend part of August.
Their annual holiday on the island is usually an informal affair, with the family relaxing and taking photo calls
The king’s mother Queen Sofia has already been in Mallorca for several days.
She has been seen out and about including heading off on shopping trips, while there has been no sign of the present king’s father.
He announced he is leaving Spain following the latest scandal surrounding alleged corrupt business practices.
The royal Juan Carlos de Borbon will not be giving up his title but will be leaving the Zarzuela palace, and the country. It is thought Juan Carlos is staying in a luxury Abu Dhabi hotel.
In a letter to his reigning son King Felipe VI, he said his ‘thoughtful decision’ to live outside Spain came in the face of ‘public repercussions over certain past events’ in his private life.
He also said he wanted ‘to contribute’ to his son being able to carry out his role ‘with tranquillity.’
The self-imposed exile comes after several investigations opened by Swiss and Spanish prosecutors into the fortune of Juan Carlos in Switzerland and alleged corrupt business practices.
His lawyer said that he will continue to make himself available to Spanish prosecutors despite leaving the country.
