Spain's ex-king attends regatta on brief visit home / Photo: © AFP
-
Kyrgios gets month ban for cocaine, enters treatment programme
-
Chile protesters see shades of Pinochet in new security plan
-
Colombian judge bans strikes on guerrillas if minors are present
-
Carreras reverts to fullback as Argentina change four for Australia Test
-
Khachanov shocks ailing Auger-Aliassime, Swiatek and Osaka advance at US Open
-
Wilson back to lead Australia as Kiss rotates team for Argentina
-
Lone juror blocking verdict in US mother's child murder trial: defense
-
Yen surges on new intervention talk, US stocks rally
-
'Kinda chic' - Williams sisters set to launch US Open doubles bid
-
Japan's Ueda fires Lille top of Ligue 1 on debut
-
Volkswagen says cutting 100,000 jobs by end of decade
-
Arsenal chief executive reveals 'dynasty' ambition
-
Russia slaps curfew on charity director over army criticism
-
Spanish PM says no 'solid proof' Morocco planned migrant rush
-
Ailing Auger-Aliassime upset by Khachanov at US Open
-
Iran war is not a war, US VP Vance says
-
Richarlison omitted from Tottenham's Premier League squad
-
Khachanov stuns third-seeded Auger-Aliassime in US Open second round
-
How El Nino is choking the Panama Canal
-
Bordeaux facing sixth-tier football after French federation upholds relegation
-
Hamilton drives his Ferrari dream at Monza
-
Stoic Verstappen looking beyond 'painful' Monza weekend
-
Senegal has an IMF loan, now what?
-
OpenAI begins rollout of new powerful AI model GPT-6 Astra
-
Auger-Aliassime upset by Khachanov at US Open
-
FIFA blasts UEFA 'smear campaign,' fights World Cup plan disclosures
-
Hugging Face, the French start-up that became AI's warehouse
-
Zelensky hopes to host US envoys in Kyiv in 'coming days'
-
World Cup winner Llorente retires from Spain team at 31
-
Martinelli joins Al-Hilal from Arsenal for reported £60 million
-
Osaka squeezes into US Open third round
-
Tesla's semi-autonomous driving could be adapted to EU norms: France
-
Apple faces £2 bn lawsuit in UK over app privacy feature
-
37 people die from fumes during oil pipeline theft in Nigeria: NGO
-
Former champ Swiatek eases into US Open third round
-
Ahead of elections, Israel tests West's patience on West Bank violence
-
DR Congo latest to promise moving Israel embassy to Jerusalem
-
Antonelli will obey Mercedes orders to help 'tow' teammate Russell
-
War criminal Mladic's body returns to Serbia with military honours
-
UK fintech Revolut gains conditional US banking licence
-
Pierre Cardin museum brings designer's futurist style to Venice
-
Mara sisters channel childhood energy for twins performance at Venice
-
Slovenian rookie Omrzel triumphs as Mas extends Vuelta lead
-
UN's Sudan probe says foreign fighters fuelling conflict
-
British, French leaders talk migrants, EU relations
-
Violence erupts at S.Africa anti-migrant protest
-
Heading for Ferrari's home race, Leclerc still dreams of world title
-
Nothing left: Nepal flood survivors face loss and uncertainty
-
Cafe at centre of Israel culture clash agrees to shut on Sabbath
-
Tesla to launch self-driving 'Cybercab' in Texas
Spain's ex-king attends regatta on brief visit home
Spain's former king attended a regatta in the northwestern Galicia region Friday on a controversial first trip home after nearly two years in exile following a string of financial scandals.
Although prosecutors have closed their probes into Juan Carlos I's affairs, revelations about the murky origins of his fortune have done irreparable damage to a figure once revered for his role in Spain's democratic transition after decades of dictatorship.
Pulling up to the sailing club in the resort town of Sanxenxo, the 84-year-old -- who flew in from Abu Dhabi on Thursday evening -- was greeted by dozens of well-wishers, and a crowd of journalists.
As he got out of the car wearing a white top, cream gilet and salmon slacks and began shaking hands with supporters, there were cries of "Long live the king!"
But there were also a few cries of dissent with one man shouting "scoundrel" -- a possible reference to the financial scandals that prompted Juan Carlos to move to Abu Dhabi in self-imposed exile in August 2020.
Hobbling along with his cane and holding onto the arm of an aide, the ex-monarch beamed as he greeted the crew of his yacht, the "Bribon" -- Spanish for "rascal".
The six-metre (20-foot) racing yacht is the same vessel with which he and his crew won the world sailing title in 2017 and 2019.
It was unclear whether he would be joining them aboard for the race. He has not sailed for some three years, Spain's RTVE public television said.
The former monarch will stay with a close friend in Sanxenxo until Monday when he travels to Madrid for a brief visit with his wife Sofia, his son King Felipe VI and other family members.
He will leave for Abu Dhabi later on Monday, the palace said.
News of the disgraced former king's impending arrival sparked a backlash earlier this week.
"There is no longer any legal or judicial reason to stop the king emeritus from travelling to Spain but there are a wealth of ethical grounds that explain the commotion this has caused," an El Pais editorial said on Thursday.
"Anyone returning to Spain with a record like king Juan Carlos I would be arrested and prosecuted as soon as they crossed the border" it tweeted.
C.Meier--BTB
