London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Former Spanish king pays €4.4 million in bid to settle tax situation

Former Spanish king pays €4.4 million in bid to settle tax situation

The payment marks Juan Carlos I's second attempt to regularise past undeclared income.

Former Spanish King Juan Carlos I has paid close to €4.4 million to the country's tax authorities in his latest bid to settle past undeclared income.

The 83-year-old former monarch already filed for settlement for another tax debt in December for a total amount of more than €678,000.

Juan Carlos' lawyer, Javier Sanchez-Junco, said in a statement Friday that the latest tax debt relates to the payments that a private foundation made on behalf of the former king for "several travel expenses and other services".

Zagatka, a Liechtenstein-based foundation, is owned by Alvaro de Orleans, a businessman and distant cousin of Juan Carlos. He has publicly admitted having funded some of the former monarch's private expenses. Payments-in-kind are subject to taxes under Spanish law.

Leading Spanish newspaper El Pais, which broke the story, and online news website El Espanol said that the foundation paid for flights with a private jet company for more than a decade up to 2018.


Investigations for financial wrongdoing

The payment was voluntary and tax authority had not asked for it, the lawyer's statement said. The former monarch's tax obligations "have been regularized," it added.

Under Spanish law, confessing to undeclared income and paying outstanding taxes allows offenders to avoid being charged with a crime.

The former king is the target of official investigations in Spain and Switzerland for possible financial wrongdoing.

One of them involves possible payments over a high-speed railway contract in Saudi Arabia. Those investigations prompted him to leave Spain in August for the United Arab Emirates. He has been photographed there in a luxurious hotel where Spanish media say he is living as a guest of Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed.

The Royal Palace declined to comment on the new developments.

PM appalled by 'uncivil behaviour'


"Regarding uncivil behaviour, I feel the same rejection as the majority of Spanish citizens,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez told reporters on Friday while praising the current king for his "exemplarity and transparency".

King Felipe VI, who rose to the Spanish throne after Juan Carlos' abdication in 2014, has distanced himself from his father.

Juan Carlos' scandals have deepened division in the Socialist-led government coalition, with junior partner United We Can making new calls for legal changes to improve the state's oversight of the crown.

Asked about the new development on Friday, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo said that the media reports were "an example that the country works and holds everyone accountable.''

"No one is allowed to break the law," Calvo told Canal Sur radio. "This comment is even more relevant today.''

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×