London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 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
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×