Planeta is set to publish before Christmas the memoirs of Juan Carlos I, titled Reconciliation. The announcement has sparked discussion about a public clash between two octogenarian figures who once admired each other and now clash in the headlines. The report notes that the emeritus king has filed a pretrial conciliation seeking a retracting of remarks from Miguel Ángel Revilla, who accused him of corruption and tax avoidance in Spain, and requests the return of his opaque fortune. He also asks for 50,000 euros to be donated to Cáritas if he wins. The article remarks that charity is tricky when a monarch is involved, and suggests the king could simply donate from his savings after Mass or check the box for the Church on his tax return. Yet his choice is framed as a move that keeps him in the spotlight and promotes the book.
p>Barbara Rey, a former close friend, described how age seems to affect many people and wondered who counsels him. Reports say that someone in Revilla’s circle has long sent clips repeatedly portraying him unfavorably, including references to Corinna, offshore accounts, and the Botswana elephant. The resentment reportedly grew until it could no longer be contained, prompting the appointment of legal counsel. Rather than hiring renowned Christian lawyers, Revilla turned to the attorney who represents Isabel Díaz Ayuso’s partner, a figure who could conceivably mark the Church tax box if he chose to contribute.
p>Don Juan Carlos has embraced the current vogue around presumption of innocence, a concept much in vogue today. Revilla will need to revisit investigations that prosecutors previously closed against the inviolable emeritus if he does not want to concede 50,000 from his pension. Whether the king’s position gains a favorable ruling or not, observers will watch which journalist or minister dares to comment on his scandals, especially in light of recent high-profile judicial outcomes. Like the monarchs of old who sent embassies and lawyers ahead of their own arrival, Juan Carlos I is planning a return after five years of exile in the lavish desert of Abu Dhabi. He hopes these legal moves, framed as reputational repairs, will precede his public appearance alongside a memoir project that promises to reshape his story. Reconciliation is billed as a selective memoir that, as some insiders claim, aims to recover the narrative of his life that he feels was taken from him. Reconciliation stands as a direct message to Felipe VI, signaling that he is back, whether it is welcome or not.