2023-10-06 15:44:00
The former King of Spain Juan Carlos spoke on Friday of a return to public life after having escaped a trial against his ex-mistress, who was suing him in London for harassment.
Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, who was Juan Carlos’ mistress between 2004 and 2009, claimed 126 million pounds sterling (146 million euros) for the psychological damage she believes she suffered.
In October 2020, she initiated proceedings for harassment in London, where she lived.
But in her written judgment, Judge Rowena Collins Rice concluded that “the High Court of England and Wales does not have jurisdiction to judge” these proceedings.
The magistrate notably underlined that the complainant has “not sufficiently established” that the facts giving rise to her request occurred in England.
Also known as Corinna Larsen, this Danish businesswoman in her fifties claims that after their breakup, starting in 2012, she was spied on and harassed for eight years on the orders of the former monarch . She allegedly suffered threats, as did her children, according to the complaint.
Juan Carlos allegedly demanded that she return gifts, such as works of art, jewelry and money amounting to 65 million euros.
Their relationship became public in 2012 when the monarch broke a hip while on vacation in Botswana. The affair, revealed against a backdrop of record unemployment in Spain, provoked anger in his country.
Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 after several scandals, welcomed the judgment, which according to him “unsurprisingly confirms his innocence”, even if it does not relate to the merits of the case.
The 85-year-old ex-king explains that he “voluntarily demonstrated the greatest discretion during” the procedure. But this decision “reestablishes the necessary conditions for new public appearances”, it is written in a press release published by the Publicis agency on behalf of the ex-king.
“Demoralizing”
In a press release, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn said she was “deeply disappointed” by the decision, saying it was “demoralizing to see that victims of harassment often have difficulty obtaining justice in our system”.
“Intimidation and harassment continues on me and my children and is aimed at my complete breakdown,” she continued. “Juan Carlos has deployed his entire arsenal to crush me and his power is immense,” she added, saying she is “considering all options.”
In December, British justice granted immunity to the former king for the period until his abdication in 2014. But most of the facts cited by the plaintiff took place after that year.
Having assumed the position of head of state in 1975, after the death of the dictator Franco who had appointed him to be his successor, Juan Carlos was praised for decades for having allowed the return of democracy to Spain.
His popularity collapsed after personal scandals and revelations about his lavish lifestyle in Spain from 2012.
Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son Felipe VI, who distanced himself from him.
06/10/2023 16:57:16 – London (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
#Pursued #exmistress #Juan #Carlos #escapes #trial #evokes #return #public #life