King Juan Carlos has returned unexpectedly to Spain as the
country’s royals had one of their most surprising Easter weekends
in years.
The former monarch, who abdicated in 2014, took the centre seat
in the VIP box at a bullfight in Seville held on Easter Sunday and
was given a standing ovation as he made his way in.
The crowd stood for the national anthem and it was played
publicly with all eyes on Juan Carlos, who reigned in Spain from
1975 until 2014, a rare event since his abdication.
It was the latest in a series of increasingly surprising
appearances by a number of Spain’s royals over the past few days
although the unannounced return of Juan Carlos to the country has
provoked the most interest.
Last week, his younger daughter, Infanta Cristina, made her
first formal appearance in Mallorca since she was tried and
acquitted of financial wrongdoings. The Infanta joined her mother,
Queen Sofia, at the Palace of Marivent on the island.
Later, she was seen with Queen Sofia and her sister, Infanta
Elena, at traditional parades in Murcia to mark Maundy Thursday and
Good Friday.
This has been a particularly difficult Easter for Sofia, 88, as
it is her first since she lost her beloved younger sister, Princess
Irene, in January.
Within hours of that appearance, King Felipe and Queen Letizia
were seen at an Easter event in a suburb of Madrid, joining crowds
incognito to watch a religious procession go past.
Soon afterwards, it was confirmed that Letizia and her two
daughters had made a secret visit to one of the most hotly
anticipated music events of the year in Spain. Photos emerged on
social media of the Queen of Spain along with Princess Leonor, 20,
and Infanta Sofia, 18, at the Rosalia concert, part of her 2026 Lux
tour.
It’s a rare sighting of Leonor who is finishing her year of
training with Spain’s air force. That will conclude her three years
of military formation and speculation is now mounting about what
she will do next. Her sister, Sofia, is in the first year of
university study.
However, the biggest shock came when Juan Carlos returned to
Spain. He headed to Seville where he was met by Elena and her son
and daughter, Felipe and Victoria Federica de Marichalar.
The family had lunch together on Easter Sunday with his
grandchildren helping King Juan Carlos to his car. During the short
walk from the restaurant to the vehicle, he was greeted with shouts
of ‘Viva el Rey’ or ‘Long Live the king’.
Later, Juan Carlos and Elena headed to the Real Maestranza de
Cabelleria de Sevilla bull fight. The former monarch was again
applauded on his way into the bullfight.
It’s his first visit to Spain in almost six months. King Felipe
and Queen Letizia spent Easter Sunday privately.
