Juan Carlos Spotted with Grandchildren in London
Former King Juan Carlos of Spain quietly slipped into London this past weekend for a personal moment that turned some royal watchers’ heads. At 86, the ex-monarch appeared spry as he met up with two of his grandchildren, Irene Urdangarin, 19, and Miguel Urdangarin y de Borbón, 22. It’s not every day you see the man who once held Spain’s highest crown strolling the streets of London alongside the young heirs to a family name frequently in the headlines.
Royal family reunions are often staged affairs, but this meeting between Juan Carlos and his grandchildren couldn’t hide its warmth. Onlookers caught a glimpse of them—Juan Carlos smart in a navy suit and emerald tie, Irene in a tailored pinstripe blazer, Miguel classic in his crimson tie. Family ties might not fix royal drama, but they can soften even the hardest public image, if only for an afternoon.
Behind the Smiles: Divorce, Scandal, and Royal Rift
The family’s dynamic is as tangled as you’d expect. Irene and Miguel are the children of Infanta Cristina, Juan Carlos’s younger daughter, and Iñaki Urdangarin, whose name became infamous after a high-profile corruption case. Their marriage had already been under public strain, so when their divorce became official in December 2023—almost two years after announcing their split—it barely rattled seasoned royal followers. The couple have four children: Juan (born 1999), Pablo (2000), Miguel (2002), and Irene (2005). Despite the legal woes and negative press, the kids have mostly managed a low-profile, surfacing only for rare events like this London reunion.
Juan Carlos’s visit to London marks a rare public step out for someone who has spent so much of his post-abdication life ducking the spotlight. Since stepping down in 2014, he’s become a controversial figure, dogged by investigations into his finances and alleged wrongdoing. For years, speculation swirled over Swiss bank accounts, lavish gifts, and mysterious fortune trails—allegations Juan Carlos repeatedly tried to outrun by making himself scarce outside Spain, especially in the Gulf. Still, family moments bring him back into the open, if only briefly.
While Juan Carlos enjoyed time with his grandchildren, the current monarch, King Felipe VI, had little cause for cheer. As Felipe toured Valencia, protesters made a point of heckling him, a reminder of how Spain’s public mood keeps shifting towards skepticism regarding the royals’ role. Since Felipe took the throne, he’s distanced himself from his father’s scandals, promising transparency and reform. Public opinion, though, is always a tricky tide, and moments like Valencia show just how fragile the royal family’s support can be as political debates about monarchy simmer on.
What played out in London and Valencia last weekend wasn’t just a family event and a public protest—it was another chapter in a story Spain can’t seem to put down, a tale where every reunion and every jeer shape the royal family’s ongoing battle over trust, legacy, and relevance.
