Juan Carlos was the beloved King of Spain who became a disgrace after he had an affair with a single mother, Corinna Larsen. This royal scandal caused a massive internal war with Queen Sofía of Spain, whom the Spanish people deeply loved.
It also prompted King Juan Carlos’ abdication and the reign of his son, Felipe, to begin. This post will explore the love affair scandal that almost broke the Spanish monarchy… again.
For more on the story of Juan Carlos and Corinna Larsen, be sure to check out the podcast Corinna and the King. Royal Daily Tea History and Fashion did a breakdown of the podcast.
So, let’s get into it, shall we?
King Juan Carlos I’s Beginnings
Juan Carlos, King of Spain, was raised by Francisco Franco, a dictator who rose during the Spanish Civil War. He was born to Infante Juan, Count of Barcelona and Princess María de las Mercedes of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and had three siblings: an older sister, a younger sister and a younger brother. He was born in Italy, as his family was in exile at the time of his birth.
Unlike his son, Felipe, Juan Carlos did not take the title of Prince of Asturias before he became king, as there was no monarchy at the time Franco was ruling. The Spanish Monarchy had been abolished and replaced with a republic for a time.
Marriage To The Future Queen Sofía
Juna Carlos later married Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark. She would change the spelling of her name to her the Spanish iteration, Sofía. This occurred upon her husband’s enthronement when she became Queen in 1975.
Her marriage to Juan Carlos produced three children: Infanta Elena, Infanta Cristina and King Felipe VI.
The marriage was not a happy one and still isn’t. The Corinna and the King podcast reveals that the couple live separate lives, residing on opposite sides of their residence and having separate staff.
The Known Womaniser
King Juan Carlos is a well-known womaniser who has reportedly slept with 2,000 women. Juan Carlos met Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (formerly Corinna Larsen) at an event in 2004. Corinna was previously uninterested in Juan Carlos’ advances. The former King of Spain later proposed to her and gifted her an engagement ring despite still being married to Sofía, who was still his queen.
The relationship became public after an elephant shooting trip in 2012. The Spanish people started turning against their beloved king. Corinna got the brunt of the criticism as she was the mistress. The entire situation soured, and King Juan Carlos tried to ruin her life.
Corinna said she was confronted by Queen Sofía over the affair. From that point on, the Queen had it out for her. In conclusion, this story is still ongoing. Even though the affair ended years ago, the former King of Spain has won one of the lawsuits launched by Corinna.
