From left, King Felipe VI of Spain stands with his father former King Juan Carlos I and one of his daughters, Princess Leonor
(Picture: Jaime Reina/AFP via Getty Images)King Felipe VI of Spain and the exiled, former king, Juan Carlos I, are both attending the Queen’s state funeral today, amid a row over the former king’s attendance.
The former monarch was reportedly asked not to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchéz.
But the 84-year-old was seen on Sunday, September 18, entering Buckingham Palace with Queen Sofía, where King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla greeted leaders from around the world.
As a cousin of the Queen, the Royal Family extended the former king an invitation.
This is the first time Carlos will be captured at a royal event since his abdication in 2014, following a number of controversies.
The Swiss and Spanish authorities investigated allegations that Carlos engaged in fradulent activity in the later years of his reign.
He was suspected of money laundering and tax evasion over a separate $100 million payment from the Saudi Arabian government.
He has since been cleared but he is still a controversial figure in Spain.
The emeritus king moved to Abu Dhabi after the allegations broke, and has been living in self-imposed exile.
It’s not the only scandal he has been embroiled in, as the former king currently awaits trial in the UK for a harassment case involving an ex-partner.
Once considered one of the world’s most popular monarchs, polling showed that two-thirds of Spain wanted the king to abdicate when he stepped down.
Prime Minister Sanchez has also created a tough stance on Carlos’s alleged wrongdoings ever since the fraud scandal emerged, saying that he “owes Spaniards some explanations”.
The Spanish government says Carlos’s decision was a personal one and he will not be representing the country.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia are the official royals representing Spain at the Queen’s state funeral, and they will lead the delegation.
Opinions were divided when Carlos confirmed he will be attending the ceremony, with left-wing Spanish political party Podemos describing him as “a criminal on the run”, while the conservative People Party deemed it’s “appropriate and logical that he should attend”.
