King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, Current Events Part 21: May 2011 - April 2012

[LadyFinn]

The former head of, José Antonio Zarzalejos wrote yesterday about the relationship between the king and Corinna. In article in Bekia it is said that Zarzalejos says that "Don Juan Carlos is overwhelmed by family problems," referring not only to marriage with the Duke of Palma, also with his own wife, with whom they are said to live "virtually separate lives."
The journalist said also that the Queen "is usually absent from Spain for London where 'she feels at home with her brother Constantine and her nephews.'" Zarzalejos adds that "Don Juan Carlos credits his wife much of the responsibility for 'unsuitable marriages' of their children."
In mid-February, the newspaper El Pulso published information that during the lunch that the king held with his children alone, without the presence of the Queen, the king explained the "special friendship" she had with Corinna and the importance of the woman in his life.
The Royal House denied that that was the reason for this strange lunch.
King's private life, like health status, have been taboo for nearly all of the Spanish media, which have not dared to speculate about the intimacies of Zarzuela ... until now.
José Antonio Zarzalejos insinúa que el Rey Juan Carlos mantiene una relación sentimental con Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein - Bekia
Google translation

 

[doric44]

Botswana has the most elephants in the world the limited legal and expensive hunting is done in national parks and 100,000 + acre game preserves. and employs many locals who would otherwise illegally poach the elephants and other animals at will.
decimating their numbers to put food on their family's tables. the hunting keeps the numbers at manageable levels to maintain balance in the local ecology. employs locals at the resorts and lodges and the money also goes to preserving the animals. on these game reserves and national parks for tourists who wish to shoot them with a camera or a gun

king Juan carlos hunting is actually furthering to protect the animals and is doing far more to conserve them and protect them .then those who have expressed outrage over him doing so

as for him spending the money to go on this trip while his country is in economic crisis. well he didn't cause the crisis incompetent social and economic policies in span did by politicians not HM Juan Carlos and is using his own money to pay for it so he is free to do with his money what he likes.

 

[NotHRH]

Do you feel this way about all hunters or just those who happen to be royal.

I think so for all hunters, but especially royals. Their attitudes tend to be arrogant to others and to those animals they hunt for pure pleasure. Royal blood does NOT exist and royal titles only exist on paper

 

[Madame Royale]

Botswana has the most elephants in the world the limited legal and expensive hunting is done in national parks and 100,000 + acre game preserves. and employs many locals who would otherwise illegally poach the elephants and other animals at will.
decimating their numbers to put food on their family's tables. the hunting keeps the numbers at manageable levels to maintain balance in the local ecology. employs locals at the resorts and lodges and the money also goes to preserving the animals. on these game reserves and national parks for tourists who wish to shoot them with a camera or a gun

king Juan carlos hunting is actually furthering to protect the animals and is doing far more to conserve them and protect them .then those who have expressed outrage over him doing so

as for him spending the money to go on this trip while his country is in economic crisis. well he didn't cause the crisis incompetent social and economic policies in span did by politicians not HM Juan Carlos and is using his own money to pay for it so he is free to do with his money what he likes.

Can you provide the relevant sources which specify the use of private funds being used by the King for the trip and it's associated 'leisures'?

I'm ill at ease with the killing of elephants being used as justification to make the killing of such animals into a tourist like sport. A sport that also costs a large sum of financing in order to partake. Certainly, a new term for 'bloody money'. No doubt numbers need to be maintained but making a spectacle of it for the wealthy and bored is rather sick.

The King wasn't looking to kill for the benefit of the elephant population, rather, he wanted to kill for the pleasure it gave him to do so. As an honourary president of the WWF he has neglected the ethical and moral expectations of the said appointment and should be removed as a consequence.

 

[Lady Felicity M]

Carlos and sofia's marriage has always ben a "difficult" one but think deep down the still love each other.... deep deep down!

 

[doric44]

Could you provide releveant sources which specify the use of private funds having been used by the King? Thanks.

I'm ill at ease with the killing of elephants being passed off as a method of preservation and thus is used as justification to make the killing of such animals into tourist like sport. A sport that also costs a large sum of financing. The King wasn't looking to kill for the benefit of the elephant population, rather, he wanted to kill for the pleasure it gave him to do so. As an honourary presdient of the WWF he has neglected the ethical and moral expectations of the said appointment and should be removed as a consequence.

if your ill at ease with it that's your problem... do you not understand that many of the wildlife preserves and national parks exists because of hunting tourists?
these poor countries use the revenue generated from these managed hunting expeditions for elephants and other big game animals. to preserve them and keep them in the wild in national parks and reserves.

and they are managed and are not decimated by illegal poachers they can be watched over and protected by game wardens. whom are paid by the revenue generated by the hunting tourists. so people like you can say "oh isnt it great we still have lions and elephants and rhinos" HM juan Carlos by spending 45,000 bucks or whatever the amount was .

has helped to employ people who manage these animals protect them breed them and ensure they are still in the wild for years to come it may unsettle you but this is managed conservation...or if you would like them to stop the hunting then please by all means donate millions of dollars a year to do the same thing the hunting tourism does

 

[Madame Royale]

if your ill at ease with it that's your problem... do you not understand that many of the wildlife preserves and national parks exists because of hunting tourists?
these poor countries use the revenue generated from these managed hunting expeditions for elephants and other big game animals. to preserve them and keep them in the wild in national parks and reserves.

and they are managed and are not decimated by illegal poachers they can be watched over and protected by game wardens. whom are paid by the revenue generated by the hunting tourists. so people like you can say "oh isnt it great we still have lions and elephants and rhinos" HM juan Carlos by spending 45,000 bucks or whatever the amount was .

has helped to employ people who manage these animals protect them breed them and ensure they are still in the wild for years to come it may unsettle you but this is managed conservation...or if you would like them to stop the hunting then please by all means donate millions of dollars a year to do the same thing the hunting tourism does

What a "gentleman" like tone

It would appear you were unable to provide the relevant material to support your unsubstantiated claim re private financing. And it's not uncommon for people to get deffensive when they are unable to impart the factual evidence to support their intital statment so never mind. I understand.

 

[doric44]

What a 'gentleman' like tone

It would appear you were unable to provide the relevant material to support your unsubstantiated claim re private financing. And it's not uncommon for people to get deffensive when they are unable to impart the factual evidence to support their intital statment so never mind. I understand.

King Juan Carlos is a wealthy man and an avid hunter. he has the financial ability to Pursue his Hobby and pastime .and has in the past bear hunting so why would this hunting expedition to africa be any different prove to me he didn't

 

[Madame Royale]

It is your opinion that he financed his attendance on the hunt/s himself. It's not a publically disclosed fact and thus you are in no position to state that it is; as you have here done.

 

[Mermaid1962]

He's supposed to be a constitutional monarch. Ergo, couldn't the prime minister and the cabinet stop him?

Although I agree with many points of the article, I have to ask who can stop him?

 

[Patra]

Humm, bad PR everywhere. On a personal note, I'm not in favor of elephant shooting, but that's my own personal opinion.

 

[LadyFinn]

According to reports in finnish and other press, the spaniards are very angry, because the king's trip cost almost twice as much as an average spaniard gets as his/hers annual salary.
The unemployment rate in Spain was in February 23,6 %, and for young people (under 25 years) 50 %. I can understand their anger.

 

[Winnie]

In all those years back, either the media turned a blind eye out of respect or the political / social climate wasnt responding to such a thing.

You are correct. Here in America, everyone knew that JFK and Jackie each had many lovers during their lives in the White House, but since they were the media sweet hearts, all looked the other way. Same with Bill Clinton until the "blue dress" was proof of his playing in the Oval Office. Movie stars had open adulterous relationships [Tracey & Hepburn] and the media never printed a nasty word. It was a generous time. Today, most people like to read the dirt and feel free to comment and "pull apart" others lives. It is their hobby to find fault. We as a society will never go back to looking the other way. In a way, it is proper that facts are brought to light, especially when the public is footing the bill, when they are immoral or just plain disgusting [like the King and his hunting]. But, we now are a very jealous society and relish making comments about people that have so much more that we do. Whether it be social standing, wealth and certainly looks. People don't like the fact that others have more than they do. Silly.

One of the reasons that countries can't get good moral politicians to run their countries as anyone with common sense and brains don't want to be placing their family under this microscope. Who knows where it will all end. But the King deserves everything now that he gets, and I still truly feel for his wife and their grandchildren who seem to be the innocents in all this.

 

[NGalitzine]

I think so for all hunters, but especially royals. Their attitudes tend to be arrogant to others and to those animals they hunt for pure pleasure. Royal blood does NOT exist and royal titles only exist on paper

Hmmm, how well does this view go down in your own country? Hunting with high powered rifles seems quite popular in the United States.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

According to reports in finnish and other press, the spaniards are very angry, because the king's trip cost twice as much as an average spaniard gets as his/hers annual salary.

Thats the point. If Spain was a wealthy country, people may have raised an eyebrow about the monarch hunting elephants what is questionable from an ethical point of view. It would never have become public knowledge, anyway. But doing so in such hard times with the public suffering, it is outrageous since Spaniards seem to be represented by a person who is out of touch with reality and, instead of leading by example, covers up his luxury life, like not at all practising what he has been preaching eg at Christmas when he told the public that they have to make sacrifices for the sake of the nation.

 

[Artemisia]

Spain's king, WWF patron, slammed for hunting
Spanish King Went Elephant Hunting Amid Crisis
Austerity, what's that? King Juan Carlos slammed for £27,000 elephant hunting trip as his country drowns in debt

The King of Spain has come under fire for hunting elephants in Botswana as his country is being sucked back into the eurozone's financial crisis and one in two youngsters are jobless. Spanish media have slammed Juan Carlos for the reported £27,000 cost of the trip - and have published angry editorials alongside pictures of a previous 'Big Game' hunting expedition. They are also angry at a 'lack of transparency' from the Royal Household, three months after it promised to disclose its income following a corruption probe linked to his son-in-law.

 

[MissJanet]

Spanish people can't have bullfights anymore, because it is considered animal cruelty, but the king can sneak around and secretly kill elephants?

I'm quite shocked about this, it seems wrong on so many levels.

 

[Benjamin]

Royal Musings: When Dad tells the kids about the mistress!

Royal Musings: So who is this Princess Corinna?

Royal Musings: Queen Sofia back in Madrid

 

[Al_bina]

The situation is far more embarrassing than I thought. King Juan-Carlos' actions could poorly reflect on the whole institution. It is the multi-level PR nightmare.

 

[Baroness of Books]

This situation is beyond embarrassing; it's very destructive for the entire institution as for the family. What a shame.

 

[LadyFinn]

King of Spain faces calls to abdicate after elephant hunt - Telegraph

 

[Breffney]

King of Spain faces calls to abdicate after elephant hunt - Telegraph

How seriously should we take these calls. ?

Also, is JC the type of person who would give in to pressure and abdicate. ?

 

[MissJanet]

I'm still trying to find a way to put the phrase "The elephant in the room" in here.

From the above links I figure that Juan Carlos went on a (animal) killing spree and had his girlfriend with him. That is bad, but on the other hand - he personally restored and saved democracy in Spain, we should not forget that.

 

[An Ard Ri]

How seriously should we take these calls. ?

Also, is JC the type of person who would give in to pressure and abdicate. ?

We'll see after The King gets out of hospital,he's really made a major blunder on several fronts.

 

[NotHRH]

Hmmm, how well does this view go down in your own country? Hunting with high powered rifles seems quite popular in the United States.

I am responsible for my opinion only, and do not agree and have a problem with killing animals for the sport of it. It does help keep wild game populations in check though.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'm still trying to find a way to put the phrase "The elephant in the room" in here.

From the above links I figure that Juan Carlos went on a (animal) killing spree and had his girlfriend with him. That is bad, but on the other hand - he personally restored and saved democracy in Spain, we should not forget that.

I wonder if anyone in the hospital has a 'nelly the elephant' phone ringtone

 

[Winnie]

I am responsible for my opinion only, and do not agree and have a problem with killing animals for the sport of it. It does help keep wild game populations in check though.

I agree. Killing of animals just for the sport is tacky while the killing of animals to put those animals [deer, rabbit, etc.] on the family table for your family's health is another story.

 

[Bine221]

This situation is beyond embarrassing; it's very destructive for the entire institution as for the family. What a shame.

The situation is far more embarrassing than I thought. King Juan-Carlos' actions could poorly reflect on the whole institution. It is the multi-level PR nightmare.

I completely agree to both of you. Multi-level PR nightmare is the right expression -- he´s behaving like one of these colonalisation kings, only with the "little" difference to 100 years ago, that the public has changed, their thinking - and the media.
I will watch carefully, what will be his next steps (and not the ones on crutches ) to regain trust.
BYe Bine

 

[grevinnan]

Royal Musings: Queen Sofia back in Madrid

The story does not tell if the King could still walk, stand and sit after Sofia was done with him!

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2130461/Austerity-whats-Spanish-King-Juan-Carlos-slammed-27-000-elephant-hunting-trip-countrys-economy-teeters-brink.html?ITO=1490
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2112130,00.html

I wonder what kind of public reaction he gets once he is back working or if there is some kind of statement from casa real. I doubt it though. I doubt he gets booed or something or some active movement to follow up on this. At some point there will be business as usual.

Spaniards know that he has always been this way, only this time it became public, unintentionally. Over decades there has been a pact between politics, media & the King in order to consolidate democracy and the key was the monarchy, with the King becoming almost untouchable. Overall I'd say he still is, with regard to the abdication topic. It will never happen.

Despite the controversy, JC's life story explains why he does "in private" what he wants to do - politically correct or not. Over decades he had to serve a purpose, was a pawn, had to do what other people told him and, as a consequence, was forced to become an actor in his private (to please Franco) & professional life.