Reconciliation, the memoir by Spain’s former king Juan Carlos, arrives as he remains exiled in Abu Dhabi and estranged from his family. The book mixes apologies and self‑praise, according to The New York Times. Historian Andrew Lownie alleges Juan Carlos and ex‑Prince Andrew had close ties in Kazakhstan — involving cash, luxury gifts and introductions to women — and that some payments may have been disguised as jewelry sales. These claims are reported allegations and have not been proven in court.
Juan Carlos’ Memoir Sparks New Allegations — Biographer Links Ex‑King With Prince Andrew in Kazakhstan
Spain’s former king Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 amid financial and personal scandals, has published a memoir titled Reconciliation. The book, released while he remains exiled in Abu Dhabi and largely estranged from his family, mixes apologies, family grievances and passages that praise aspects of Spain’s Franco era, according to reporting in The New York Times.
Juan Carlos’ reputation has been damaged by multiple allegations over recent years, including accusations that he accepted a $65 million payment from an Abu Dhabi prince and sought to launder some funds through a former mistress, as well as reports of numerous extramarital affairs. He remains a divisive figure in Spain and is reportedly shunned by his son, King Felipe, and ex‑wife Queen Sofía.
Biographer Alleges Links With Prince Andrew
Historian and royal biographer Andrew Lownie, who has written extensively on royal figures, told NewsNation that Juan Carlos and former Prince Andrew developed a close personal relationship that involved overlapping travel and allegedly included exchanges of cash, luxury gifts and introductions to local women.
SANTIAGO, CHILE – JUNE 05: Juan Carlos king of Spain looks to the front during the visit to the Presidential Palace on June 5, 2012 in Santiago, Chile. (Photo by Marcelo Hernandez/LatinContent via Getty Images)
Lownie said the two men were together in Kazakhstan at times when Andrew visited the country in 2007 for a trade conference and in 2008 for a goose hunt connected to his royal duties, and when Juan Carlos also made personal trips there. Lownie alleged that cash gifts were handed out and that some payments took the form of expensive jewelry which was then sold through intermediaries.
"One of the ways that they were paid is through jewelry, and they then fenced that jewelry through various jewelers," Lownie said. "Juan Carlos of Spain was very close to Andrew. They were sort of working together, particularly in Kazakhstan."
As one concrete financial link cited by Lownie, a Kazakh oligarch reportedly paid about $5 million above market value in 2007 for Sunninghill House, the marital home of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson — a transaction that has drawn scrutiny amid questions about the source and purpose of the funds.
Allegations Are Reported, Not Proven
These claims come from Lownie and other reporting and remain allegations. Neither Juan Carlos nor Prince Andrew has been convicted in connection with the specific Kazakhstan-related claims detailed here. It is not yet clear whether Juan Carlos addresses these specific episodes in his memoir.
The renewed scrutiny highlights how the former monarch’s attempt to shape his legacy with Reconciliation collides with longstanding public and media questions about his conduct. News outlets involved in reporting on the story include The New York Times and NewsNation. This article reflects reported allegations and public records as of the most recent reporting.
