Spain's former king arrives for meeting with his son Felipe VI

The controversial former king of Spain, Juan Carlos, arrived at the Palace of Zarzuela in Madrid on Monday for a meeting with his son and successor King Felipe VI at the conclusion of his first visit to Spain in almost two years.

Juan Carlos, 84, was warmly welcomed by a group of well-wishers as the car carrying him drove up to the official royal residence shortly after 10 am (0800 GMT), as shown by national broadcaster RTVE.

Juan Carlos, who now lives in exile in Abu Dhabi, spent the first four days since his arrival in Spain on Thursday at the coastal city of Sanxenxo in Galicia in the north-west of the country, before flying by private jet to Madrid.

Ahead of the visit and speaking after winning a regatta with the crew aboard the Bribón racing yacht, he told journalists in Sanxenxo that he was looking forward to the meeting with his son and expected that there would be "much embracing."

Juan Carlos is due to fly back to Abu Dhabi following the meeting with Felipe, 54, Queen Letizia, 49, and other members of the royal family at the end of his five-day visit to Spain. According to media reports, the meeting at the palace, which was not listed on the official itinerary, will include lunch.

Exiled since August 2020

Juan Carlos left Spain for exile on 4 August 2020, turning up later in Abu Dhabi.

At the beginning of March, after all criminal proceedings relating to financial irregularities were dropped, he announced that he intended to remain in exile but to visit Spain from time to time.