For months, the Royal Household has been under media scrutiny due to revelations about cash transactions linking the emeritus king to his daughter-in-law. What began as a rumor has taken shape thanks to journalistic sources and testimonies corroborated on social media.
The echo keeps growing: it is claimed that Juan Carlos I handed over bundles of bills to Letizia to finance her family shopping, especially in top-level stores in Madrid; all outside official records.
how was this informal practice protected?
At the center of this story is the so-called "diplomatic protection." Juan Carlos I, during his travels, moved huge amounts of cash, which arrived in Spain without passing through customs or oversight. There, they were counted in a machine placed in Zarzuela, used to discreetly manage several million.
According to investigations, part of that cash—up to 5 million euros—ended up in Letizia's hands, who used it in her daily life. Some sources point to luxurious expenses on Serrano Street, also made during trips to Paris or London, carried out with cards linked to the emeritus queen, Sofía.
official reactions and Felipe VI's strategic distance
The Royal Household has kept official silence. Felipe VI took measures such as Letizia and himself renouncing Juan Carlos's financial inheritance, as well as cutting off any direct funding from Abu Dhabi since 2020.
Specialized media indicate that Felipe banned his daughters—Leonor and Sofía—from receiving money from the emeritus. He also reinforced institutional transparency mechanisms, trying to separate the Crown's reputation from past scandals.
Letizia Ortiz in the spotlight: implications and how to handle it
The queen consort, used to keeping her image, now faces a media crossroads. She may have been an indirect beneficiary of funds of questionable origin.
This raises questions: whether she was unaware of their origin and whether she should have refused that direct delivery. On social media, comments have gone viral that, although not citing official sources, show concern: "How could she not suspect the origin of those bundles?" several users reflect.
Media such as "Caras" report an alleged pact between son-in-law and father-in-law so Letizia could have easy access to those funds. However, it has not yet been proven whether those transactions were fully consented to or if they simply followed an unusual family protocol.
Juan Carlos I... always at the center of controversy
This case doesn't come out of nowhere. Juan Carlos I is already involved in multiple proceedings for corruption, opaque cards, and funds in tax havens, especially after his controversial tour of Saudi Arabia and the Corinna case.
The practice of using bills, black cards, and opaque accounts had already affected his close circle, including the infantas Elena and Cristina, and even grandchildren like Froilán. Letizia, in a way, now faces a legacy she intends to clean up. It doesn't work anymore.