Juan Carlos’ lawyers told the Court of Appeal in London last month that any alleged harassment before he abdicated in 2014 was covered by immunity – Today his appeal was upheld
The former king of Spain Juan Carlos won today in an attempt to block part of a harassment case brought against him in a London court by his former lover.
The 84-year-old former monarch is facing a lawsuit from Corina Chu Zain-Wittgenstein-Zain, alleging that Juan Carlos ran a campaign of harassment against her since 2012 that continues. Juan Carlos emphatically denies Wittgenstein’s claims.
Juan Carlos’ lawyers told the Court of Appeal in London last month that any alleged harassment before he abdicated in 2014 was covered by immunity.
But Sein-Wittgenstein’s lawyers say the acts of harassment were private acts carried out in the service of the former monarch’s “hidden agenda”.
Today his appeal was upheldwith Judge Ingrid Simler saying in a written ruling: “The alleged conduct prior to the abdication is immune from the jurisdiction of the courts of this country.”
He said the alleged acts carried out, before the resignation of Juan Carlos, by General Sant Roldan, then head of Spain’s CNI intelligence service, “could be attributed to the Spanish state”.
“It was only his (Juan Carlos) position as head of state that allowed him to push the head of the security service to act in the manner alleged, using the CNI, whatever his private motives, and however abusive they may have been “, said Shimler.
Zain-Wittgenstein’s lawyer Michael Kim of law firm Kobre & Kim said in an emailed statement: “Corinna’s claim can now proceed to trial at the High Court in London.”
He added: “The vast majority of Corinna’s claim, from 2014, remains unaffected and should proceed to trial. He makes very serious allegations of harassment that continued over a long period, which will be examined in detail when the trial takes place.”
Lawyers representing Juan Carlos did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Juan Carlos, once respected for his role in Spain’s transition to democracy, was forced to abdicate in 2014 after a series of scandals including his affair with Seine-Wittgenstein, and is now seen as an obstacle to the son of, King Felipe.
Spanish prosecutors dropped two fraud investigations into the former king’s business dealings in March after failing to find sufficient evidence of criminal activity, following a similar move by Swiss prosecutors last December.
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