Former Spanish king Juan Carlos' ex-lover accuses him of harassment

Spain’s former King Juan Carlos has been accused of harassment and spying by his ex-lover in the latest twist in a financial scandal plaguing him.

The public relations firm representing Corinna Larsen, a Danish-German businesswoman long linked to Spain’s former king, confirmed Wednesday that she had asked a London court for a restraining order against Juan Carlos and compensation for damages for his alleged harassment.

Carlos, who left his homeland under a cloud of scandal in August last year, had settled a back tax bill worth over 678,000 euros ($817,871) including interest and fines.

The dramatic exit was designed to protect the monarchy after a barrage of corruption allegations surfaced against him.

The bombshell move stunned Spaniards and left them divided over whether the 82-year-old, who keeps the title of King Emeritus, was right to depart or should have stayed to face justice.

Juan Carlos came to the throne in 1975 after the death of General Francisco Franco and was widely respected for his role in helping guide Spain from dictatorship to democracy.

But his popularity sank in later years due to a series of scandals, prompting him to step down in 2014.

Switzerland’s La Tribune de Geneve newspaper reported in March that Juan Carlos had received $100 million from the late Saudi King over a high-speed rail contract.

That was followed by a regular drip-feed of allegations in the Spanish media, including that he gave much of the money to a former mistress.

Juan Carlos’ son, King Felipe, is the current head of state.

(With inputs from agencies)