Spain – a gigantic Royal scandal

An unholy scandal is threatening to rock the monarchy in Spain involving former King Juan Carlos over Swiss bank accounts, secret foundations and untaxed multimillion-euro payments, and a hell-hath-no-fury rift with an ex-lover of his. The end result may force him to face trial or leave the country. Swiss prosecutors are investigating the source of a €65 million payment he made to his former mistress, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. She has alleged on tape various backhand deals involving eye-watering sums of money he supposedly made via Middle Eastern rulers. As a result his son, King Felipe VI, disinherited himself to attempt to put distance between the throne and questionable money.

Juan Carlos started his reign in 1975 on a modernising high but latterly tarnished his reputation with dubious associations. His downfall finally came on Botswana elephant hunt with this mistress in 2012, when he fell and had to be flown home for an emergency hip-replacement. The Spanish press went to town, opening the floodgates on his affairs. He was heavily criticised for his excess in a time of economic crisis which led two years later to his abdication. What didn’t help was his son-in-law Iñaki Urdangarín being simultaneously under investigation for corruption, which ultimately led to a six year prison sentence.

Juan Carlos, born 5 January 1938 1.15 pm Rome, Italy, spent his early years in exile with the dictator Franco in power in Spain, returning in 1975 to be given back the throne. He’s a super-confident Jupiter on his Midheaven opposition Pluto; with his Jupiter square a 12^th house Uranus – a risk-taker, uninclined to follow ordinary morals’ rules and regulations. He has Sun Venus in socially ambitious Capricorn trine Uranus and sextile Mars – innovative, uncompromising, dislikes interference. A North Node in his 7^th house of close relationships hints that committed partnerships were not his strong point – as his poor, beleaguered wife Queen Sofia found out.

This particular ex-mistress, who is causing waves, twice married Corinna zu S-W, 28 January 1964, is a feisty Sun Mars in Aquarius which is conjunct Juan Carlos’s Jupiter in his 10^th so she’d be attracted to his status, but her Sun Mars also square his Uranus so there would be high-tension outbursts. Her Venus in Pisces is conjunct his Mars for a touch of passion; with her Moon conjunct his Pluto for possessiveness. Her Jupiter in Aries squared his Sun for mutual back-scratching; but her Saturn on his Moon would be a damper.

What’s on the money is their relationship chart which has a deeply-hostile composite Mars opposition Pluto. Often duos which have this aspect can amble along contentedly for a while but when they part company it gets extremely nasty so vengeance and payback are par for the course.

King Felipe’s reign, 19 June 2014, was always going to be a fraught series of rolling crisis, kicking off with Uranus opposition Mars square Pluto; though Uranus also squares Jupiter for a hint of luck. It’ll run into a downbeat, potentially unpopular blip in mid to late 2021 with Solar Arc Saturn opposition the Venus.

His own chart, 30 January 1968 12.45pm Madrid, indicates a shock and collision of sorts later this year with Solar Arc Mars square the Sun, perhaps as the Royal scandal moves on apace. What should cause him some concern is that he shares a late degree Capricorn Midheaven with his father which tr Pluto will move to conjunct – by 2022 in his father’s case and 2023 in his (timing dependent on birth times being exactly accurate). Tr Pluto on the Midheaven often accompanies a fall from grace, loss of reputation and a career-dead-halt with a need for a rethink on the far side. In Juan Carlos’ case it may mean he faces the consequences of his past actions and ends up in the sin bin in one way or another. In Felipe’s case it could even mean a tussle with Republicans and it’s not definite that he’d win.