The Royal Household warns that if the emeritus king returns to Spain, "he should regain his tax residency."

MadridIf former King Juan Carlos I wants to return to Spain, he would have to renounce his tax residency in the United Arab Emirates. This is the view of sources at the Royal Household consulted by ARA, who believe that to "safeguard his image and reputation from speculation and potential criticism, and consequently the image of the Crown, he should regain his tax residency in Spain." This would automatically mean paying taxes to the State and, therefore, once again being under the scrutiny of the Spanish Tax Agency. This Friday's development comes after the leader of the People's Party (PP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, reopened the debate on the emeritus king's return on Thursday, taking advantage of the declassification of documents related to the 23-F coup attempt, although the decision to go to living in Abu Dhabi in August 2020 It has nothing to do with the attempted coup, but rather, precisely, with his finances. In response to Feijóo's proposal, sources at the Royal Household simply stated that the former monarch's possible return is a "personal decision." "He can return whenever he wants," the same sources indicated. However, the Zarzuela Palace did not specify whether they had directly conveyed the message to the emeritus king, nor did they comment on whether or not he could live in the Zarzuela Palace should he decide to return.

Juan Carlos I began the administrative procedures to transfer his tax residence to the United Arab Emirates in 2023, as reported at the time by the newspaper The WorldWhen this took effect, the former monarch ceased to be a Spanish taxpayer. He was therefore no longer under the control of the Tax Agency. In Abu Dhabi's tax system, taxes are remarkably low, attracting great fortunes, and there is no personal income tax. To regain Spanish tax residency, he would have to acknowledge that the base of his activities and economic interests is once again in Spain. The other factor that determines whether someone is recognized as a tax resident in Spain is the number of days spent in Spanish territory: if a person spends more than 183 days in Spain, they automatically become a resident. This Wednesday, after the PP's proposal, sources at Moncloa Palace consulted by ARA simply passed the buck to the Royal Household, while the PP is clear that he should be encouraged to return. According to the PP leader,the known information about February 23rd It must represent a "reconciliation" of the Spanish people "with the one who stopped the coup." One of the voices that has most fueled this return is that of Isabel Díaz Ayuso, who on Thursday insisted that she "wants the best" for Juan Carlos I. "To go against the monarchy or simply question it is to question our own history," stated the president of the Community of Madrid.