The former king and the tennis player conspired to celebrate the birthday of businessman Miguel Arias at a restaurant in Palma. The event was attended by Queen Sofia and the infantas Elena and Cristina.
Former King Juan Carlos I and tennis player Rafa Nadal have once again joined forces in Mallorca to organise a surprise birthday party for businessman Miguel Arias, a key figure in the development of Puerto Portals and owner of the iconic restaurant Flanigan. The gathering, which took place last Sunday in Palma, brought together a large part of the Royal Family, with the exception of Felipe VI and Letizia Ortiz.
According to sources close to the event, the celebration was secretly orchestrated by the former monarch and the former world number one tennis player. Arias, visibly surprised, exclaimed: "You’ve got me good" upon discovering the tribute prepared by his friends. The evening was attended by Queen Sofia, who reunited with her husband in Marivent seven years later, as well as the infantas Elena and Cristina and several of their children.
The relationship between Juan Carlos I and Rafa Nadal goes beyond friendship. The honoured businessman, Miguel Arias, has been linked to the Royal Family since the launch of the Baqueira Beret ski resort, before settling in Mallorca. According to attendees, "the two conspired to organise the birthday tribute." Arias also claims credit for encouraging Nadal to learn to ski: "I gave him a little push to learn how to ski," he joked.
Juan Carlos I arrived on the island on Sunday morning and his stay lasted just 24 hours. According to people who shared the gathering, "the reunion was a moment of happiness for the King, who also left this morning very pleased." The former monarch did not meet with his son Felipe VI or Queen Letizia in Mallorca, who that same Sunday spent the day with evacuees from the fires in the capital.
This is not the first time that Juan Carlos I and Nadal have shared events in Mallorca. The former king's last visit to the island, on October 19, 2019, also brought the three figures together at sa Fortalesa de Mallorca for the tennis player's wedding to María Francisca Perelló. At that time, Arias was part of the small entourage of the Kings and sat at their table.
For the residents of Palma, the presence of Juan Carlos I on the island, although brief, always generates excitement. The former king, who has been residing in Abu Dhabi since 2020, maintains a strong connection with Mallorca, where he spent long periods during his reign. The celebration, at a restaurant in the Puerto Portals area, did not cause traffic disruptions or extraordinary security measures, according to municipal sources.
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