The former king arrived in Palma on Sunday from Geneva to attend the birthday of his great friend Miguel Arias. This is his first visit to the island since Easter 2018.
King Juan Carlos has returned to Mallorca after eight years. The emeritus monarch landed on Sunday morning at Palma airport, coming from Geneva on a private flight. The reason for his visit was the 80th birthday of his close friend Miguel Arias, a hospitality entrepreneur and owner of the Flanigan restaurant in Puerto Portals.
The stay of the former king was brief, as he left the island shortly after the celebration. During his visit, Don Juan Carlos did not stay at the Marivent Palace, but at a close friend's house, due to the self-imposed restrictions he took on moving to Abu Dhabi in 2020. However, he did visit Marivent to see Queen Sofia, in the first summer without his sister Irene of Greece and without his cousin and confidante Tatiana Radziwill.
The birthday celebration brought Don Juan Carlos together with a group of friends at the Flanigan restaurant, which opened in 1987 and is located opposite the Puerto Portals marina. The establishment, owned by Miguel Arias, is known for its typical Spanish cuisine and dishes such as salt-crusted sea bass, steak tartare, or fine apple tart. The friendship between King Juan Carlos and Arias dates back decades, when they met in Navacerrada at one of the entrepreneur's hospitality businesses.
The visit of the former king coincided with the stay on the island of King Felipe, who returned to Madrid on the same Sunday after spending a few days in Palma, where he held meetings with Balearic authorities. Don Felipe, accompanied by Doña Letizia, also visited Villamanta (Madrid) to support residents affected by the fires. Queen Sofia remains at Marivent, where she has been accompanied by her daughters, Infantas Elena and Cristina, and some of her grandchildren.
Don Juan Carlos's presence also coincides with the preparations for the Copa del Rey Mapfre de Vela. King Felipe will debut the boat purchased by the Navy, named 'Hispania', acquired second-hand from an American owner who was crowned champion of the competition last year.
For forty years, Mallorca was the setting for the summers of King Juan Carlos and his family. After abdicating in 2014, he stayed away from the island until Easter 2018, when he attended the Easter Mass at Palma Cathedral. His return, although brief, has had a strong emotional component, as he reunited with friends and places that marked his life.
For the people of Mallorca, the visit of the former king has been an event that recalls his close ties to the island, although his stay has been discreet and did not include official acts. The news has circulated among social and political circles, but without the expectation of previous years.
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