The Spanish tax authorities are investigating Juan Carlos I because of expenses for hunting, to which he was invited after he abdicated in 2014, the newspaper El Mundo reported.

The Spanish Tax Service is asking that the honorary king justify who paid for the expenses related to the hunts. The Department of Finance and Taxation has sent several requests for information to the former head of state over the past year.

In particular, Juan Carlos I is being asked to clarify the origin of the funds that paid for flights and other expenses during hunts to which he was invited between 2014 and 2018. As part of this investigation, authorities also want to know about some of the gifts the former head of state received.

In August 2020, it became officially known that Juan Carlos I had informed his son, King Philip VI, of his decision to leave the country amid scandals related to him. He has since resided in the UAE. In Spain, several investigations were opened against the 84-year-old honorary monarch, while he was not charged. At the beginning of March, the Spanish prosecutor's office announced the closure of the investigation.

As a result, in May of this year for the first time in two years, Juan Carlos I visited the kingdom. After a short visit, the honorary monarch returned to the UAE.