https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Calls for Spain's former King Juan Carlos I to return from exile have resurfaced after declassified files confirmed his role in stopping a 1981 coup and defending the country's fledging democracy. https://www.thelocal.es/20260228/coup-role-revelations-revive-calls-for-return-of-spains-exiled-king Sat, 28 Feb 2026 11:49:17 +0100 coup-role-revelations-revive-calls-for-return-of-spains-exiled-king Former King Juan Carlos's memoirs went on sale in Spain on Wednesday, with the publication's warm words for the late dictator Franco stirring debate over the former monarch's legacy. https://www.thelocal.es/20251203/former-kings-memoirs-hits-bookstores-in-spain Wed, 03 Dec 2025 16:32:08 +0100 former-kings-memoirs-hits-bookstores-in-spain Disgraced Spanish ex-king Juan Carlos I on Monday appeared in an unexpected video aimed at young people days before his memoirs come out in Spain, defending his record against "distortions". https://www.thelocal.es/20251202/spains-exiled-ex-king-defends-his-reign-ahead-of-memoirs-launch Tue, 02 Dec 2025 10:16:25 +0100 spains-exiled-ex-king-defends-his-reign-ahead-of-memoirs-launch Which Spanish king thought he was a frog? Who was a reputed sex addict? Understanding Spanish history can be tough, so we've broken it down into the most important and quirky trivia you need to know about each Spanish king and queen. https://www.thelocal.es/20230512/the-one-thing-you-need-to-know-about-each-of-spains-kings-and-queens Fri, 12 May 2023 17:55:43 +0200 the-one-thing-you-need-to-know-about-each-of-spains-kings-and-queens Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Sunday he was "surprised" by some of the claims in exiled former Spanish King Juan Carlos's newly released memoirs. https://www.thelocal.es/20251109/spanish-pm-pushes-back-on-former-kings-memoirs Sun, 09 Nov 2025 14:44:11 +0100 spanish-pm-pushes-back-on-former-kings-memoirs The release of exiled former Spanish King Juan Carlos's memoirs has sparked renewed debate in Spain over his legacy and ties to the late dictator General Francisco Franco. https://www.thelocal.es/20251108/exiled-spanish-kings-memoirs-stir-debate-over-franco Sat, 08 Nov 2025 10:05:08 +0100 exiled-spanish-kings-memoirs-stir-debate-over-franco Mixing historic anecdotes and regret over his own scandals, Spain's exiled king Juan Carlos I seeks to reconcile himself with his family and nation in newly-published memoirs that offer dramatic reminiscences from one of the last surviving players of 20th-century history. https://www.thelocal.es/20251106/diana-franco-and-brothers-death-the-memoirs-of-spains-exiled-king Thu, 06 Nov 2025 12:20:20 +0100 diana-franco-and-brothers-death-the-memoirs-of-spains-exiled-king King Felipe VI urged Spain to draw lessons from this year's catastrophic floods to "strengthen society and make us grow" in his Christmas message broadcast on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.es/20241225/felipe-vi-urges-spain-to-learn-from-floods-in-christmas-message Wed, 25 Dec 2024 09:34:26 +0100 felipe-vi-urges-spain-to-learn-from-floods-in-christmas-message Spain's royals made a highly anticipated return to the epicentre of catastrophic floods on Tuesday, two weeks after a chaotic trip where survivors hurled mud and insults at them. https://www.thelocal.es/20241119/mud-and-insults-replaced-with-cheers-as-spains-king-returns-to-flood-zone Tue, 19 Nov 2024 13:33:12 +0100 mud-and-insults-replaced-with-cheers-as-spains-king-returns-to-flood-zone Spain's King Felipe VI was handed a salary increase last year, but how much do he and the rest of the Spanish royal family earn every year from taxpayers' money? https://www.thelocal.es/20241114/how-much-do-spains-king-and-royal-family-make Thu, 14 Nov 2024 10:53:04 +0100 how-much-do-spains-king-and-royal-family-make The unprecedented outburst of anger at Spain's ruling class in the epicentre of devastating floods expressed popular frustration with polarised politicians incapable of managing the crisis, analysts have said. https://www.thelocal.es/20241104/why-did-flood-victims-get-so-angry-with-spains-royals Mon, 04 Nov 2024 18:35:00 +0100 why-did-flood-victims-get-so-angry-with-spains-royals The Spanish government has announced that it will boycott the swearing-in ceremony of Mexican president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum because King Felipe VI was not invited. https://www.thelocal.es/20240925/spain-to-boycott-mexican-presidents-inauguration-after-king-felipe-snub Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:47:11 +0200 spain-to-boycott-mexican-presidents-inauguration-after-king-felipe-snub King Felipe VI on Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of his accession to the Spanish throne, putting the spotlight on a decade of efforts to restore the image of the monarchy following scandals that led his father Juan Carlos to abdicate. https://www.thelocal.es/20240619/in-images-king-felipe-vi-marks-10-tough-years-on-spains-throne Wed, 19 Jun 2024 19:33:36 +0200 in-images-king-felipe-vi-marks-10-tough-years-on-spains-throne After a decade on the Spanish throne, King Felipe VI is steadily growing in popularity. If things were ever to turn sour, could the Spanish public and government actually oust the monarch and turn Spain into a republic? https://www.thelocal.es/20240617/could-spain-ever-dethrone-king-felipe-and-become-a-republic Mon, 17 Jun 2024 19:15:04 +0200 could-spain-ever-dethrone-king-felipe-and-become-a-republic Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish crown, swore loyalty to the constitution on Tuesday, her 18th birthday, a legal milestone on the path to inheriting the crown from her father King Felipe VI. https://www.thelocal.es/20231031/in-pictures-spains-crown-princess-comes-of-age-in-boost-for-monarchy Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:42:30 +0100 in-pictures-spains-crown-princess-comes-of-age-in-boost-for-monarchy As Spain's Princess Leonor turns 18 this week and takes on an increased public role, The Local takes a look at what Spaniards think of their royal family. https://www.thelocal.es/20220919/explained-what-do-spaniards-think-of-their-royal-family Mon, 19 Sep 2022 19:15:59 +0200 explained-what-do-spaniards-think-of-their-royal-family Princess Leonor, heir to the Spanish crown, will swear loyalty to the constitution Tuesday on her 18th birthday, a milestone that will help turn the page on the scandal-tainted reign of her grandfather, Juan Carlos. https://www.thelocal.es/20231030/leonor-turns-18-what-you-need-to-know-about-spains-crown-princess Mon, 30 Oct 2023 16:43:01 +0100 leonor-turns-18-what-you-need-to-know-about-spains-crown-princess Following in her father's footsteps, Spain's Princess Leonor is undertaking three years of military training as part of preparations to one day succeed the Spanish throne. https://www.thelocal.es/20230914/why-is-spains-princess-doing-military-service Thu, 14 Sep 2023 13:42:20 +0200 why-is-spains-princess-doing-military-service Spain's ex-king Juan Carlos will make his third visit home this week since moving to Abu Dhabi in 2020 amid fraud investigations, with reports suggesting the scandal-hit royal could make the move permanent if the PP wins the gridlocked elections. https://www.thelocal.es/20230726/spains-exiled-former-king-to-make-third-visit-home Wed, 26 Jul 2023 10:53:18 +0200 spains-exiled-former-king-to-make-third-visit-home Lawyers for Spain's ex-king Juan Carlos I on Tuesday asked a court in London to throw out a claim for damages of over £126 million (€145 million) by a former lover. https://www.thelocal.es/20230719/spains-ex-king-asks-london-court-to-dismiss-126m-damages-claim Wed, 19 Jul 2023 11:18:56 +0200 spains-ex-king-asks-london-court-to-dismiss-126m-damages-claim