…By Lola Smith for TDPel Media.
A new sculpture of former Spanish monarch, Juan Carlos, has been erected in Madrid’s Puerta Del Sol square.
The sculpture, created by Chilean artist Nicolás Miranda, depicts Carlos aiming a rifle at Madrid’s famous bronze bear.
This comes after Carlos’ second return trip to Spain after exiling himself in Abu Dhabi in 2014 amid public outrage over an elephant-hunting trip to Africa and a series of financial scandals.
The sculpture portrays Carlos as a disgraced monarch who appears to be preparing to hunt the symbol of the Spanish capital.
The statue aims to draw attention to the controversy that Carlos attracted after attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, despite both being great-great-grandchildren of Britain’s Queen Victoria.
King Felipe, Carlos’ son, led the official Spanish delegation to the funeral alongside his wife, Queen Letizia.
Carlos’ abdication in 2014 paved the way for Felipe to take the throne.
Spanish prosecutors investigated allegations of fraud against Carlos in Spain and Switzerland.
Still, the investigation was dropped due to insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations.
Carlos has declined to comment on the various allegations of wrongdoing.
The former monarch could still face trial in Britain in a harassment case brought against him by his former lover, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein.
However, he has denied the allegations.
Commentary
The statue of Juan Carlos in Madrid’s Puerta Del Sol Square reflects the public’s dissatisfaction with the former monarch’s actions.
The artwork portrays Carlos as a disgraced monarch who is facing the symbol of the Spanish capital, the bronze bear.
The artist intended to draw attention to the controversy surrounding Carlos’ attendance at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, which was deemed inappropriate by some given the history between the two countries.
The statue also highlights the allegations of financial misconduct and elephant-hunting that led to Carlos’ self-imposed exile in Abu Dhabi in 2014.
While Spanish prosecutors investigated allegations of fraud in Spain and Switzerland, the probe was dropped due to insufficient evidence and the statute of limitations.
The former monarch has declined to comment on these allegations.
Despite the investigation being dropped, Carlos could still face trial in Britain in a harassment case brought against him by his former lover, Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein.
The statue’s message is clear: the public’s trust in the monarchy has been eroded, and Juan Carlos’ legacy is forever tainted by allegations of wrongdoing.