MADRID: A British court ruled on Thursday that royal immunity laws do not protect Spain’s former king, Juan Carlos I, in a lawsuit for alleged harassment filed by his ex-lover.

High Court Justice Matthew Nicklin said that because the claim involves Juan Carlos’ private acts in the aftermath of a romantic relationship, he does not have legal immunity under either Spanish or British law.

Corinna Larsen, a Danish socialite and businesswoman who lives in Monaco and London, was the unofficial partner of Juan Carlos for years, but the couple split amid increased media and public scrutiny in Spain. Juan Carlos stepped down as king in 2014, allowing his son to become King Felipe VI.

In 2020, after Larsen and Juan Carlos became subjects of judicial investigations for opaque financial dealings, including assets kept in tax havens, she sued the former monarch, accusing him of allegedly orchestrating threats and ordering unlawful covert and overt surveillance starting in 2012.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2022