KING Felipe VI's annual Christmas Eve speech once again included a covert appeal to secessionist politicians, as well as raising concerns about young adults' struggle to afford housing and violence against women.
King Juan Carlos agrees to cooperate with Ingrid Sartiau's paternity suit
27/01/2015
FORMER King of Spain Juan Carlos I has agreed to supply DNA to be used in the paternity suit filed by 45-year-old Belgian divorcée Ingrid Jeanne Sartiau.
The mother-of-two recently appeared on a Tele5 chat show, where she said she had 'always wanted a father' and that this was far more important to her than any Royal privileges.
She said her own mother had had an affair with King Juan Carlos which had 'gone on for some time' and 'was more than just a fling', that the abdicated Monarch knew when she was born and spoke to her mum on the phone.
Ingrid has the results of a DNA test which shows, with a 91% reliability rate, that she is the half-sister of Barcelona waiter Alberto Solà on his father's side - and Alberto has DNA results showing, with a 99% certainty level, that he is King Juan Carlos' illegitimate son.
But the Supreme Court has rejected Solà's paternity claim, even though it has accepted Ingrid's - possibly because of the repercussions for the Royal family.
Alberto is older than King Felipe VI, Juan Carlos I's only son, meaning by rights, the Catalunya bartender would be heir to the throne.
King Juan Carlos is said to have agreed to cooperate in Mme Sartiau's paternity suit, because he 'is not worried in the least' and is 'totally confident' that it will turn out she is not his daughter after all.
The former Monarch says he is completely calm about the whole process.
In his wife, Queen Sofía's biography, the public learnt from the horse's mouth that the ex-King had been unfaithful throughout their entire marriage, which has resulted in their leading separate lives and only communicating through their secretaries.
And in addition to Alberto and Ingrid, the latter says she spoke to a man 'working' at the Zarzuela Palace on the phone - a man who is allegedly another son of King Juan Carlos.
If Ingrid were to be recognised as daughter of the abdicated King, the Zarzuela Palace has confirmed it would accept this decision.
She would be able to avail herself of all her civil rights, including inheritance, but would not be considered another 'Royal', not hold a title and would not have any sovereign rights.
In effect, she would just be another member of the Borbón (Bourbon) dynasty and a distant sister of the current reigning King.
The Royal household has confirmed that this would be the situation 'in the event of a worst-case scenario'.
But although King Juan Carlos' allegedly illegitimate children have caused a media sensation of late, this is not the first time a paternity suit has been brought against the Royal family.
A man named Leandro de Borbón filed a paternity suit in December 2002 at the Civil Registrar's office in Madrid, claiming he was the son of the former King Alfonso XIII.
He did not undergo a DNA test, because his birth certificate did indeed show that his father was the late Monarch - listed as His Majesty Alfonso de Borbón y Austria - meaning his nephew is in fact King Juan Carlos.
In this case, as Juan Carlos' grandfather had already died, the result did not make any difference to the Royal structure.
As would be the case with Mme Sartiau, Leandro de Borbón has full family inheritance rights but does not hold a Royal title and is not in line to the throne.
Related Topics
FORMER King of Spain Juan Carlos I has agreed to supply DNA to be used in the paternity suit filed by 45-year-old Belgian divorcée Ingrid Jeanne Sartiau.
The mother-of-two recently appeared on a Tele5 chat show, where she said she had 'always wanted a father' and that this was far more important to her than any Royal privileges.
She said her own mother had had an affair with King Juan Carlos which had 'gone on for some time' and 'was more than just a fling', that the abdicated Monarch knew when she was born and spoke to her mum on the phone.
Ingrid has the results of a DNA test which shows, with a 91% reliability rate, that she is the half-sister of Barcelona waiter Alberto Solà on his father's side - and Alberto has DNA results showing, with a 99% certainty level, that he is King Juan Carlos' illegitimate son.
But the Supreme Court has rejected Solà's paternity claim, even though it has accepted Ingrid's - possibly because of the repercussions for the Royal family.
Alberto is older than King Felipe VI, Juan Carlos I's only son, meaning by rights, the Catalunya bartender would be heir to the throne.
King Juan Carlos is said to have agreed to cooperate in Mme Sartiau's paternity suit, because he 'is not worried in the least' and is 'totally confident' that it will turn out she is not his daughter after all.
The former Monarch says he is completely calm about the whole process.
In his wife, Queen Sofía's biography, the public learnt from the horse's mouth that the ex-King had been unfaithful throughout their entire marriage, which has resulted in their leading separate lives and only communicating through their secretaries.
And in addition to Alberto and Ingrid, the latter says she spoke to a man 'working' at the Zarzuela Palace on the phone - a man who is allegedly another son of King Juan Carlos.
If Ingrid were to be recognised as daughter of the abdicated King, the Zarzuela Palace has confirmed it would accept this decision.
She would be able to avail herself of all her civil rights, including inheritance, but would not be considered another 'Royal', not hold a title and would not have any sovereign rights.
In effect, she would just be another member of the Borbón (Bourbon) dynasty and a distant sister of the current reigning King.
The Royal household has confirmed that this would be the situation 'in the event of a worst-case scenario'.
But although King Juan Carlos' allegedly illegitimate children have caused a media sensation of late, this is not the first time a paternity suit has been brought against the Royal family.
A man named Leandro de Borbón filed a paternity suit in December 2002 at the Civil Registrar's office in Madrid, claiming he was the son of the former King Alfonso XIII.
He did not undergo a DNA test, because his birth certificate did indeed show that his father was the late Monarch - listed as His Majesty Alfonso de Borbón y Austria - meaning his nephew is in fact King Juan Carlos.
In this case, as Juan Carlos' grandfather had already died, the result did not make any difference to the Royal structure.
As would be the case with Mme Sartiau, Leandro de Borbón has full family inheritance rights but does not hold a Royal title and is not in line to the throne.
Related Topics
More News & Information
'BRAVE' servicemen and women who will spend Christmas overseas are 'making Spain proud', president Pedro Sánchez assured them during his annual festive message via video-call.
NEWLY sworn-in national president Pedro Sánchez is now starting the challenging task of building his cabinet among a very divided coalition, although several names from his previous tenure are tipped to be returning to...
A NEW and limited-edition €2 coin will be in circulation in Spain until the end of this year to mark the country's Council of Europe presidency 'shift', the Royal mint has revealed.