Spain’s former King Juan Carlos has made a shocking revelation about the tragic accident that claimed his brother’s life when they were teenagers.
The exiled royal, who now resides in Dubai revealed the details about the death of Alfonso, who died in 1956.
Published in France as Juan Carlos I d’Espagne: Réconciliation, Juan Carlos told readers, "I didn't like to talk about it, and this is the first time I do."
The 87-year-old former Spanish Monarch said, "I will not recover from this tragedy. Its gravity will accompany me forever."
Juan Carlos explained, "We had taken out the magazine. We had no idea there was a bullet left in the chamber.”
He mentioned, "A shot was fired into the air, the bullet ricocheted and struck my brother squarely in the forehead. He died in our father's arms."
As per Juan Carlos, no investigation was launched into the shooting.
Alfonso’s father covered his body with a Spanish flag and discarded the pistol at sea, while Juan Carlos was sent back to military school as tensions with his father deepened.
Reflecting on the incident, "It is still difficult for me to speak of it, and I think of it every day... I miss him; I wish I could have him by my side and talk with him.”
He mentioned, "I lost a friend, a confidant. He left me with an immense emptiness. Without his death, my life would have been less dark, less unhappy."
Notably, the book is set to be published in Spanish in December.
