The interview of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan on the US channel CBS brought a storm to the British monarchy. This week, “Le Monde en Face” sought to know if other monarchies on the planet also had scams. And many royal families also have refifi. We take you to many royal palaces, in Belgium, the Middle East, Spain and the UK.
Belgium Especially the father of the current King Philip, did not survive the scandals in the affair of the elusive illegitimate daughter of former King Albert. But it all worked. It is also thanks to King Philip that we renounce this appeasement after a lengthy media and legal saga that tarnished the image of former sovereign Albert. Delphin Boel waited until the age of 52 to obtain official recognition for DNA testing in court. And it was his half-brother Philip who opened the palace doors to his heart and family life, as he saw his father Albert again. The palace recounted well, explaining that after the upheaval, the wounds received a time of forgiveness and reconciliation.
In spainThe cases follow each other at a certain pace, especially around former King Juan Carlos, suspected of corruption and exiled to the Emirate. The latest case to date, the regularization of the former sovereign’s taxes with approximately 4.4 million euros, which was paid to the Spanish tax authorities, was sufficient to compensate for taxes that were not paid in profit . Juan Carlos also died in 2014 as files were accumulating. In actuality, scams, especially financial ones, continue to emerge. To the amazement, Juan Carlos quit living in Abu Dhabi. Philip tries to cut ties with his father. But each time the fire is extinguished, another breaks out after a few weeks.
In the persian gulfOther large areas of the world where the monarchy still exists are just a few who turn away from the royal families. For good reason, those who did it paid dearly for it. The example is with the Amir of Dubai, who is affected by scandals, including the suppression of one of his daughters. A few weeks ago, he was kidnapped outside the country and brought back to Dubai. In a video posted on the Internet, she says she is held hostage and feared for her life. What Dubai’s royal family denies. Another example, next door, in Saudi Arabia, members of the royal family are now in jail or under house arrest for daring to criticize the Saudi monarchy. The princes who did so from abroad were also brought back to Saudi Arabia. Since then, we no longer listen to them. Gulf oil monarchies are terrorized by criticisms that may undermine their legitimacy. This is all the more the case since the Arab Spring. The winds of change that have blown and for which the Gulf monarchies have responded to repression.
United Kingdom, The setbacks following Harry and Meghan’s interview have still not landed at Buckingham Palace. But until Queen Elizabeth II, soon to be 95 years old, is the surname of the British royal family, the firm is in this position. but later ? On the one hand, there are traditionalists, who want to keep Buckingham and all its old ways. On the other, there are reformers, who want to reverse everything. Elizabeth II, with a reign of over 79 years, retains a popularity rating. But after that, Prince Charles must succeed his mother. And there, it’s a whole different story. At the time of her divorce with Diana, her image was already tarnished. Prince Harry explains that he has not spoken to each other since his exile in the United States. And then there was the series “The Crown”, whose last season aired on Netflix late last year. We see a cold and inappropriate Prince Charles. Prince Harry says that he likes this series. It has to be said that with his wife Meghan, he signed a juicy contract with the streaming platform. Dramatic settlements of family, business and accounts, the royal family is in any case a gold mine in terms of media saga.
