King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia's Marriage

[Blog Real]

Old photos of King Juan Carlos with Spanish Bárbara Rey were published in a Dutch magazine, in an atmosphere of complicity.
The photos would have been sold by Bárbara Rey's son.

https://www.vanitatis.elconfidencial.com/casas-reales/2024-09-25/besos-juan-carlos-i-barbara-rey-revista-holandesa_3969721/

La primera reacción de Bárbara Rey tras la publicación de sus fotos íntimas con el rey Juan Carlos: "Con esto se demuestra quién es mi hijo"

Una revista holandesa ha publicado unas instantáneas en las que se puede ver a Bárbara Rey junto al rey emérito besándose y compartiendo momentos en actitud cariñosa. Bárbara descubría la publicación de las imágenes por medio del programa.

www.antena3.com

El hijo de Bárbara Rey asegura que su madre le pidió hacerle las fotos con el Emérito: "Me dijo: "Hoy no vas a la escuela""

La revista holandesa que publica las fotos del rey Emérito junto a Bárbara Rey adjunta además una entrevista al hijo de la artista en la que cuenta cómo él mismo realizó las fotografías.

www.antena3.com

Bárbara Rey, tras enterarse de la publicación de sus fotos íntimas con el rey Juan Carlos: "Va a por todas"

La revista holandesa ' Privé' publica hoy unas fotos íntimas de Bárbara Rey con el rey emérito Juan Carlos I . Esta es la primera vez que se puede

www.telecinco.es

https://twitter.com/x/status/1838919648122753425

The reaction of people close to King Juan Carlos:

https://www.vanitatis.elconfidencial.com/casas-reales/2024-09-25/juan-carlos-i-fotografias-barbara-rey-una-caceria_3969832/

 

[tommy100]

So i heard from a few social media sources that a tape recording of JC talking to Barbara Rey - one of his lovers - has been released and in it he talks badly about Queen Sofia? Any one know anything about that?

 

[Blog Real]

So i heard from a few social media sources that a tape recording of JC talking to Barbara Rey - one of his lovers - has been released and in it he talks badly about Queen Sofia? Any one know anything about that?

He praises Queen Sofia's work as queen, where he says she is the best. But he says that she was annoyed with him because of his mistresses, and that at least she did not get another one....
And he also says that they have never had a married life since Felipe was born.

 

[Hans-Rickard]

So i heard from a few social media sources that a tape recording of JC talking to Barbara Rey - one of his lovers - has been released and in it he talks badly about Queen Sofia? Any one know anything about that?

I don’t know about any recordings but i have seen pictures of him and Rey kissing each other and looking like they are about to have sex….

 

[Marengo]

He praises Queen Sofia's work as queen, where he says she is the best. But he says that she was annoyed with him because of his mistresses, and that at least she did not get another one....
And he also says that they have never had a married life since Felipe was born.

How terribly sad that it went downhill already that early on in the marriage.

 

[Blog Real]

How terribly sad that it went downhill already that early on in the marriage.

Interestingly, in the recordings he says he wasn't forced to marry her, but I guess he wasn't exactly in love, from what he suggests. It's sad that the marriage didn't work out.

 

[Toledo]

He praises Queen Sofia's work as queen, where he says she is the best. But he says that she was annoyed with him because of his mistresses, and that at least she did not get another one....
And he also says that they have never had a married life since Felipe was born.

Juan Carlos is such a piece of talking to his mistress about his wife not liking his adulterous escapades. But that was also the conduct he learned from his father, too. Juan Carlos' mother went through the same hell and back queen Sofia experienced.

I do recall ages ago Sofia was even going to grab all the three kids and leave him to go to live with her mother, Queen Frederica, in India. It was that bad.

 

[Linda_26]

I don’t know about any recordings but i have seen pictures of him and Rey kissing each other and looking like they are about to have sex….

The pictures of the two of them kissing each other (taken in 1994 by Barbara Rey's then 13-year-old son) were published recently by the Dutch magazine Privé:
Salen a la luz las fotos del rey Juan Carlos y Bárbara Rey besándose | El Correo

And the recording where Juan Carlos talks about his marriage is apparently also from 1994, here's a part of it:
Juan Carlos sobre la Reina Sofía: "No estamos juntos desde que nació Felipe, vida familiar, ninguna"

 

[Marengo]

Thanks for the article with the text written down, Adda.

Interesting that although he aknowledges that the marriage is over he refuses to say bad things about his wife to his mistress and even praises her.

Do we know why this was recorded and why it is published now?

 

[Blog Real]

Thanks for the article with the text written down, Adda.

Interesting that although he aknowledges that the marriage is over he refuses to say bad things about his wife to his mistress.

Do we know why this was recorded and why it is published now?

It was his ex-lover and/or her son who released these recordings and sold these photos to a Dutch magazine. Why they only came out now is a mystery...

 

[Marengo]

I find the sell to a Dutch magazine surprising One imagines they didn´t pay all that much.

 

[Biri]

I do recall ages ago Sofia was even going to grab all the three kids and leave him to go to live with her mother, Queen Frederica, in India. It was that bad.

Maybe she could take Elena and Cristina, but Felipe, as the heir of the throne, would have stayed in Spain with his father.

 

[kalnel]

Maybe she could take Elena and Cristina, but Felipe, as the heir of the throne, would have stayed in Spain with his father.

Having Sofia walk out also could have screwed him up with Franco. Franco could have turned to the Duke of Anjou or the Carlists, if Juan Carlos's family was falling apart.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

It only confirms what has been said in the media for years or decades ... marriage over but utmost respect for Sofia as Queen. Barbara Rey was only one of many. Of course the woman always loses out on a personal level in these circles, what else could Sofia do, especially back in those days?
At the end of the day JC needed a male heir and after Felipe was born, duty was done.

 

[An Ard Ri]

How terribly sad that it went downhill already that early on in the marriage.

Mainly thanks to the old Borbon Lothario who's behaviour to his wife and children was simply despicable,his wife on the other hand has been a model of decorum and dignity.

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

Mainly thanks to the old Borbon Lothario who's behaviour to his wife and children was simply despicable,his wife on the other hand has been a model of decorum and dignity.

I dont think it was that unexpected for Sofia, a royal of old school, as many royal marriages before her went down the same path, plus society thought it was normal/ok at the time. Royal marriages are never easy and every time period has different challenges.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I dont think it was that unexpected for Sofia, a royal of old school, as many royal marriages before her went down the same path, plus society thought it was normal/ok at the time. Royal marriages are never easy and every time period has different challenges.

Not unusual in royal circles but also not at all respectful.
Queen Sofia carried on with a smile and grace.
JC was also not very discreet with his ravenous behaviour and especially in the last few years of his reign with that woman!

 

[Alisa]

Interesting that this should all come out now. I believe there are lots more photos and videos of the former king and of his now deceased brother-in-law and their "escapades" that could be released.

 

[Marengo]

I dont think it was that unexpected for Sofia, a royal of old school, as many royal marriages before her went down the same path, plus society thought it was normal/ok at the time. Royal marriages are never easy and every time period has different challenges.

Of the rocky royal marriages of her their generation this may have been the worst one though. Others had their criseses and were able to reconsile (Albert & Paola, CG & Silvia) and seem to have a happy married life since. But here the seperation remained. Even Juliana and Bernhard were never this far apart.

Above it is suggested that it was a marriage of convenience for JC. Is it known if Sofia felt the same way or was she actually in love? As BR pointed out the King does say he was not forced into the marriage. I imagine neither was Sofia.

Interesting that this should all come out now. I believe there are lots more photos and videos of the former king and of his now deceased brother-in-law and their "escapades" that could be released.

You are right, there must be lots and lots of it. And the Spanish media must have had it for decades. But for some reason has decided not to publish it at the time while the news value now is limited.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Given Juan Carlos ravenous love life and other shenanigans I don't know if writing his memoirs will open a can of worms for the former monarch and cause further embarrassment for his long suffering wife and children.
If only he had retired to a Monastery and taken a vow of chastity and silence

 

[Blog Real]

Above it is suggested that it was a marriage of convenience for JC. Is it known if Sofia felt the same way or was she actually in love? As BR pointed out the King does say he was not forced into the marriage. I imagine neither was Sofia.

Surely only she will know. But apparently she was in love with him to a certain point, but then when she discovered her husband's lovers, there was a great distance. From what I've read in the Spanish press, it was her mother's advice that made Queen Sofia keep the sham marriage, for the good of the monarchy.

Given Juan Carlos ravenous love life and other shenanigans I don't know if writing his memoirs will open a can of worms for the former monarch and cause further embarrassment for his long suffering wife and children.
If only he had retired to a Monastery and taken a vow of chastity and silence

King Juan Carlos is unlikely to talk about these things in his memoir

 

[An Ard Ri]

King Juan Carlos is unlikely to talk about these things in his memoir

No he might not but it could come out from 'other sources' as what happened with the recent photos sold by Bárbara Rey's son.
There could be other letters/photos and so forth out there.

 

[Stefan]

Really a pity that the marriage was more or less over after only 6 years. Seems the long marriages are most often those who are not so happy with an exception the one of the late Queen Elizabeth II. and Prince Philip.

 

[Stefan]

Above it is suggested that it was a marriage of convenience for JC. Is it known if Sofia felt the same way or was she actually in love? As BR pointed out the King does say he was not forced into the marriage. I imagine neither was Sofia.

No Idea. Always thought Sofia was in love with JC. But then i think Queen Friederike wanted her daughter on a throne so who knows. And perhaps Sofia had not too much the experience of bad marriages out of convenience as those of her parents and grandparents where quiet happy marriages.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Really a pity that the marriage was more or less over after only 6 years. Seems the long marriages are most often those who are not so happy with an exception the one of the late Queen Elizabeth II. and Prince Philip.

I recall reading that Sofia walked in on Juan Carlos whilst he was up to his antics at Zarzuela and left Spain for 3 months and went to live with her mother and sister.
Sofia was eventually persuaded to return.

 

[Queen Claude]

Perhaps it was performative, but from the photos I have seen, Juan Carlos seemed quite smitten on his wedding day.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Perhaps it was performative, but from the photos I have seen, Juan Carlos seemed quite smitten on his wedding day.

At the time he was a non reigning Prince marrying into a reigning house ,how things changed so dramatically over the next decade (The Spanish Restoration and Greek abolition within a few years of each other)

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

and in his younger days he was handsome and dashing, so seemed a good match at the time.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Really a pity that the marriage was more or less over after only 6 years. Seems the long marriages are most often those who are not so happy with an exception the one of the late Queen Elizabeth II. and Prince Philip.

No, I am not sure I agree. Beatrix and Claus had a long successful Royal marriage. Harald and Sonja have one. Hans Adam and Marie(Liechtenstein) had one. Carl Gustaf and Sylvia have over 50 years.

The gold standard of Royal marriages was Baudouin and Fabiola -they had 33 happy years without even a hint of scandal.

The late QEII and the DoE had the longest marriage because they were the oldest.
It was obviously successful but they had their ups and downs just like any long married couple and there were definitely rumors.

 

[Stefan]

No, I am not sure I agree. Beatrix and Claus had a long successful Royal marriage. Harald and Sonja have one. Hans Adam and Marie(Liechtenstein) had one. Carl Gustaf and Sylvia have over 50 years.

The gold standard of Royal marriages was Baudouin and Fabiola -they had 33 happy years without even a hint of scandal.

The late QEII and the DoE had the longest marriage because they were the oldest.
It was obviously successful but they had their ups and downs just like any long married couple and there were definitely rumors.

I meant those marriages whore are really long with 60+ years. There have been many with big downs like the late Count and Countess of Paris, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard, King Albert II. and Queen Paola, the Count and Countess of Barcelona etc. Compared to those the marriages of Beatrix and Claus and of Baudouin and Fabiola have been short (which they of course they were not)