Where's Spain's Ex-King? No One Seems to Know

Spain's ex-King Juan Carlos dramatically announced in a Monday letter sent to son King Felipe VI that he had made a "considered decision to move, during this period, out of Spain.” A day later, his destination remains the subject of "intense speculation," as the BBC puts it. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez says he doesn't know the 82-year-old's whereabouts, and the the Guardian reports the palace won't even confirm that he has indeed left. The media have variously reported that he is either currently in or headed to Portugal (where he spent part of his childhood), France, Italy, or the Dominican Republic, with a number of articles putting the Dominican Republic as his final destination—though the media there have published no such reports.

Reuters flags even more confusion stemming from reports that say Juan Carlos wants to return to Spain in the near term, with one source saying that could be as soon as September. Juan Carlos' exit from Spain comes against the backdrop of “public repercussions of certain episodes of my past private life"—namely, a Spanish corruption probe centered on a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia that Juan Carlos was allegedly involved in after his 2014 abdication. It's alleged that he kept undeclared millions in Switzerland, which is also investigating the matter. (More King Juan Carlos I stories.)