King Juan Carlos I - The Life and Legacy of Spain's Controversial Monarch

In this exclusive documentary, Juan Carlos de Bourbon, for decades one of the most popular and powerful monarchs of Europe, reflects on his life. Born to a royal family in exile, following the proclamation of the second Spanish Republic, his childhood was shrouded in uncertainty. He was educated under the benevolent tutelage of Franco, who selected him to be head of state, bypassing his own father. It was expected he would continue Franco’s own authoritarian regime. Instead, he introduced reforms that began the transition to democracy. In 1981, he played a pivotal role in ending a coup and is seen as one of the founders of Spanish democracy.

But his life has also been controversial. He was implicated in the tragic death of his younger brother, killed in a shooting accident and in recent years, the Spanish royal family has been beset by scandals. What does he think about these events?