Matthew Parris Matthew Parris

Time for the King of Spain to save his country again

He needs to speak up for the Catalans

[Photo by Alfredo Rocha/Getty Images] 
issue 05 April 2014

Might there ever be in this century, anywhere in Europe, a case for serious political interference by an hereditary monarch?

Spaniards can surely imagine it. In 1981 the (then) recently crowned King Juan Carlos II decisively rebuffed an attempted right-wing coup and in doing so secured the country’s newly instituted post-Franco democracy: a transition in which he had been deeply personally involved.

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