You cannot be a hero and a poet. The exploits are sung or recited. But the role of a responsible statesman can never be to settle scores or propose reconciliation through a memoir. This applies to a president and is mandatory for a king. Above all because the pact with history, in those who have had exceptional biographies, cannot depend on their own testimony. The elegant thing is that it is life that speaks and never the person.
The publication of the memoirs of Don Juan Carlos constitutes an imprudence. For many, the merit of the king emeritus depends on his undeniable contribution to the democratic transition. For others, subsequent scandals tarnish Juan Carlos’ legacy. For almost everyone now, their trajectory will always be bipolar and can only be explained through a diabolical chiaroscuro. The bad thing is that almost half a century has passed since his best merits and these memories once again place some stains on the present that are as unjustifiable as they are inappropriate.
For a king, the personal dimension should matter only to inspire virtue. His commitment to history, to the nation and to the institution he embodies should be placed far above the human and fallible concerns that we all experience. For this reason, Don Juan Carlos, before writing his memoirs, should have thought about the interests of Spain and that of the Monarchy itself. Well, for a monarchist, and it is to be hoped that he who has been king is one, the future of the Crown prevails over his own memory.
In a democratic framework, excellence in performance is the only argument that legitimizes a monarchy. Every excess of Don Juan Carlos, every stumble and every puddle only doubles the demands and vigilance with which his successor’s actions are examined. The commitment of Philip VI and Queen Letizia managed to maintain majority affection among the Spaniards. And Princess Leonor’s wise maturity also stands out as a resource in the service of monarchical continuity.
If Don Juan Carlos believes that today’s Spain is unjust, what is expected of those who have been kings is that he exercise fortitude and wait for history to judge him. It would have been a worthy last service but, who knows why, he gave up on saying goodbye with a gesture of magnanimity and prudence. Regardless of royal considerations or government manuals, it is incomprehensible, not only that a king, but that a grandfather, would insist on making things so difficult for his granddaughter.
