Spain’s former monarch Juan Carlos I is set to attend one of Sevilla’s biggest bullfighting events of the year this Easter Sunday.

The emeritus king is expected to be present at the iconic Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza for the traditional Domingo de Resurreccion event, according to reports from specialist outlet Mundotoro.

The fight will feature a top-tier lineup, including Morante de la Puebla, Roca Rey and David de Miranda.

Much of the anticipation centres on Morante’s return to the ring, marking his first appearance since stepping away last October.

The trio will face bulls from the prestigious Garcigrande ranch in what is widely seen as one of the standout events of the early bullfighting season.

Juan Carlos’s attendance is also significant in its own right.

Since relocating to Abu Dhabi in 2020, the former king has made only limited appearances in Spain, meaning his presence in Sevilla is likely to draw considerable attention.

Details about where he will be seated or who will accompany him have not yet been made public.

The Easter Sunday corrida, scheduled to begin at 6.30pm, is one of the most important dates in Sevilla’s bullfighting calendar.

Juan Carlos moved to the Middle East following a series of financial scandals and controversies that emerged during the final years of his reign and after his abdication in 2014.

Investigations claimed that Juan Carlos had received €65 million from Saudi Arabia in 2008, reportedly linked to a contract to build a high-speed rail line between Medina and Mecca.

The money was allegedly paid into a Swiss bank account and later transferred to his former partner Corinna Larsen, which raised suspicions of possible kickbacks.

Spanish and Swiss prosecutors investigated whether the payment was an illegal commission.

Further investigations uncovered undeclared foreign accounts and foundations linked to the former king. These included money allegedly held in tax havens through complex financial structures.

Juan Carlos later made several multi-million euro payments to Spanish tax authorities in an attempt to regularise undeclared funds and avoid potential criminal charges.

Public opinion also turned sharply against him after a 2012 elephant hunting trip in Botswana during the height of Spain’s economic crisis.

The trip became public only after he broke his hip during the safari, forcing him to apologise publicly, in a rare moment for a Spanish monarch.

Under growing pressure from scandals and declining public support, Juan Carlos abdicated in 2014, passing the throne to his son King Felipe VI.

In 2020 he left Spain and moved to Abu Dhabi, saying he wanted to make it easier for his son to rule without the ongoing controversy.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.