Former Spanish King involved in fresh scandal after reports he used offshore account for Tahiti holiday

Juan Carlos, the disgraced former king of Spain, paid for a luxury holiday in Tahiti to celebrate his 78th birthday using money from a foundation at the centre of a financial investigation, according to fresh allegations.

The bill for the ten-day holiday to the Pacific island in 2016 was paid by the Fondation Zagatka, a Liechtenstein-based fund whose sole beneficiary is the former king’s cousin, Álvaro d’Orleans-Borbón.

The foundation’s Swiss account is part of an ongoing probe by a Swiss court into the financial activities of the ex-monarch’s associates, including allegations the king was involved in kickbacks for state rail contracts in Saudi Arabia.

Juan Carlos is also being investigated for the first time by Spain’s Supreme Court, which will examine if he committed alleged offences relating to the Saudi rail deal after abdicating in 2014. Reigning monarchs cannot face legal proceedings under the Spanish constitution.

According to the papers being examined by the Swiss magistrate, and which were published by the website El Confidencial, Juan Carlos’ holiday was initially paid for Philip Adkins, the ex-husband of the monarch’s former mistress. 

Mr Adkins, a British businessman and Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, were married between 1991 and 1995 but then divorced. They have been estranged since 2015. 

Juan Carlos had a relationship with Ms Sayn-Wittgenstein between 2004 and 2009.

Mr Adkins paid for the tickets for the ex-monarch and four bodyguards to travel to Los Angeles, then on to Tahiti in December 2015.

The payment was made by Mr Adkins’ company Cadenza Eventing Ltd, an equestrian events firm, which is based in Peterborough, according to papers published by the website.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing on the part of Mr Adkins or his company. 

 In November 2015, Juan Carlos’ lawyer Dante Canonica asked the administrators of the Fondacion Zugatka to pay €32,900 for the Tahiti trip to the Hong Kong-based company Fathomless Advisory Services Limited, as a way of returning the cash.

The payment was called ‘Midas bill,’ the website reported. 

No Spanish public funds were used to pay for the holiday.

El Confidencial suggested that the luxury holiday in one of the most beautiful islands in the Pacific could have legal implications.

“It would constitute alleged money laundering if the illicit origin of Zagatka’s money is proven,” the report said.

In March, the Telegraph revealed documents that showed Juan Carlos spent €5m on private jet flights between 2016 and 2019 using money from the Fondation Zagatka.

Meanwhile, as King Felipe VI faced fresh allegations about his father, protesters burnt tyres on a high-speed rail track in Catalonia as he visited the region.

The Catalan separatist Committees for the Defence of the Republic claimed responsibility for the sabotage on the line between Barcelona and Figueres.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited Poblet monastery near Tarragona, 78 miles south of Barcelona.

The Telegraph was unable to reach Mr Adkins at Cadenza Eventing Ltd in Peterborough.

The royal household declined to comment.