Former Claverley lover of ex-king of Spain thrown has case thrown out

Princess Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, 59, made headlines over her five-year affair with King Juan Carlos of Spain, between 2004 and 2009, while he was reputedly estranged from his wife, Queen Sofia.

The relationship came to light after a safari to Botswana in 2012 with the trip sparking a scandal which almost brought down the Spanish monarchy.

Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein has lived in the £15 million Grade II listed mansion Chyknell Hall in Claverley - the property and 22-acre estate were put on the market in January this year.

She has been involved in a long-running legal action against Juan Carlos, aged 85, who she accused of harassment and of placing her under constant hostile surveillance.

Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein claims that she was pressured to return more than £50 million worth of gifts to the former king when they broke up.

Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014, has always denied the allegations.

On Friday a judge ruled that the court had no jurisdiction in the case after Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein had brought a €145 million case to the High Court of England and Wales.

Judge Rowena Collins Rice made no judgement on the substance of the allegations, but said that Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn - a British citizen - had not "sufficiently established" that the events she had argued constituted harassment had occurred in England.

A spokesperson for the 85-year-old former monarch said Friday's ruling "unsurprisingly" confirmed his innocence and said it re-established the "conditions necessary for further public appearances".

Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn, who filed the harassment case in 2020, said she was "deeply disappointed" by the decision, adding that it was "disheartening to see that victims of harassment often struggle to find justice in our legal system".

UK Judges have previously told Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn that she was unable to sue the former monarch during the time he served as king as he had immunity as a sovereign.