The reign in Spain may depend on good behaviour

The former king, Juan Carlos of Spain – who has gone into voluntarily exile after a series of scandals – would not be the first Bourbon monarch to be in trouble because of money matters and an unwise extra-marital liaison.

It is understood that Juan Carlos’ son, Felipe, insisted his father leave Spain because of ‘concerns’ about Corinne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who is under investigation by the Spanish police. The lady is known to have been Juan Carlos’s paramour. There is also an accusation that Juan Carlos benefitted from secret offshore funds provided by Saudi Arabia.

Dynasties

Bourbons might do well to remember that their dynasties often fell because of money and mistresses – evidently Felipe VI knows his history and bears that in mind.

It was Louis XV’s profligate life – endless mistresses and lavish spending – that eventually prompted the 1789 French Revolution. His successor, Louis XVI, was a faithful husband who tried his best – but the damage had been done.

Juan Carlos, now 82, seems to have been a good king until, in latter years, he lost the run of himself with an especially ill-judged elephant-hunting trip to Africa while the Spanish people were facing economic austerity. The Danish-born Countess zu Sayn-Wittgenstein arranged that trip and soon afterwards evidence of their relationship emerged.

If a man has been married for many years to a sensible wife, she will usually give him sound, candid advice”

Clergy and pastors of all denominations have warned against adultery, which is clearly a feature of the Ten Commandments. But there is also a worldly reason for older men to be wary of running off with younger mistresses: it can impair their judgement in other matters.

If a man has been married for many years to a sensible wife, she will usually give him sound, candid advice, such as ‘don’t be a darn fool’ when he is about to do something impulsive, such as elephant-hunting during an economic recession. Experienced wives are seldom in star-struck awe of their spouses.

Younger mistresses, by contrast, often deliver flattery and blarney to these susceptible old chaps – ‘oh, darling, everything you do is wonderful!’ Sometimes the flattery is the lure in the first place.

Paul Preston, the expert on Spanish history, says that Juan Carlos had a very penny-pinching (by royal standards) upbringing, and the Spanish royal family, unlike the British, have no great fortune.

This puts them in the way of temptation.

Maybe so, but it’s clear from the polls that every time temptation succeeds – be it either money or mistresses – the Spanish monarchy’s popularity declines.

Felipe understands that if the reign in Spain is to survive, the people want good behaviour.

Eight years on, French facial farce is exposed

How ironic that people in Paris are now required by law to wear face coverings in the street.

Only nine years ago – in April 2011 – France became the first European country to ban Muslim women from wearing a face-covering, the Islamic veil.

Several other European countries followed, saying that it was absolutely necessary to be able to identify a person’s full face.

But now the authorities have decided that for the sake of preventing transmission of the coronavirus, hiding half the face is acceptable.

Presumably, the French state will now apologise and withdraw the face-veil ban for Muslim women?

That would certainly be the logic of the situation!

Can’t botox be a gift from God too?

Leon Fleischer [pictured] was an American concert pianist who died recently and what was remarkable about Mr Fleischer is that for most of his career he played the piano with only one hand.

He had embarked on his career playing with both hands, as is normal, and had attained great success, notably under the guidance of the orchestral conductor Pierre Monteux. But then, at the age of 36, he lost the use of his right hand through a condition known as focal dystonia: the fingers curl up and render the hand unable to function. There was no cure available.

Understandably, he grew very depressed for some years. But eventually, he began to research musical compositions suitable for just one hand, and rebuilt his musical career thus, as a one-handed pianist, inspiring composers to produce music for single-handed play.

Injections

Then, when he was in his 70s, it was discovered that the cosmetic treatment known as botox – usually used for smoothing the wrinkles on the ageing human face – could be applied to Fleischer’s neurological condition. And thus it was that his right hand was restored by Botox injections and he was able to perform with both hands once again.

To me, one lesson of this fascinating case is – never give up! Even when you’ve taken a bad knock, allow yourself some time to accept it, and then explore an alternative way to achieve what you hope to do.

Secondly, God works in mysterious ways – even perhaps through botox. It may have been regarded as an aid to vanity, but there’s another side of the coin, where it’s evidently been an aid to healing.