Spain's Ex-King Faces Paternity Suit

Being an ex-king has its drawbacks, Spain's Juan Carlos has discovered. He enjoyed immunity from prosecution during his 39 years on the throne, but since he handed the crown to his son Felipe last year, two paternity suits have made it into the courts. One from a Spanish man was rejected, but the country's Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case from a 48-year-old Belgian woman who says the former king is her father, reports the BBC.

Ingrid Sartiau claims that she is the product of an affair Juan Carlos had with her mother in 1965, when he was married but still a crown prince. Her lawyer tells CNN that Sartiau's mother is still alive and is willing to testify. "We would like to reach a settlement. My client never wanted it to get to this point," he says. The 77-year-old ex-king now has 20 days to respond to the lawsuit, and the court could require a DNA test from him. (More Spain stories.)