Last year, while the country suffered its deep recession, it was discovered that the King was elephant-hunting in Botswana in the company of Corinna Zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, a German princess with whom he has been romantically linked and whose name has also appeared in documents related to the Urdangarin investigation.

FORBES: Bad Timing for a Royal Spanish Scandal

King Juan Carlos has had to apologise for going elephant hunting in Botswana at the height of the financial crisis, while his son-in-law has been at the centre of a corruption investigation.

BBC: Spain's King Juan Carlos admits 'hurt' at economic fate

At the imperial durbar at which King Edward VII was proclaimed Emperor of India, the Viceroy, Lord Curzon, rode on the grandest elephant of all.

BBC: No white elephants in this herd