King Juan Carlos wanted to marry his mistress, German Princess Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. But she soon became a liability that helped end his 39-year reign.

Ana Romero, former royal correspondent for El Mundo newspaper, is out with a new book about the years-long controversy that has engulfed the Spanish Royal Family and threatened the Crown.

Romero described how journalists in Spain have for years protected the Royal Family, especially during the years of economic growth and high popularity.

But the corruption allegations engulfing King Juan Carlos’ daughter and son-in-law, increased public scrutiny of leaders, and the public’s knowledge of Princess Corinna tarnished their reputation.

The book reveals that years ago King Juan Carlos had Princess Corinna live in a chalet on royal grounds near his Zarzuela Palace in secret. He was also mixing business with pleasure, using Corinna to help with international contacts.

The King has had other mistresses, the book explains, but they were discrete Spanish women. Corinna was different and more dangerous, Romero said, leading Spanish authorities and intelligence services to consider her a threat to the country’s stability.

The King’s fall during a hunting trip to Botswana in 2012 was a pivotal event. People started wondering why he took such a lavish trip during an economic crisis, and why he was with a German princess and not Queen Sofia.

King Juan Carlos tried to recover his popularity and resisted abdicating, worried about then-Prince Felipe’s ability to take over and then-Princess Letizia’s fitness to be Queen. He never fully warmed up to his daughter-in-law.

The Royal Household pointed out his role as Spain’s hard-working booster, sometimes securing contracts for Spanish companies. But critics wondered about what the King got out of it, and pointed at gifts from Arab rulers.

The public mood plus continued health problems and gossip made it impossible for King Juan Carlos to recover the public’s esteem. Not even a royal apology worked.

More than a year after the abdication, King Felipe and Queen Letizia have helped return high approval ratings for the Crown, according to a new survey.

King Felipe has expanded on his father’s budget-cutting and transparency initiatives. Queen Letizia, not of royal blood, has worked to make the Crown more inclusive.

Queen Sofia, who is said to keep a distant relationship with her husband, keeps a public agenda in Spain, plus family all over Europe.

The former Greek princess achieved her goal of helping consolidate the restored Spanish Monarchy and secure it for her son.

King Juan Carlos has also stayed on the Royal agenda, but on a diminished capacity. He enjoys travel around the world and Spain, often seen at restaurants.

History will remember him as the man who inherited a dictatorship in the 1970’s and helped craft a progressive Constitutional Monarchy.

He wanted to be the best and longest-serving Bourbon to rule Spain. Romero says he almost got there on both counts.

Other good books about the Spanish Monarchy include, but are not limited to, Paul Preston’s “Juan Carlos: Steering Spain from Dictatorship to Democracy,” Pilar Eyre’s “The Loneliness of the Queen” and Pilar Urbano’s “The Queen Up Close,” both about Queen Sofia.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia in recent days welcomed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to Spain for an official visit.

His Majesty and senior Spanish officials met with Al-Sisi at Zarzuela Palace. The King and Queen then hosted a lunch at the Royal Palace in downtown Madrid.

At least some human rights activists blasted the visit because of Al-Sisi’s low tolerance for dissent.

But King Felipe stressed important ties between both countries, particularly in economic development and fighting terrorism.

“Spain is and will continue to be committed to the Arab world in general and Egypt specifically,” said the King.

Also late last month, Don Felipe presided over a meeting of the Royal Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

King Felipe studied international relations and added a foreign policy aide at Zarzuela Palace among his reforms.

Queen Letizia finally did it. She cut her hair off. Well, some of it.

Her Majesty has for years kept her hair long and sometimes used styling techniques to make it look short.

She appeared to have it short during an awards ceremony early in April, pictured above, and a Royal Palace gathering to honor the winner of the prestigious Cervantes award, pictured below.

But then it appeared to be longer during the actual awards ceremony the very next day, pictured below.

But there’s no denying it — she cut it off.

While Queen Letizia often changer her hair style, her mother-in-law, Queen Sofia, has kept the same hairstyle — sometimes longer, sometimes shorter — for decades. It fits her well.

Queen Sofia and Infanta Elena joined other Spanish and European aristocrats in mourning the death of Prince Kardam of Bulgaria this week in Madrid.

Prince Kardam is the son of the last King of the Bulgarians, Simeon of Saxe-Coburn-Gotha. They have blood and other ties to Europe’s Royal Houses and Spain.

Prince Kardan was married to Doña Miriam de Ungría y López. His mother, King Simeon’s wife, was Doña Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela.

Prince Kardman suffered an accident in recent years and never recovered.

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King Felipe arrived on a two day visit to Lebanon today to highlight Spain’s security and humanitarian efforts there.

Don Felipe’s schedule includes visiting with Spanish peacekeeping forces stationed in the country, diplomats and local leaders.

King Felipe said during remarks today: “We all feel deeply proud of the work that our men and women are doing to maintain peace and stability in southern Lebanon. Spain’s commitment to the cause is firm.”

The magazine Hola is reporting that Queen Letizia will go on her first overseas cooperation trip after upcoming elections and Princess Leonor’s first communion.