Julio Iglesias – unlike most of the ladies he’s met in his 70 years on the planet – is protesting too much.

The king of the Casanovas is trying to persuade me that he’s changed, that he’s no longer a womaniser.

He insists: “I have been with so many beautiful girls in my life. I have loved and respected women since I was 15 years old. But, believe me, after 45 years I think, more than anything, I am an artist.”

His apparent sincerity would be easier to accept if his statement wasn’t immediately followed by a question.

“Anyway, tell me,” he says, voice dripping with honey, “Are you married?”

What’s that they say about leopards again?

The legendary Spanish singer’s charm and charisma is undeniable, and after just a few minutes in his company it’s easy to see just how the reputed 3,000 notches found their way to his bedpost.

In fact, what’s harder to understand is how he managed to find the time to sell more than 300 million records too.

Flustered, I try to retain some semblance of professionalism, but when I ask Julio where his favourite place is, he’s at it again.

“My favourite place is the moon because I have never been there,” he purrs. “We can go together.

I don’t need a mirror to know that I’m blushing… and thank goodness I’m sitting down, because my knees suddenly feel a bit weak…

But whose wouldn’t? Julio comes from a long line of lady𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ers. His first words were probably “Do you come here often?”

His father, Julio Senior, was so virile he even had a 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 seven months after he had died (he passed away aged 90, while his 40 year old wife was pregnant.)

Last month I interviewed Julio’s pop star son Enrique, who slouches in his chair and at 38 retains a typically boyish demeanour with a baseball cap and trainers. He was sweet in a brotherly type of way.

But Julio is more spicy than sweet. His broken English with a warm Spanish accent is a delicious sound, and he is a master at putting women at their ease. Father and son may be from the same grapes but they have matured into very different wines.

The father seems to have the greater affinity with women. So it comes as a shock when he reveals that in the 12 years his son has been in a relationship with the beautiful blonde tennis star Anna Kournikova, Julio is still waiting to be introduced to her.

“You know I have to tell the truth, I have never met Anna,” he laments. “Yes, my wife, and my kids and his brothers have,  but I have never met her, no, no, never.”

Pressed on the issue, Julio hides his sadness with a chuckle.

“I don’t know how comes,” he says. My kids are very independent and it is difficult to see Enrique because he is all over the world. But Anna is very beautiful – they have good taste my kids.”