Princess Cristina of Spain is no longer the Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. Her brother, King Felipe VI, has stripped her of that title as she faces tax fraud charges.
This is a big move for Felipe, 47, who was crowned king in June 2014 after his father, Juan Carlos I, abdicated the throne. It’s widely seen as a way to help clean up the family’s image, which has been tarnished by corruption as Spain faces economic challenges.
It isn’t a complete surprise though. As the Wall Street Journal notes, Felipe has kept Christina, 49, and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, 47, from official events. The siblings were finally seen together for the first time in over a year on Monday at a friend’s funeral.
The royal family’s spokesman said that Cristina was told about the decision late Thursday. No official reason was given, but the tax fraud case clearly had something to do with it. She has had the title since 1997 and will remain sixth in the line of succession for the throne. That’s a right that only she can give up.
Reuters reports that Cristina’s trial is expected to start soon and will made her the first member of the family to ever be prosecuted. Her husband, a former Olympic handball player, is facing even more corruption charges related to his Noos Foundation. The couple have said they didn’t do anything wrong.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com
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