A royal first: Spanish princess to stand trial

Madrid, December 22

The sister of Spain’s King Felipe VI, Cristina, will become the first member of the royal family ever to stand in the dock after a judge today ordered her to be put on trial for alleged tax fraud.

The historic decision stemmed from four years of investigations that plunged the royal family into crisis and contributed to the abdication of King Juan Carlos in June.

A court on the island of Majorca ordered Cristina, 49, to stand trial on two counts of accessory to tax fraud in connection with her husband’s business affairs, in a written ruling seen by AFP.

She is accused of cooperating in tax evasion by her husband, the former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin. He is accused of embezzling and laundering millions of euros in public funds. Cristina’s lawyers say she is innocent of any wrongdoing.

The case is a big headache for Felipe who took the throne on June 19 promising an “honest and transparent monarchy”.

Public prosecutors had called on the court to shelve the case, saying there was a lack of evidence against Cristina. But investigating magistrate Jose Castro at the court in Palma de Majorca upheld accusations brought by Manos Limpias, a litigious far-right pressure group. As well as Cristina and Urdangarin, the court today ordered 15 other suspects to stand trial.

Urdangarin is accused along with a former business partner of creaming off $8 million in public funds from contracts awarded to Noos, a charitable foundation. Cristina sat on the board of Noos. — AFP