Infanta Cristina of Spain, Duchess of
Palma de Mallorca, the 47 year old daughter of King Juan
Carlos I, was formally named this week as a suspect in a case involving
accusations of fraudulently obtaining millions in public funds.
The
Duchess, who is seventh in line to the Spanish throne, served as a board
member on the non-profit Noos Institute, which was set up by her
husband, Duke Iñaki Urdangarin, a former Olympic athlete who is
accused of using this and other organizations to embezzle millions of
euros in taxpayer money. Urdangarin is also under investigation for
tax fraud involving money in offshore bank accounts and various
companies he owns, including one co-owned by his wife. The Duke
claims that she was unaware of any illegal activities.
While the Royal Family has tried to
distance itself from Urdangarin during the investigation, it has
become directly involved in the defense strategy of Princess
Cristina. After learning on Wednesday of the judge's decision to name
her as a suspect in the case of alleged irregularities, King Juan
Carlos personally asked Barcelona lawyer MiquelRoca Junyent to defend his youngest daughter. Roca
Junyent is a well known political figure from Spain's transition to
democracy and is considered one of the fathers of the country's 1978
Constitution.
On Thursday, Urdangarinis lawyer, Mario Pascual Vives, confirmed that he would not be representing the Princess, after having stated publicly the day before that “it would be an honor” to do so. Pascual Vives visited with the Duke and Duchess for for several hours yesterday. Barcelona's La Vanguarida newspaper quoted him as describing the couple as “united in adversity,” and once again denied rumors of a possible marital split.
On Thursday, Urdangarinis lawyer, Mario Pascual Vives, confirmed that he would not be representing the Princess, after having stated publicly the day before that “it would be an honor” to do so. Pascual Vives visited with the Duke and Duchess for for several hours yesterday. Barcelona's La Vanguarida newspaper quoted him as describing the couple as “united in adversity,” and once again denied rumors of a possible marital split.
After stressing that he is not the the
Princess' spokesperson, Pascual Vives reportedly described her to
journalists as being “concerned.”
Since news of the court's decision broke earlier this week, the media has been camped outside of the couple's €6 millon ($7.75 million) Barcelona home.
Since news of the court's decision broke earlier this week, the media has been camped outside of the couple's €6 millon ($7.75 million) Barcelona home.
British newspaper The Guardian reported
that Urdangarin is “struggling to come up with his share of the
€8.1m bail set for him and his former business partner Diego
Torres, who both deny the allegations.”
This is only the latest in a series of
bad news for the Spanish Royal Family. Spain's El Mundo newspaper recently
claimed King Juan Carlos had millions inherited from his father
hidden away from tax authorities in Swiss bank accounts.
The 75 year-old King has also been in declining
health since April 2012, when reports emerged that in the middle of
Spain's recession he went on a not exactly politically correct
jet-setter elephant-hunting safari in Botswana, where he fell and
broke a hip. He subsequently had both hips replaced and last month he
was in hospital for back surgery.
As AFP summed it up this week, recent events
“have thrown the spotlight on the royal family's deluxe lifestyle
and opaque fortune as Spain grapples with a record unemployment rate
of 26 percent.”
The rain in Spain, indeed.
