A Spanish court has ruled that Infanta Cristina, the sister of King Felipe VI, will be tried on charges of tax fraud. The ruling by Judge Jose Castro goes against a recommendation last week by the state prosecutor Pedro Horrach that the royal should be fined rather than face trial.
© Photo: RexInfanta Cristina will tried on tax fraud possibly in early 2015
Prosecuting attorneys had sought to throw out two charges relating to a private prosecution brought by anti-corruption action group Manos Limpias or Clean Hands.This is the latest chapter in the so-called Noos case, a four-year investigation into the business dealings of Cristina's husband Iñaki Urdangarin.
He has been accused of exploiting his royal connections to win contracts and embezzle €6million in public funds along with a former business partner.
© Photo: RexThe princess married Iñaki Urdangarin in 1997
Until 2011, the couple lived a fairytale lifestyle as part of the country's high society – the title Infanta is used to distinguish a princess born into royalty rather one who has married into the family.
Iñaki and Cristina married in Barcelona in 1997, with the infanta given away by her father King Juan Carlos who conferred on them the title of the Duke and Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. She went on to have four children with the tall, dashing sportsman, who served as captain of the bronze-medal winning team at the 2000 Olympics.
Infanta Elena, Infanta Cristina, King Felipe VI, Queen Sofia and Queen Letizia in 2011
On retiring from sport Iñaki founded the Noos Institute, a foundation organising sport and tourism events in the Balearic islands.
It is alleged that some money from the Institute eventually found its way to Aizoon, a company run jointly by the couple. At a previous hearing 49-year-old Cristina answered 'I don't know' to many of the questions or said that she trusted her husband to handle their financial affairs.
The hearings could begin as early as the first half of 2015.
