Spanish king strips sister of duchess title amid tax evasion scandal

Source: Agence France-Presse

Spanish king strips sister of duchess title amid tax evasion scandal

King Felipe VI relieves his sister Princess Cristina of her title, Duchess of Palma

Agence France-Presse
Thursday 11 June 2015 22.40 EDT

Spain’s King Felipe VI has issued a decree stripping his sister Princess Cristina of her title as Duchess of Palma, the palace announced, as the royal sibling faces tax evasion charges in a scandal that has embarrassed the monarchy.

“The Official Journal of the state will ... publish a royal decree by which His Majesty the King will revoke the use of the title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca by Her Royal Highness the Infanta Cristina,” the palace said in a statement on 11 June.

Cristina, 49, stands accused of taking part in tax evasion by her husband, the former Olympic handball player Iñaki Urdangarin.

A judge ruled in December that she must stand trail on two counts of accessory to tax fraud, making her the first member of the Spanish royal family to be sent to the dock. No date has been set for her trial.


Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/12/spanish-king-strips-sister-of-duchess-title-amid-tax-evasion-scandal