Palma.—King Felipe VI of Spain’s sister Princess Cristina could face trial after a Palma court upheld tax fraud charges against her yesterday.
However, the high court dropped money-laundering charges and it is not clear yet whether Princess Cristina will face a judge as Spanish law allows the accused to escape trial if the victim of a crime - in this case the Spanish state - does not support the charges.
The charges relate to business dealings by her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin.
Many Spaniards have recently lost confidence in the monarchy following a series of scandals, including Princess Cristina’s case.
Judges have been investigating allegations that the princess’s husband embezzled millions in public funds with a former business partner and that the princess had knowingly benefited from the dealings.
Her lawyers have said they are completely convinced of her innocence.
Her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, stands accused with 15 others of embezzling 5.6m euros (£4.6m) of public money from the Noos Institute - a charitable sports foundation that used to be presided over by Urdangarin. He has been charged with breach of legal duty, embezzling public funds, fraud, influence-peddling and money-laundering.