A Spanish judge has recommended that a member of the country’s royal family must face trial on corruption charges.
Princess Cristina is accused of complicity in her husband’s business dealings and will face charges of tax evasion and money laundering linked to his business.
Iñaki Urdangarin, 49, is facing nine separate criminal charges.
After marrying Princess Cristina in 1997, he became Duke of Palma. He earlier won fame after winning two bronze medals in an Olympic handball match.
Now he is accused of pedalling influence and embezzlement of public funds when he was in charge of the Noos Institute, a non-profit organisation which set up sporting and cultural events in the Balearic Islands.
He and his former business partner, Diego Torres, are accused of embezzling up to 6 million euros and the Duke is alleged to have laundered the money through a separate company he co-owned with Princess Cristina.
The judge who led a four-year investigation into the case decided to press charges against the two royals as well as 14 other people.
The final decision on whether to put the suspects on trial, however, rests with the provincial court.
Princess Cristina is the first royal born member of the Bourbon family to be called as a suspect. In February she told the preliminary hearing that she had no knowledge of her husband’s business affairs.
The scandal attached to the couple has brought disrepute on the Spanish monarchy whose new king, Felipe VI, whose coronation was only last week. Princess Cristina did not attend the ceremony.
