A royal decree in Spain has stripped an heir to the throne of her royal title.
Cristina de Borbón, 49, is no longer the Duchess of Palma de Majorca, despite the fact that her trial for two counts of tax fraud has not yet taken place. It is not expected to begin until later this year.
King Felipe VI, Cristina’s brother, revoked the title which had been given to her by their father, Juan Carlos I, when she wed Iñaki Urdangarin in 1997. She is sixth in line for the throne.
Both husband and wife, along with 16 others, are due to stand trial after an investigation into the husband’s former business affairs at the Nóos Institute where it is alleged public funds were used fraudulently.
The brief official announcement stated that the king “decided to revoke the attribution to Her Royal Highness Princess Cristina of the permission to use the title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca”. The king has the right to grant and revoke aristo titles.
Her right to succession, however, remains. Last December when the trial announcement was made, the king said it was her decision to renounce this right or not and “hers” alone.
King Felipe VI will mark his first year as monarch this week after having taken over from his father Juan Carlos who saw the final years of his reign sullied by scandals.
Cristina de Borbón did not attend King Felipe’s coronation and has played no role in the royal family since. She and Urdangarin moved to Switzerland with their four children in 2013.
