Spain court sets date for trial of Princess Cristina
A court on Tuesday set the date for the first trial of a member of the Spanish royal family in modern times.
The much-anticipated trial of Princess Cristina -- the sister of King Felipe VI -- for fraud will begin on January 11, in a case that has badly damaged the monarchy's image.
The court in Palma on the Mediterranean island of Majorca said the 50-year-old princess will stand trial along with 17 others in the case, including her husband, former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin.
The case, which was opened at the end of 2011, is centred on allegations of embezzlement and influence peddling against Urdangarin, 47, and his former business partner Diego Torres.
The pair are suspected of siphoning off 6.1 million euros ($6.8 million) paid by regional governments to stage sports and tourism events to the nonprofit Noos Institute, which Urdangarin chaired from 2004 to 2006.
An investigating judge said he found evidence that Cristina and her husband had funded a lavish lifestyle by diverting funds destined to the Noos Institute into their real estate firm Aizoon.
Cristina is accused of tax fraud for failing to declare some of the income earned by Aizoon while her husband has a wider array of charges against him including embezzlement, fraud and influence peddling.
Public prosecutors have asked for Cristina to be acquitted but have demanded a jail sentence of 19 and a half years for her husband.
However, the princess still faces complaints from other parties.
"The first day (of the trial) will begin with preliminary questions and all of the accused will have to be present," a court spokeswoman told AFP.
Cristina, the sixth in line for the throne, and Urdangarin, through their lawyers, have repeatedly asserted their innocence.
King Felipe VI succeeded his father, King Juan Carlos, after he abdicated last year, partly as a response to criticism related to the corruption case and other missteps that led to soaring anti-royal sentiment in Spain.
He has managed to rebuild some of the monarchy's popularity by among other things stripping Cristina of her title as Duchess of Palma.