Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca

Infanta Cristina Duchess of Palma de Mallorca Spouse Iñaki Urdangarín, Duke of Palma de Mallorca Issue Juan Valentín Urdangarín y de Borbón Pablo Nicolás Urdangarín y de Borbón Miguel Urdangarín y de Borbón Irene Urdangarín y de Borbón Full name Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia House House of Bourbon Father Juan Carlos I of Spain Mother Sophia of Greece and Denmark Born 13 June 1965 (1965-06-13) Madrid, Spain Religion Roman Catholicism

Spanish Royal Family HM The King HM The Queen HRH The Prince of Asturias HRH The Princess of Asturias HRH Infanta Leonor HRH Infanta Sofía HRH The Duchess of Lugo HE Don Felipe HE Doña Victoria HRH The Duchess of Palma de Mallorca HE The Duke of Palma de Mallorca HE Don Juan Valentín HE Don Pablo Nicolás HE Don Miguel HE Doña Irene Extended royal family HRH The Duchess of Badajoz HRH The Duchess of Soria HE The Duke of Soria HRH The Dowager Duchess of Calabria HRH The Duke of Calabria HRH The Duchess of Calabria

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Borbón and the second or maternal family name is Grecia.

Infanta Cristina of Spain, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y de Grecia; born 13 June 1965, Madrid), is the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain. She is seventh in the line of succession to the Spanish throne, after her siblings, Felipe and Elena and their children.

Birth

Cristina was born in Madrid and was baptized into the Church at the Palacio de La Zarzuela by the Archbishop of Madrid. Her godparents were Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, and Infanta Maria Cristina of Spain.

Education

She received her secondary education at Santa María del Camino School and she graduated from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 1989 with a degree in political science. She continued her studies at New York University, obtaining a master's degree in international relations in 1990. In 1991, she gained practical experience working at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

The Infanta is fluent in Spanish, Catalan, English, French and Greek.

Marriage and children

She married team handball player Iñaki Urdangarín in Barcelona on 4 October 1997, at which time her father conferred on her the title Duchess of Palma de Mallorca for life. They have four children, all born in Barcelona:

• His Excellency Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain (born 29 September 1999)
• His Excellency Pablo Nicolás Sebastián de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain (born 6 December 2000)
• His Excellency Miguel de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain (born 30 April 2002)
• Her Excellency Irene de Todos los Santos Urdangarin y de Borbón, Grandee of Spain (born 5 June 2005)

They have lived in Washington DC since 2009, where Iñaki Urdangarín works for Telefonica.

Activities in Spain and abroad

She carries out many institutional, cultural, academic and welfare activities in Spain and abroad, especially in European and Latin American countries.

As Honorary President of the Spanish Committee of UNESCO, she has maintained her links with this international organization and with several of its projects, especially educational ones, with a focus on activities to protect the natural and artistic heritage. In October 2001, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing. She is also a member of the Dali Foundation Board of Trustees.

She supports a number of welfare bodies and participates personally in courses on adapted sailing for the handicapped. She is the President of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing.

She's also been a member of the Bilderberg group since 2001, with her parents.

Sports and participation in the Olympics

She practices a number of sports including skiing, but her favorite is sailing. She has taken part in many national and international events and was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team at the Seoul Games in 1988 where she was standard bearer in the opening parade.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles

Royal styles of Infanta Cristina of Spain Reference style Her Royal Highness Spoken style Your Royal Highness Alternative style Ma'am

• 13 June 1965 – 26 September 1997: Her Royal Highness Infanta Cristina of Spain
• 26 September 1997 – : Her Royal Highness Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca

The Infanta's style and title in full: Su alteza real Doña Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad, Infanta de España, Duquesa de Palma de Mallorca (Her Royal Highness Doña Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad, Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca).

Honours

National Orders

• The Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III.

Foreign Orders

• Norway: Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (1995)
• Portugal Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (Portugal)
• Portugal Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry

See also

• Line of succession to the Spanish Throne

External links

• Her Royal Highness the Infanta Cristina (Official profile) (Spanish)
• Royal Household of HM the King official website (English) (Spanish)
• Royal House of Spain

Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca House of Bourbon Born: 13 June 1965
Spanish royalty
Preceded by HE Doña Victoria Federica	Line of succession to the Spanish Throne 7th position	Succeeded by HE Don Juan Valentín
Olympic Games
Preceded by Alejandro Abascal	Flagbearer for Spain Seoul 1988	Succeeded by Felipe, Prince of Asturias