Infanta Cristina of Spain
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Infanta Cristina of Spain, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y Grecia, born 13 June 1965) is the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía of Spain. As of 2014[update] she is sixth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne, after her brother King Felipe VI's children, her sister Elena, and Elena's 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 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.[1] Iñaki Urdangarín became the Duke of Palma de Mallorca.
The couple have four children, all born in Barcelona:
- Don Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón, born 29 September 1999
- Don Pablo Nicolás Sebastián de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón, born 6 December 2000
- Don Miguel de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón, born 30 April 2002
- Doña Irene de Todos los Santos Urdangarin y de Borbón, born 5 June 2005
They lived in Washington, D.C. from 2009 to 2012, where her husband worked for Telefónica. In August 2013 she moved with her four children to Geneva, Switzerland, to take a job with the Caixa Foundation, while her husband, who is the subject of an embezzlement investigation, remained in Barcelona.[2]
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 disabled people. 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.
Corruption inquiry
Her husband was investigated from early 2012 on suspicion of fraudulently obtaining millions in public funds in the Nóos case. In April 2013, Infanta Cristina was formally named as a suspect in the case by the judge in charge.[3] When approached for comment, the Royal Household said that it "does not comment on judicial decisions", yet the next day, after the anti-corruption prosecutor announced that he would appeal the decision, they commented on it showing their "absolute conformity".[4] In light of the forthcoming trial, she and her children moved to Geneva, Switzerland in Summer 2013. On 7 January 2014, a Spanish judge charged her with tax fraud and money laundering and ordered her to appear in court.[5] She made her first appearance in a court in Majorca on 8 February 2014.[6]
Spanish judge Jose Castro formalised charges against Princess Cristina on 25th June 2014 resulting in the possibility that she could face trial, with up to 11 years in jail if found guilty. However, an appeal has been lodged against the decision. [7]
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
- 13 June 1965 – 26 September 1997: Her Royal Highness Infanta Cristina of Spain
- 26 September 1997 – : Her Royal Highness The 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 de Borbón y Grecia de Urdangarín, Infanta de España, Duquesa de Palma de Mallorca (Her Royal Highness Ms. Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia of the Holy Trinity of Bourbon and Greece, Mrs. Urdangarín, Infanta of Spain, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca).
Honours
See also List of honours of the Spanish Royal Family by country
- National Orders
Spain
- Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (13 June 1983)[8]
- Dame Grand Cross of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles III (14 October 1988)[9]
- Foreign Orders
Austria : Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Sash for Services to the Republic of Austria (2 June 1997)[10][11]
Belgium : Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (19 September 1994)[12][13]
Ecuador : Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (9 July 2001)[14]
Egypt : Supreme Class of the Order of the Virtues (29 May 2000)[15][16]
El Salvador : Grand Cross with Silver Star of the Order of José Matías Delgado (10 March 1997)[17][18]
Greece : Grand Cross of the Order of Honour (25 September 2001)[19][20]
Guatemala : Grand Cross of the Order of the Quetzal (1 October 1986)[21][22]
Iceland : Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon (16 September 1985) [23]
Japan : Grand Cordon (or 1st Class) of the Order of the Precious Crown (10 October 1994)[24][25][26]
Jordan : Grand Cordon of the Order of the Star of Jordan (26 March 1985) [27][28]
Luxembourg : Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau (7 May 2001)[29]
Nepal : Member First Class of the Order of Tri Shakti Patta (Three Divine Powers) (19 September 1983)[30]
Mexico : Sash of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (25 January 1996)[31][32]
Netherlands : Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (8 October 1985)[33][34]
Norway : Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Olav (25 April 1995)[35]
Peru : Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun (5 July 2004)[36]
Portugal : Grand Cross of the Order of Christ (13 October 1988)
Portugal : Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (23 August 1996)
Thailand : Grand Cordon (or Special Class) of the Order of the White Elephant (19 November 1987)[37][38]
Arms
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A palm vert has been a charge of the arms of Palma de Mallorca.[39] |
Ancestry
See also
References
- ^ Real Decreto 1502/1997
- ^ [1]
- ^ "Judge targets Princess Cristina in Nóos corruption probe". El Pais. Retrieved 3 April 2013. Template:En icon
- ^ "La Casa del Rey expresa su "sorpresa" ante el cambio de criterio del juez". El Periodico de Catalunya. Retrieved 3 April 2013. Template:Es icon
- ^ "Spanish princess Infanta Cristina summoned over fraud". BBC News. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
- ^ "Spain's Princess Cristina in court over corruption case". BBC News. 8 February 2014.
- ^ BBC News (25 June 2014). “Spain's Princess Cristina to face charges” Retrieved 25 June 2014
- ^ Photo of younger Infantas Cristina & Elena
- ^ "Noblesse et Royautes", wedding of Victoria of Sweden in 2010, Cristina & Iñaki
- ^ Parliamentary question, page=1124
- ^ Visita de Estado del Presidente de Austria a España
- ^ Foro Dinastías, State visit of Belgium in Spain, 1994, Cristina & Queen Sofia
- ^ Hemeroteca ABC
- ^ Visita de Estado del Presidente del Ecuador a España
- ^ Foro Dinastías, State visit of Egypt in Spain, Queen Sofia & Cristina
- ^ Visita de Estado del Presidente de Egipto a España
- ^ Foro Dinastías
- ^ Visita de Estado del Presidente de El Salvador a España
- ^ Foro Dinastías, State visit of Stephanopoulos in Spain, 2001, Group Photo
- ^ Visita de Estado del Presidente de Grecia a España
- ^ "At the Spanish Court" blog, State dinner in the Royal Palace, Queen Sofia, Elena & Cristina (1st State dinner for Cristina).
- ^ "La dimensión europea de la política exterior española hacia América latina". Escrito por José Escribano Úbeda-Portugués
- ^ Icelandese Presidency Website , Cristina, de Borbón ; prinsessa ; Spánn ; 1985-09-16 ; Stórkross (= Cristina of Bourbon, Princess, Spain, 16 September 1985, Grand Cross)
- ^ Forum Príncipes de Asturias, State visit of Japan in Spain, 1994, Group photo
- ^ See the 2nd photo in this serie
- ^ Hemeroteca ABC
- ^ State visit of Jordan in Spain (1985), Photo of Infanta Cristina wearing the order
- ^ Visita Oficial del Rey Hussein de Jordania a España
- ^ Foro Dinastías, State visit of Luxembourg in Spain, 2001, Group Photo
- ^ Foro Dinastías State visit of Nepal in Spain, 1983
- ^ El Presidente de México de Visita Oficial en España
- ^ El Besamanos
- ^ Viva Máxima Blog, State visit of Beatrix in Spain in 1985, Group Photo
- ^ Hemeroteca ABC
- ^ Visita de Estado de los Reyes de Noruega a España
- ^ Visita de Estado del Presidente de Perú a España
- ^ Foro Dinastías, State visit in Thailand, Group Photo
- ^ Visita de Estado de los Reyes de España a Tailandia
- ^ "Cadency of the Spanish Royal House". José Juan Carrión Rangel, Blog de heráldica. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
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External links
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- Use dmy dates from September 2012
- 1965 births
- Living people
- Spanish infantas
- House of Bourbon (Spain)
- New York University alumni
- Complutense University of Madrid alumni
- Dukes of Palma de Mallorca
- Sailors at the 1988 Summer Olympics
- Olympic sailors of Spain
- Nobility from Madrid
- Spanish expatriates in Switzerland
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Charles III
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
- Dames Grand Cordon of the Order of the White Elephant
- Grand Cordons of the Order of Leopold (Belgium)
- Grand Cordons of the Order of the Precious Crown
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Christ (Portugal)
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Honour (Greece)
- Grand Crosses of the Order of Prince Henry
- Grand Crosses of the Order of the Quetzal
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Falcon
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau
- Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
- Supreme Classes of the Order of the Virtues
- Members of the Order of Tri Shakti Patta, First Class
- Grand Cordons of the Order of the Star of Jordan
- Grand Crosses of the Order of José Matías Delgado
- Bands of the Order of the Aztec Eagle
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Sun (Peru)
- Spanish duchesses