MADRID — Spain’s King Felipe VI stripped his sister Princess Cristina of her title as Duchess of Palma de Mallorca yesterday in the latest move to distance the royal family from the princess as she awaits trial for tax fraud.
Cristina, 49, has been indicted as part of a four-year probe into her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, who faces charges including money-laundering and fraud. Urdangarin automatically loses his title as duke at the same time.
The couple’s trial is expected late this year.
Cristina’s lawyer, Miquel Roca, said the princess had sent a letter to the king asking for the title to be removed but the palace said the king had made the decision before the letter arrived and he communicated the decision to his sister by phone Thursday.
The princess was given the title when she married Urdangarin in 1997.
Cristina is sixth in line of succession to the throne and calls have increased for her to renounce her princess title and rights to the throne./AP