Showing posts with label Spanish Royal Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spanish Royal Family. Show all posts
Sunday, May 29, 2022
Royal Couples – The Next Generation I ARTE.tv Documentary
Thursday, December 10, 2020
Spain’s Juan Carlos Makes a Big Tax Payment amid New Financial Probe
THE NEW YORK TIMES: The former king of Spain paid about $820,000, his lawyer said. He did not say why, but the news came amid the latest investigation into possible financial wrongdoing by Juan Carlos.
MADRID — King Juan Carlos, Spain’s former monarch, has paid about $820,000 in back taxes, his lawyer said on Wednesday, amid an investigation by prosecutors into whether he and other members of the royal family used bank accounts in other people’s names to hide assets from the tax authorities[.]
The king’s lawyer, Javier Sánchez-Junco Mans, did not say why or when Juan Carlos had made the payment. But the announcement came just a month after Spanish media revealed an investigation into possible tax evasion and money laundering based on the former king and his relatives using those bank accounts to pay their credit card charges.
The anticorruption prosecutor’s office has confirmed the existence of a new case involving the king, but has not elaborated. He was already the subject of another investigation by the same office. » | Raphael Minder | Wednesday, December 9, 2020
MADRID — King Juan Carlos, Spain’s former monarch, has paid about $820,000 in back taxes, his lawyer said on Wednesday, amid an investigation by prosecutors into whether he and other members of the royal family used bank accounts in other people’s names to hide assets from the tax authorities[.]
The king’s lawyer, Javier Sánchez-Junco Mans, did not say why or when Juan Carlos had made the payment. But the announcement came just a month after Spanish media revealed an investigation into possible tax evasion and money laundering based on the former king and his relatives using those bank accounts to pay their credit card charges.
The anticorruption prosecutor’s office has confirmed the existence of a new case involving the king, but has not elaborated. He was already the subject of another investigation by the same office. » | Raphael Minder | Wednesday, December 9, 2020
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Friday, July 04, 2014
Spanish Royal Family Fraud Case: First Evidence against King Felipe VI's Brother-in-law
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| Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of Princess Cristina, the Spanish king's sister, faces accusations of fraud |
A key suspect in the fraud case that has embarrassed Spain's royal family has given the first direct account of how King Felipe VI's brother-in-law allegedly embezzled millions of euros of public funds.
Marco-Antonio Tejeiro, an accountant, set out his claims in a detailed written statement to the Spanish court where Inaki Urdangarin, the husband of Princess Cristina, the king's sister, faces accusations of fraud.
The scandal, subject of a four-year investigation by a judge in Palma de Mallorca, soured the reign of former King Juan Carlos, who tearfully handed the crown to his son last month.
Mr Urdangarin, 46, a former Olympic handball player, is accused along with a former business partner, Diego Torres, of creaming off €6 million (£4.76 million) in public funds from contracts to stage events that were awarded to Noos, a supposedly non-profit foundation, partly because of his connections.
Mr Tejeiro, who was Noos's accountant, is to receive a lighter sentence for cooperating with prosecutors, according to a court source, [sic] » | By agencies | Thursday, July 03, 2014
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Inside Story: What Future for the Monarchy in Spain?
Monday, June 09, 2014
Princess Letizia: The Commoner Who Could Save Spain's Tarnished Crown
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| Princess Letizia of Spain: the Spanish monarchy is depending on her |
"It is a common proverb, beauteous princess,” quoth Spain’s national bard, Cervantes, “that diligence is the mother of good fortune.” Princess Letizia Ortiz, the country’s 41-year-old queen-to-be, is certainly beauteous and has worked diligently to be accepted, but, phew!, does her husband need some good fortune.
Later this month, Felipe de Borbón, a hulking, ex-Olympic sailor, will take over the shambolic remnants of what used to be Europe’s most admired royal family. Tens of thousands of disenchanted Spaniards have already taken to the streets to demand the end of the monarchy, and the country’s equally unpopular government is under pressure to hold a national referendum on becoming a republic.
The abdication last week of Felipe’s 76-year-old father, King Juan Carlos, merely threw into stark relief the crisis that has been raging around the Zarzuela Palace for years. Spain’s economic woes have made all the country’s institutions look culpable, and as the old taboos against criticism of the royal family crumbled, Juan Carlos came increasingly to resemble a cardboard king, saying the right things for public consumption while covertly protecting his own interests.
Outraged by tales of scandal, profligacy and the king’s alleged womanising, the public demanded a change. While Felipe, 46, will assume the formal burden, it is, to a great extent, Letizia upon whom the monarchy’s survival now depends. A former television journalist from relatively humble roots, she is broadly popular – but not with everybody. Sections of the Spanish media, driven either by jealousy or the desire for a good story, have portrayed her as cold and manipulative and cast doubts on her fairytale story. » | William Langley | Saturday, June 07, 2014
Letizia d'Espagne : cette reine que les monarchistes détestent »
Spanish Royal Family's Popularity Boosted by King Juan Carlos's Abdication in Favour of Prince Felipe
Spains royal family has become more popular among Spainiards following the abdication of Juan Carlos for his son Crown King Felipe VI.
Overall, 55.7 per cent of those polled in the June 3-5 survey by Sigma Dos supported the institution of the monarchy in Spain, up from 49.9 per cent when the same question was posed six months ago.
57.5 per cent believed the prince could restore the royal family’s lost prestige.
An overwhelming majority of Spaniards believe the new king, Felipe VI, would make a good monarch and more than three-quarters believe King Juan Carlos was right to hand over the throne to his son.
The poll, published in Spain’s right-leaning daily El Mundo newspaper on Monday, is likely to encourage the departing King, who announced a week ago that he hoped the change would usher in a “new era of hope”. » | Fiona Govan | Monday, June 09, 2014
Sunday, February 09, 2014
Spain's Princess Cristina Arrives at Court in Mallorca
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| Princess Cristina of Spain |
It is the first time in history that a member of Spain's royal family has appeared in court as the subject of a criminal investigation.
Her husband Inaki Urdangarin is alleged to have defrauded regional governments of millions of Euros of public money.
Rebecca Jones spoke with BBC correspondent Tom Burridge, who reports live from outside the courthouse in Mallorca. (+ BBC video) » | Saturday, February 08, 2014
Related »
Saturday, February 08, 2014
Spain's Princess Cristina Accused of Being 'Evasive' in Tax Fraud Court Case
Spain’s Princess Cristina was accused of being “evasive” today as she gave evidence for the first time in a corruption case that has tarnished the image of the country’s royal family.
The 48-year-old younger daughter of King Juan Carlos was grilled for several hours by José Castro, an investigative judge, as part of an inquiry into an alleged financial scandal involving her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Saturday, February 08, 2014
Related »
Friday, February 07, 2014
Spanish Royal Family Braces for Princess Cristina's Court Appearance
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| Princess Cristina de Borbón and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarin |
When a boulevard in Palma de Mallorca was renamed to honour Princess Cristina de Borbón and her husband, Iñaki Urdangarín, in 1998, it seemed like a good fit. It was one of the city's most regal thoroughfares, lined with trees and dotted with fountains and Roman statues, and they were the feted new couple of the Spanish crown. The princess's father, King Juan Carlos, had recently given the pair the titles the Duke and Duchess of Palma.
Fifteen years later, the city changed its mind. Urdangarín was under investigation for embezzlement and questions were being asked about how much his wife knew. "He has conducted himself poorly and has shown a lack of consideration towards the title and the name of our city," said a spokesperson in explanation for why the city was reverting back to the old name of the boulevard.
On Saturday, just a few streets away from the renamed La Rambla, Spain's royal family will live out another chapter in their steady fall from grace. At 10am Princess Cristina de Borbón has been summoned to the city's imposing stone courthouse to answer allegations of money laundering and tax evasion.
The 48-year-old princess will be the first royal-born member of Spain's ruling Bourbons to appear in court since the monarchy was restored in 1975. She will be questioned by prosecutors, the investigating judge José Castro and dozens of lawyers over her role in one of Spain's longest-running corruption scandals. Both Cristina and her husband have denied any wrongdoing.
At its best, Cristina's appearance in court on Saturday could be cathartic for Spain's ailing monarchy, clearing her of wrongdoing and showing the world that justice plays out equally for every Spanish citizen, royal or not.
But at its worst, this weekend's court appearance could result in criminal charges against the princess, and up to six years of jail time and steep fines. Read on and comment » | Ashifa Kassam in Palma de Mallorca | Friday, February 07, 2014
Tuesday, February 04, 2014
Spain's Royal Family Sees Its Budget Cut Once More
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| Princess Cristina |
Damaged by a series of scandals and ahead of the appearance on Saturday of the King's youngest daughter in court to answer financial fraud allegations, Spain's Royal Palace on Monday published a breakdown of its annual spending in an attempt to stem growing criticism of the monarchy.
The belt-tightening has seen Spain's royal budget slashed from nearly €9.4 million (£7.8m) five years ago to €7.78 million (£6.44m) in 2014 – a cut of two per cent from last year under the state-spending plan approved by parliament.
The salary of King Juan Carlos has been frozen for the third year running at €140,519 plus a further €152,233 to cover the "cost of representation" including the wardrobe needed for official functions.
The 76-year-old monarch's medical bill for three surgical operations at a private clinic during 2013 amounted to €165,189, a figure that also came out of the palace budget.
Crown Prince Felipe who has increasingly stepped in to represent the Crown during the past year while his father battled with ill health, is again to receive an amount equal to half his father's salary and expenses. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Tuesday, February 04, 2014
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Queen Sofia of Spain has won an apology from an online dating agency for adulterers after it used her image in an advertising campaign mocking the King's rumoured indiscretions.
The 74-year old Greek-born spouse of King Juan Carlos took legal action against US-based agency Ashley Madison for "damage to her honour and dignity" after it used a photograph of her in a series of adverts last year.
The company, which specialises in connecting people looking for extra-marital affairs, has issued a personal apology to Queen Sofia and promised never to use her image in its marketing campaigns.
The offending advertisements contained a doctored image of the smiling Queen draped around the bare shoulders of a much younger man, beneath the slogan in Spanish: "You no longer have to spend the night alone".
Published first in February 2012 and then again last October, it apparently refered to widespread allegations that King Juan Carlos had conducted numerous affairs during their 50-year marriage.
An explosive biography of Queen Sofia, written by Pilar Eyre, called "The Solitude of the Queen" was published in January 2012. It detailed her long-standing suffering as the wife of serial womanizer. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Monday, April 08, 2013
THE INDEPENDENT: King Juan Carlos is now less popular among his subjects than Spain’s tax inspectors, according to a poll in El Pais.
The King’s standing has plummeted as his family has been drawn into a corruption and money-laundering scandal linked to his son-in-law, the Duke of Palma, yet the survey was conducted before his youngest daughter, Cristina, received a court summons last week in connection with the case. » | Alasdair Fotheringham | Madrid | Sunday, April 07, 2013
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Princess Cristina, the youngest daughter of Spain’s King Juan Carlos, has been named a suspect in a far-reaching corruption probe centring on her husband, dealing a huge blow to the prestige of the Spanish royal family.
The 47-year old princess, who is seventh in line to the Spanish throne, has been ordered to testify on April 27 at a court in Palma de Mallorca on suspicion of influence peddling, judicial sources said.
She will face accusations that she cooperated in the business dealings of her husband Inaki Urdangarin while he was head of the not-for-profit Noos Institute, through which he is alleged to have embezzled 6 million euros of public funds.
She was a member of the board of the Noos Institute between 2004-2006, through which Urdangarin won public contracts to stage sporting and tourism events. She also co-owned one of the private companies which her husband allegedly used to divert funds.
The Duke of Palma had sought to protect his wife, insisting in statements to the court that she had been involved in name only and had no knowledge of day to day dealings of his companies.
But emails released to the court by his estranged business partner Diego Torres, who is also accused of embezzlement and money laundering, purportedly showed that she had been regularly consulted.
Investigating Judge Jose Castro, who had previously rejected prosecution requests to indict Princess Cristina, said Wednesday that fresh evidence suggested that she was aware that her husband used her name and status in dealings from which they both benefitted.
He said that she would have to be questioned for the probe to be complete and to show that “justice treats all equally”. » | Agence France-Presse in Madrid | Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
THE GUARDIAN: King Juan Carlos's daughter likely to be formally named as a suspect in multimillion-euro scandal ahead of possible indictment
As a financial scandal engulfs the royal family and politicians begin to call for his abdication, Spain's King Juan Carlos faces one of the worst weeks in his 37-year reign, with prosecutors set to ask a judge to formally name his daughter Princess Cristina as a suspect in a multimillion-euro fraud and money-laundering case.
The request, which would be a preliminary step to a possible indictment, is poised to be made next week and will be based on the testimony of Diego Torres, a former business school lecturer who became the partner of Cristina's husband, Iñaki Urdangarin.
Juan Carlos's nightmare week starts in Palma de Mallorca , when Urdangarin must appear before an investigating magistrate who has demanded that he and Torres post a joint bond of €8.1m (£7m).
The size of the bond points to the millions of euros that – via a foundation in which the princess served as a board member – the two men allegedly obtained from fraudulent deals with politicians keen to bathe in the reflected glory of royalty. Part of the money was allegedly then laundered through offshore accounts.
"If the princess sits in the dock, the blow to the monarchy's prestige will be huge," said Miguel Bernad, head of the controversial far-right Clean Hands movement that has sent a prosecutor to join the case and who will ask investigating magistrate José Castro to formally name the king's daughter as a suspect. » | Giles Tremlett in Madrid | Friday, February 22, 2013
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