Spanish royal son-in-law sidelined over corruption scandal

Dec 12, 2011, 11:51 GMT

Madrid - The Spanish royal palace tried Monday to limit the damage caused by a corruption scandal, announcing that Princess Cristina's husband Inaki Urdangarin would not participate in official royal activities for the time being.

Urdangarin's behaviour 'does not appear exemplary,' palace protocol chief Rafael Spottorno said at a meeting with journalists, while urging them to respect the presumption of innocence in the case.

Urdangarin, 43, a former Olympic handball player, who has the title of Duke of Palma de Majorca, is suspected of channelling millions of euros in public and private funds to his companies through a non-profit institute he headed between 2004 and 2006.

Prosecutors are investigating charges that Urdangarin and his business partner Diego Torres used the Noos Institute - and the duke's prestige - to organize events related to sports and tourism in the Balearic Islands and in Valencia.

They allegedly overcharged for the events, and even charged for services which were not carried out, pocketing the extra income.

Torres has already been named an official suspect, and Urdangarin is expected to follow. That would make him the first member of the Spanish royal family to be indicted in a criminal case.

The athlete married Cristina, the middle one of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia's three children, in 1997. The duke and princess have four children.

Spottorno did not say whether Cristina, who was involved with the Noos Institute and with one of Urdangarin's companies, would remain in public life. 'We shall see,' he said.

The royal family would also start publishing detailed accounts on how it uses its annual budget of 8.4 million euros (11 million dollars), the protocol chief announced.

Far-left parties had criticized the royal palace over what they saw as a lack of transparency in its accounts.