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Infanta Cristina of Spain facts for kids

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Borbón and the second or maternal family name is Grecia.
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Cristina
Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca.jpg
Cristina in 2011
Born (1965-06-13) 13 June 1965 (age 60)
Our Lady of Loreto Hospital, Madrid, Spain
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1997; div. 2023)​
Issue Juan Urdangarin y Borbón
Pablo Urdangarin y Borbón
Miguel Urdangarin y Borbón
Irene Urdangarin y Borbón
Full name
Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y de Grecia
House Bourbon-Anjou
Father Juan Carlos I of Spain
Mother Sophia of Greece and Denmark
Signature Cristina's signature

Infanta Cristina (born Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y de Grecia on June 13, 1965) is the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos I and his wife, Queen Sofía of Spain. She is a princess of Spain.

She is currently sixth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne. This means she is after her brother King Felipe VI's children, her sister Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, and Elena's children.

On October 4, 1997, Cristina married handball player Iñaki Urdangarin. Her father, King Juan Carlos, gave her the title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. In 2015, her brother, King Felipe VI, removed this royal title from her.

From 2013 to 2017, she was part of an investigation about her husband's business dealings. She was later found not guilty of any wrongdoing in 2017.

Cristina used to represent the Spanish Crown during her father's time as king. Since 2011, she has not been involved in official royal family events. In 2014, she formally stopped being a member of the royal family.

Early Life and Education

Prinses Christina en Prins Felipe, Bestanddeelnr 922-6783
Infanta Cristina with her younger brother, Felipe, in 1969.

Cristina de Borbón was born on June 13, 1965, in Madrid, Spain. She was baptized into the Church at the Royal Palace of La Zarzuela. Her godparents were Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, and Infanta Maria Cristina.

She is a skilled sailor. Cristina even competed in the Tornado sailing event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.

For her schooling, she attended Santa María del Camino School. She then studied at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, earning a degree in political science in 1989. She continued her studies at New York University, getting a master's degree in international relations in 1990.

In 1991, she gained work experience at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Later, in 2001, she was named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador. She speaks several languages, including Spanish, Catalan, English, French, and Greek.

Marriage and Family Life

Cristina married team handball player Iñaki Urdangarin on October 4, 1997. Their wedding took place at Barcelona Cathedral. After their marriage, her father gave her the title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca.

Cristina and Iñaki have four children. All of them were born at the Teknon Medical Centre in Barcelona:

  • Juan Valentín Urdangarin y Borbón (born September 29, 1999)
  • Pablo Nicolás Sebastián Urdangarin y de Borbón (born December 6, 2000)
  • Miguel Urdangarin y Borbón (born April 30, 2002)
  • Irene Urdangarin y Borbón (born June 5, 2005)

From 2009 to 2012, the family lived in Washington, D.C., because her husband worked there. In August 2013, Cristina moved with her children to Geneva, Switzerland. She took a job with the Caixa Foundation there. Her husband stayed in Barcelona at that time.

On January 24, 2022, Cristina and Iñaki announced that they were separating. They officially divorced in December 2023.

Royal Duties and Personal Work

Cristina began attending official events at a very young age. One of her first public appearances was at her father's proclamation as king in November 1975. After finishing her basic education in 1983, Cristina and her sister Elena often supported their parents. They represented the Crown at important events.

These events included the National Day and royal weddings. They also attended state visits from other countries.

After some questions arose about her husband's business, Cristina and her husband stepped back from royal family duties. Their last official event as royal family members was on October 12, 2011. When her brother became king in June 2014, she formally left the royal family.

Cristina has been working for the La Caixa Foundation since October 1993. She also works for the Aga Khan Foundation. She often visits Barcelona for her work. However, she has lived in Geneva, Switzerland, since 2013.

Since 2024, she spends long periods at the Royal Palace of Zarzuela in Spain. Her younger children live there with their grandmother.

Investigation and Acquittal

In early 2012, Cristina's husband was investigated regarding his business activities. In April 2013, Infanta Cristina was also named as part of the investigation by the judge. The Royal Household stated they would not comment on judicial decisions.

In summer 2013, she and her children moved to Geneva, Switzerland. On January 7, 2014, a Spanish judge asked her to appear in court. The Infanta appeared in the Majorca Court on February 8, 2014. She stated she did not know about her husband's business dealings.

On June 25, 2014, charges were formally brought against Infanta Cristina. In November 2014, the High Court of Palma de Mallorca confirmed some charges against her. Her lawyers always said they were sure she was innocent. On December 22, 2014, it was announced that she, her husband, and others would go to trial.

On June 12, 2015, King Felipe VI officially removed his sister's title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. Cristina's lawyer said she had requested this, but the Royal Household said the king had informed her of his decision first. Her right to be in line for the throne and her title of infanta were not affected.

Cristina's trial began on January 11, 2016, in Palma de Mallorca. Her lawyers asked for the charges against her to be dropped. The state prosecutor also said there was not enough evidence. However, on January 29, the court decided to keep the charges.

She testified in March 2016. She denied being involved in any financial wrongdoing. She also said she did not know about her husband's business activities. She explained that her husband managed their money. She said she was very busy with her young children and was not interested in financial matters.

On February 17, 2017, Infanta Cristina was found not guilty of the charges. Her husband received a prison sentence.

Titles and Honours

As a child of a Spanish monarch, Cristina is known as an infanta (princess). She is styled as Royal Highness. When she married in 1997, she was given the title of Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. She lost this dukedom in 2015.

  • June 13, 1965 – October 4, 1997: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Cristina
  • October 4, 1997 – June 11, 2015: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca
  • June 11, 2015 – present: Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Cristina

National Honours

Foreign Honours

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cristina de Borbón para niños

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