The High Court in the city of Palma, Mallorca, decided on Friday that the youngest sister of King Felipe VI of Spain, the Infanta Cristina de Borbon, will stand trial for tax fraud after rejecting an appeal against the charges.
However, the court decided to drop charges of money laundering leveled at Cristina as part of the investigation into the Noos corruption case, also involving her husband Inaki Urdangarin.
The Noos case involves the supposed fraud of around 6 million euros (8.1 million U.S. dollars) of public funds from the regional governments of the Balearic Islands and the Community of Valencia. This was allegedly done via the Noos Institute, a supposedly non-profit organization set up by Urdangarin and his partner Diego Torres with Cristiana as a member of the board of directors.
A trial is likely to be held in 2016. However, analysts say she could avoid appearing in court through the Botin doctrine.
Drafted by the Supreme Court, the doctrine states that if the accusation for an offense does not come from the public prosecutor or those directly affected by events, the defendant does not have to appear in court.