Infanta Cristina Net Worth

What Is Infanta Cristina's Net Worth?

Infanta Cristina is a Spanish royal and nonprofit executive who has a net worth of $5 million. She is the younger daughter of former King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía, and the older sister of King Felipe VI. Cristina is also an accomplished sailor who represented Spain at the 1988 Summer Olympics.

Unlike many royal figures, Cristina built a long professional career outside the palace. She worked at UNESCO in Paris, joined the philanthropic arm of the Spanish bank La Caixa, and later became involved with the Aga Khan Development Network in Switzerland.

Cristina's public standing changed dramatically because of the Nóos corruption case involving her former husband, Iñaki Urdangarin. She became the first immediate member of Spain's modern royal family to stand trial in a criminal case. Cristina was acquitted of the tax-fraud charges against her in 2017, although the court found her civilly liable for money from which she had benefited. Urdangarin was convicted and imprisoned.

Felipe stripped Cristina of the title Duchess of Palma de Mallorca in 2015. She has remained outside the working royal family and has continued her professional and family life primarily away from official palace activities.

Early Life and Education

Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y de Grecia was born on June 13, 1965, in Madrid, Spain. Her older sister is Infanta Elena, and her younger brother is Felipe VI.

Cristina attended Santa María del Camino School in Madrid. She earned a political science degree from the Complutense University of Madrid in 1989 and completed a master's degree in international relations at New York University in 1990.

She subsequently completed an internship at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, where she gained experience in international cultural and educational programs.

Olympic Sailing

Cristina began sailing as a child and competed at a high level. She represented Spain in the Tornado class at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul and served as the Spanish team's flag bearer during the opening ceremony.

She and her sailing partner finished 20th in the competition. Her Olympic appearance continued a family tradition that included her mother, who had been a reserve on the Greek sailing team, and her uncle Constantine II, an Olympic gold medalist.

Professional Career

Cristina began working for the La Caixa Foundation in the early 1990s. Her responsibilities included international cooperation, social programs, cultural initiatives, and projects supporting disadvantaged communities.

She later became involved with the Aga Khan Foundation and the wider Aga Khan Development Network. Her work took her to Geneva, Switzerland, where she managed and advised programs related to culture, education, and international development.

Cristina's professional roles provided her with an independent salary separate from the Spanish Royal Household. She has not served as a working member of the royal family since the emergence of the Nóos scandal.

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Marriage and Family

Cristina married Spanish handball player Iñaki Urdangarin in Barcelona in October 1997. Urdangarin had represented Spain at three Olympic Games and won bronze medals in 1996 and 2000.

Juan Carlos granted Cristina the title Duchess of Palma de Mallorca for life upon her marriage. The couple had four children: Juan, Pablo, Miguel, and Irene.

The family lived in Barcelona before moving to the Washington, D.C., area in 2009, when Urdangarin took a position with Telefónica. Cristina later moved with the children to Geneva.

The Nóos Corruption Case

Urdangarin became the subject of a criminal investigation over his management of the Nóos Institute, a nonprofit organization that received millions of euros in public contracts. Prosecutors alleged that he and his business partner used the institute to overcharge regional governments and divert money through private companies.

Cristina was investigated because she jointly owned Aizoon, a company that received funds connected to Nóos. She maintained that she had not participated in her husband's business decisions and did not know that company money had been used improperly.

Cristina stood trial on charges that she had assisted in two tax offenses. In 2017, the court acquitted her of criminal wrongdoing. However, it found that she had received a financial benefit from improperly used funds and ordered her to repay money as a civil beneficiary.

Urdangarin was convicted of fraud, tax offenses, influence peddling, and embezzlement-related crimes. His sentence was ultimately set at five years and ten months.

Felipe VI revoked Cristina's title as Duchess of Palma de Mallorca in 2015. She remains an infanta of Spain because that status comes from her birth as the daughter of a king.

Separation and Divorce

Cristina and Urdangarin announced their separation in January 2022 after photographs showed him with another woman. Their divorce was completed in late 2023.

Cristina has continued working and spending much of her time in Geneva while maintaining close connections to Spain and her four children. She remains in the line of succession but does not carry out regular duties on behalf of the Crown.

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