Spain Princess Cristina loses title amid fraud inquiry Published duration 12 June 2015

image copyright AFP image caption Princess Cristina and Inaki Urdangarin could both go to jail if found guilty

King Felipe VI of Spain has removed the title "Duchess of Palma" from his sister, Princess Cristina, who is to go on trial charged with tax evasion.

She was granted the title in 1997 when she married Inaki Urdangarin, a former Olympic handball player who is also accused of tax evasion.

Princess Cristina had asked the king to remove her title, her lawyer said.

But the royal palace said the king made the decision before seeing her request. She denies the tax fraud charges.

Prosecutors in Palma de Mallorca have long been investigating the business dealings of Inaki Urdangarin.

He stands accused with 15 others of embezzling 5.6m euros (£4m; $6m) of public money from the Noos Institute - a charitable sports foundation he ran with a business partner. The princess is accused of involvement in the alleged scam.

It is the first time in modern Spain's history that a member of the royal family has faced court cross-examination in a major corruption scandal.

Cristina is the youngest daughter of former King Juan Carlos, who abdicated last year.