ROYAL BUZZ
Letizia and Felipe's brother-in-law granted permission to leave prison for Christmas
Iñaki Urdangarin will spend the holidays with his family outside of prison
Infanta Cristina’s husband, Iñaki Urdangarin, will be home for Christmas. King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain’s brother-in-law has been granted permission to leave prison to spend the holidays with his family. The monarch’s relative will be allowed to leave the Brieva prison, where he is currently serving a five years and 10 months sentence for his involvement in the Nóos case, on December 24 and will return December 28.
According to El País, Iñaki completed the first quarter of his prison sentence last month, which means (per HOLA! Spain) under Article 47.2 of the General Penitentiary Organic Law, he can request a maximum of 36 days of leave per year in preparation for life in freedom. Iñaki, who shares sons Miguel, Pablo and Juan, as well as daughter Irene with wife Cristina, began his prison sentence last year. King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia’s son-in-law was found guilty of fraud and tax evasion in 2017, while his wife, whom he married in 1997, was acquitted in the tax fraud trial.
Cristina became the first member of the Spanish royal family to go on trial in modern history. Iñaki was accused of exploiting his royal connections to win contracts and embezzle millions in public funds for private spending. Back in 2015, King Felipe stripped his sister of her title, the Duchess of Palma de Mallorca. At the time, the royal’s attorney noted that Cristina was "in complete agreement" with her brother's decision, and that she had communicated her desire to give her title voluntarily "days ago."
