Corruption case against King of Spain's son-in-law rumbles on

The King of Spain’s son-in-law is being questioned in court on the island of Mallorca in connection with a multi-million euro corruption case. Inaki Urdangarin, 45, is married to the King’s Juan Carlos’ second daughter, Princess Cristina. The former Olympic handball player, who holds the title Duke of Palma, is accused of diverting millions of euros of public money meant a non-profit organisation he controlled to private offshore accounts. Saturday’s hearing was about tax fraud in relation to this money. He is also charged with forgery, embezzlement and corruption. Anti-monarchy protesters gathered outside the court in Mallorca’s port city, Palma. The corruption scandal has angered a public facing unemployment of twenty-six percent and tough austerity measures. Urdangarin, who denies any wrongdoing, previously tried to make deal with the prosecution to avoid jail time, offering to pay the government at least 3.5 million euros in compensation. Urdangarin, Princess Cristina and their children now live in Washington. Spain’s royal family has been losing popularity. A secret elephant-hunting trip to Botswana by King Juan Carlos last year further tarnished the royal family’s reputation. .