There are compelling reasons why Infanta Cristina and her eldest son, Juan Valentín, still prefer to remain outside Spain in 2025. The memory of the Nóos case—the corruption scandal that sent her husband Iñaki Urdangarin to prison—is still too fresh. It was a traumatic chapter for the whole family, who were forced to seek refuge first in the United States during the investigation, and then in Switzerland when the trial began, so their four children could live in relative peace. All the family’s personal struggles and the aftermath of that scandal will likely never be made public—unless Urdangarin himself one day decides to write memoirs, whose value grows by the year. The public consequences, however, were devastating: Infanta Cristina and her husband were stripped of their titles as Dukes of Palma, she was publicly humiliated after the publication of her personal correspondence, and both ended up isolated from the core of the royal family by the now-famous “sanitary cordon.”
One of the most difficult moments in that scandalous saga came when Infanta Cristina herself was charged with two tax offenses and money laundering. In 2015, she found herself in the defendant’s seat, becoming the first member of the Spanish royal family to face such a situation. The proceedings were memorable for nearly a thousand questions from Judge Castro and more than five hundred identical answers: “I don’t know,” “It’s unknown to me,” “I don’t remember.” In the end, she was acquitted.
Two decades have passed since the Nóos case began, but the echoes of this event, critical for the monarchy, still linger. Moreover, the anniversary has prompted the publication of a book in which Judge José Castro, who led the investigation, has gathered his conversations with the case’s prosecutor, Pedro Horrach. In this context, the magistrate has once again reflected on his actions and shared his conclusions about what he experienced. This is not the first time José Castro has spoken out on what was the subject of legal proceedings twenty years ago. Back in 2017, his conversations with journalist Pilar Urbano formed the basis of the book “La pieza 25,” where he openly expressed his strong conviction about Cristina de Borbón’s role in her husband’s corruption schemes. Even then, he believed—and told the prosecutor—that the Infanta was not only aware of all the operations, but acted as their ‘hidden mastermind’: very discreet and barely noticeable.
Eight years after those high-profile statements, Judge Castro’s position has not changed one bit. While promoting his new book, he once again detailed his view of the corruption network, renewing his criticism of Infanta Cristina and her father, honorary king Juan Carlos. His hypothesis is straightforward: the one who ultimately went to prison was more a tool than the mastermind of the operation. Clearly, the true organizers of the scheme never saw the inside of a cell. The judge is convinced that Iñaki was simply made a scapegoat. He believes that it was the Infanta and her father who were the architects of all the events under investigation, while poor Iñaki was destined to play the role of the “loser” who would take the punishment for everyone. The magistrate lamented that reaching the king was impossible, but summoning the Infanta to testify was essential, as she was an absolutely necessary accomplice in all of her husband’s crimes. This, he says, is something he is completely certain of.
Given the judge’s statements, it becomes clear why Infanta Cristina still cannot see herself living in Spain. And why the royal family, albeit with varying degrees of insistence, continues to maintain that very same ‘sanitary cordon.’ It takes more than twenty years for such an episode to begin to fade from memory. In addition to the institutional consequences—which, among other things, accelerated the abdication of the honorary monarchs—it inflicted deep wounds on the couple’s four children: Juan Valentín, Pablo, Miguel, and Irene. Perhaps one day they themselves will tell what they truly had to go through.
