Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca
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The Infanta Cristina, Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (Cristina Federica Victoria Antonia de la Santísima Trinidad de Borbón y de Grecia, born June 13, 1965), is the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofía. She is sister to the Infanta Elena and Felipe, the Prince of Asturias. She is sixth in the line of succession to the Spanish throne.
Birth
Doña Cristina was born in Madrid and was baptised at the Palacio de La Zarzuela by the Archbishop of Madrid. Her godparents were Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz, and Infanta María Cristina de Borbon y Battenberg.Education
She received her secondary education at Santa María del Camino School and she graduated from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 1989 with a degree in political science. She continued her studies at New York University, obtaining a master's degree in international relations in 1990. In 1991, she gained practical experience working at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.Marriage and children
She married the team handball player Iñaki Urdangarin in Barcelona on October 4, 1997, at which time her father conferred on her the title Duchess of Palma de Mallorca for life [Real Decreto 1502/1997]. They have four children, all born in Barcelona:
- His Excellency Don Juan Valentín de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón (born September 29, 1999)
- His Excellency Don Pablo Nicolás Sebastián de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón (born December 6, 2000)
- His Excellency Don Miguel de Todos los Santos Urdangarín y de Borbón (born April 30, 2002)
- Her Excellency Doña Irene de Todos los Santos Urdangarin y de Borbón (born June 5, 2005)
Activities in Spain and abroad
She carries out many institutional, cultural, academic and welfare activities in Spain and abroad, especially in European and Latin American countries.
As Honorary President of the Spanish Committee of UNESCO, she has maintained her links with this international organisation and with several of its projects, especially educational ones, with the focus on activities to protect the natural and artistic heritage. In October 2001, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations for the 2nd World Assembly on Ageing. She is also a member of the Dali Foundation Board of Trustees.
She supports a number of welfare bodies and participates personally in courses on adapted sailing for the handicapped. She is the President of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing.
Sports and participation in the Olympics
She practises a number of sports including skiing, but her favourite is sailing. She has taken part in many national and international events and was a member of the Spanish Olympic sailing team at the Seoul Games in 1988 where she was standard bearer in the opening parade.References
See also
External links
- [Her Royal Highness the Infanta Cristina (Official profile)] ()
- [Royal Household of HM the King official website] () ()
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