Royal allowance
Spanish duke could be cut out of royal budget
eitb.com
12/08/2011
The Spanish royal household is considering limiting the number of its members entitled to access the family fortune which would mean leaving out scandal-riddled in-law Urdangarín.
A woman protests against the monarchic constitution. Photo: EFE
It has been reported that the royal family of Spain has “for some time” been considering limiting the number of its members. Should plans for minimalising go ahead, only the King and Queen, the Princes of Asturias and their daughters the Princesses Leonor and Sofía, given their proximity to the Spanish crown, would have access to the state-funded budget.
Currently, those who make up the royal family, and as such are required to attend official acts in representation of the noble household, are the monarch, his wife and the Princes of Asturias as well as the King’s daughters the Infantas Elena and Cristina and Cristina’s husband Iñaki Urdangarín.
Only the King and Queen and the Princes of Asturias, and consequently their two daughters, rely exclusively on the royal budget which is assigned by the State to the royal household and freely distributed by the monarch, Don Juan Carlos as stipulated in the Constitution.
Accounts for the 2011 financial year assigned a total of 8.4 million Euros to the Royal Family, 5.2% less than in 2010. The king allocates a part of the allowance to the “upkeep of his family” while the rest goes towards expenses and the wages of household staff.