Support for scandal-plagued Spain princess wanes as gov’t, royal household distance themselves

MADRID – Government support for Spain’s scandal-plagued Princess Cristina has waned, with its new Parliament spokesman now saying she should consider taking herself out of the line of succession after being indicted on tax fraud charges.

Rafael Hernando said in an interview published Sunday in newspaper El Mundo that “Cristina should reflect on whether she should renounce her rights of succession.”

Just one week ago, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said he was “convinced of her innocence.” But on Friday, four days after her indictment, he said: “I can’t get involved.”

A day earlier, Cristina’s brother King Felipe said, without naming her, that public figures shouldn’t “become rich” by exploiting their positions.

The succession of comments indicates an increasingly precarious position for the beleaguered royal, whose husband Inaki Urdangarin is also under investigation.

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