Infanta Cristina, Iñaki & Family, News & Events, Part 15 (March 2011 - Sep. 2017)

[Carminha Stalker]

I agree with most of you Americans , but I don´t believe Irene considers herself an American by now. Those children are Spanish, they speak Spanish at home and with themselves. I doubt Irene or her siblings have forgotten how happy they were in Mallorca.
Still, it´s terrible the press frenzy should make a kid like Juan cry and his brother Pablo have such a pitiful face.
I don´t think Cristina is selfish or is thinking of her prestigious life. Have you stop ped to think that she herself might be homesick and pine for her family?
They all are human beings.

[Princess Peach]

Originally Posted by Carminha Stalker

I agree with most of you Americans , but I don´t believe Irene considers herself an American by now. Those children are Spanish, they speak Spanish at home and with themselves. I doubt Irene or her siblings have forgotten how happy they were in Mallorca.
Still, it´s terrible the press frenzy should make a kid like Juan cry and his brother Pablo have such a pitiful face.
I don´t think Cristina is selfish or is thinking of her prestigious life. Have you stop ped to think that she herself might be homesick and pine for her family?
They all are human beings.

As an American, I am going by other children who come to the U.S. Children very quickly acclimate to their surroundings, and their peers despite the retention of their language at home and their parents' ambivalence to their new life. Irene has only attended school in the United States. They have now all reached the age where peers are more important than parents. Of course I have no way of knowing what these children think, but after seeing those horrible photos I will go out on a limb and guess they'd rather be in D.C. right now than Spain.

As for Cristina, I don't care how homesick she is. Children must be put first at all costs. I can hardly bare to look at those photos. If they are in Spain that media attention will be constant for them. As for being with the extended family, the children had two days with the extended family, which was abruptly curtailed and Cristina none. On top of it the continual media blitz. Who would want to go back to that? In the U.S. Cristina's 13 year old son can turn on the local news without hearing all about his father and the case. He can ride his bike out with his friends without the stares and the strange looks. In Barcelona they have to remain in their house with the blinds down and the curtains drawn. That's no existence for a child.

It remains my firm opinion that for these children, under these circumstances, they should remain in the U.S. Life in the U.S. is not a terrible existence.

Winnie, I completely agree that no matter what the outcome, life has changed irreparably for Cristina. The faster she figures this out the better for her and her family.

[Duke of Marmalade]

The Palma family have left Barcelona, possibly went to Vitoria to spend some time with the Urdangarin family. By the end of August, the children will have to be back in the US as school starts again.
La infanta Cristina e Iaki Urdangarin abandonan Pedralbes con rumbo desconocido

[Carminha Stalker]

I feel for these children and for this family.They are suffering beyond proportion.

[susan alicia]

i imagine the children are well protected, they have a full shedule of fun and work that will occupy them and if the adults talk at all about their problems in front of them it will be on a level that they can understand.

Originally Posted by Carminha Stalker

I feel for these children and for this family.They are suffering beyond proportion.

[Duke of Marmalade]

The Urdangarin family is with Inakis mother in the Basque country
La infanta Cristina e Iñaki veranean estos días en Iparralde. Deia. Noticias de Bizkaia..
La infanta Cristina e Iaki Urdangarin cambian Palma por Euskadi

[Alondra]

Originally Posted by Carminha Stalker

I feel for these children and for this family.They are suffering beyond proportion.

I feel sorry for the kids, specially the older ones who are likely to hear what's going on in the press. I don't feel sorry for the Palmas, they have created this mess. A mess for which everyone is paying - their kids, QS and the SRH. Not to mention the loss of trust the alledged missapropriation of public moneys by Urdangarin is causing to the monarchy in Spain.

Cristina and her family should not have come back to Spain. At least until Urdangarin is indicted and SRF makes the decision to permanently sideline the Palmas from oficial duties, she should have practiced much needed discretion and less selfishness. Did she really think she was going to be embraced as the prodigal returned daughter?

Her reputation in Spain is gone. I heard in a serious current affairs program a comment that some people insulted her when they recognised her at the airport. The best she can do for her kids, her mother and the institution she has a duty to, is to lay low and hope that with time she'll be able to have a normal life like any other private citizen.

The worse is yet to come for her husband. It's not much to ask that her and her family give up a "few royal perks" considering the seriousness of the charges.

[Alondra]

Originally Posted by Princess Peach

As an American, I am going by other children who come to the U.S. Children very quickly acclimate to their surroundings, and their peers despite the retention of their language at home and their parents' ambivalence to their new life. Irene has only attended school in the United States. They have now all reached the age where peers are more important than parents. Of course I have no way of knowing what these children think, but after seeing those horrible photos I will go out on a limb and guess they'd rather be in D.C. right now than Spain.

As for Cristina, I don't care how homesick she is. Children must be put first at all costs. I can hardly bare to look at those photos. If they are in Spain that media attention will be constant for them. As for being with the extended family, the children had two days with the extended family, which was abruptly curtailed and Cristina none. On top of it the continual media blitz. Who would want to go back to that? In the U.S. Cristina's 13 year old son can turn on the local news without hearing all about his father and the case. He can ride his bike out with his friends without the stares and the strange looks. In Barcelona they have to remain in their house with the blinds down and the curtains drawn. That's no existence for a child.

It remains my firm opinion that for these children, under these circumstances, they should remain in the U.S. Life in the U.S. is not a terrible existence.

Winnie, I completely agree that no matter what the outcome, life has changed irreparably for Cristina. The faster she figures this out the better for her and her family.

Well said.

[camelot23ca]

I don't see any sign whatsoever that Christina is unaware that her life has changed or that she expected to be embraced by the Spanish public. She came home for a low key vacation with the children, which she has every right to do.

[grevinnan]

Originally Posted by camelot23ca

I don't see any sign whatsoever that Christina is unaware that her life has changed or that she expected to be embraced by the Spanish public. She came home for a low key vacation with the children, which she has every right to do.

I certainly agree with you. Spain is their mother country and have every right to spend time there and even move back permanently if they choose. People make much worse mistakes than Inaki and Christina. As I understand it the final verdict has not been handed down yet. People have a right to redeem them selves and make things right. Until we have the final word in this mess let's not treat them as war criminals.

[donnaK]

I think Alondra really meant that it was impossible to remain low key in Spain when her whole family had been following everywhere. Of course she can do whatever she wants including moving back to Spain. But before she makes a move, she probably should think about her children first, have their welfare on the first position, those pictures of the two older boys are simply heartbroken.

[susan alicia]

agree with everything you write except this sentence: that people make worse mistakes is of no importance.

Originally Posted by grevinnan

I certainly agree with you. Spain is their mother country and have every right to spend time there and even move back permanently if they choose.

People make much worse mistakes than Inaki and Christina.

As I understand it the final verdict has not been handed down yet. People have a right to redeem them selves and make things right. Until we have the final word in this mess let's not treat them as war criminals.

[An Ard Ri]

The Duchess,Duke Consort,children and Claire Liebaert are on holidays at the town of Bidart, near Biarritz in France.

La infanta Cristina e Iñaki Urdangarín veranean en el País Vasco francés

[Carminha Stalker]

I lived in the US and my two older children were born there. As much as I liked it, I never forgot my roots or country.
Spaniards, like most Latins are very close to their origins and their homeland and family. The Urdangarins are Spaniards and they will always be. I don´t think Cristina was selfish nor was whe expecting to be embraced by the Spanish people. I think she needed the solace of her family (apart from the Queen and Elena I don´t think she got none other) but also from the Urdangarin clan who are now her safety and strength. So did their children. These children have suffered too much no matter if they are in the Us or Spain. .Juan is propbably happier now that he is with all his Urdangarin cousins.
Gosh, they say Iñaki erred, but so far nothing was decided. In my country a person is judged innocent until she is proven otherwise.

[maria-olivia]

Very sad for Claire Liebaert who is belgian as I am.
First it was a great Honor to be mother in law of an Infanta, , but what a dishonor now until the end of her life.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Very sad for Claire Liebaert who is belgian as I am.
First it was a great Honor to be mother in law of an Infanta, , but what a dishonor now until the end of her life.

I feel sorry for her because her husband died recently and part of her family live the otherside of the Atlantic.

[Carminha Stalker]

Dishonor for the rest of her life? That´s a bit too strong. Only Go knows what will happen to the rest of our lives.

[grevinnan]

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Very sad for Claire Liebaert who is belgian as I am.
First it was a great Honor to be mother in law of an Infanta, , but what a dishonor now until the end of her life.

Dishonor? Infanta is the mother of four of her grand children and wife of her son. This thread is treating Inaki and Christina as if they are singlehandedly responsible for the end of mankind. If the allegations are correct they have made incredibly mistakes and shown very poor judgement. In civilized societies there are checks and balances in place for people that have not followed laws and procedures. The mother-in-law of Christina may be horrified and disappointed but I doubt she feels dishonored.

[susan alicia]

it is still a great honor, if her son and the infanta are guilty of taking bribes that is the shame, her son marrying Christina remains an honor.

Originally Posted by maria-olivia

Very sad for Claire Liebaert who is belgian as I am.
First it was a great Honor to be mother in law of an Infanta, , but what a dishonor now until the end of her life.

[maria-olivia]

Dishonor , I agree is a bit strong , but what an unexpected and difficult situation for her!