For years, Cristina de Borbón's figure has been shrouded in a haze of mystery and controversy. She has returned to Barcelona after a long period in Switzerland marked by the Noos scandal and the fall from grace of her marriage to Iñaki Urdangarin. Her life now takes place in the Catalan capital. However, there are episodes that the Catalan public doesn't easily forget, such as that uncomfortable and much-discussed linguistic clash involving the infanta on TV3.
The life of the youngest daughter of Juan Carlos I has always been closely linked to Catalunya, although not exactly in the way many have wanted to believe. Cristina settled in Barcelona after her wedding to Urdangarin, opting for an apparently normal life in the luxurious surroundings of Pedralbes.
The visit to TV3 and the clash with Catalan
One of the most memorable episodes occurred when Infanta Cristina went to TV3's headquarters, invited to receive an institutional recognition, rather than for a journalistic matter. It was the only day the infanta set foot in the Catalan public television station, and it was a formal event organized by the channel's management.
There, Joan Granados, then the top official of the channel, was waiting for her and welcomed her with the usual protocol: a bouquet of flowers and a few welcome words in Catalan.
The scene took a turn when Cristina, without hesitation and in a raised tone, demanded to be attended to "in Spanish, please." Granados recounted years later that he tried to make her understand that Catalan is the vehicular language at TV3, and that it wasn't a matter of hospitality, but of respect. The infanta insisted, with an even louder voice: "I told you in Spanish, please!"
From Pedralbes to 'exile'
The episode at TV3 is just one of the many layers of Cristina's relationship with Barcelona and the Pedralbes area. During the golden era of the marriage, the infanta and Urdangarin acquired a mansion worth six million euros in the area. After the trial and Iñaki's conviction, the family dispersed.
Cristina settled in Geneva and her children split their lives between Switzerland, Barcelona, and Madrid. The loss of the title Duchess of Palma and the distancing from the Spanish royal family marked a period of discretion and low profile.
On social media, every move Cristina de Borbón makes in Barcelona is closely watched. Her return to the Catalan capital and the imminent completion of the works in Pedralbes have fueled rumors about whether the infanta will opt for a life in Catalunya.