Spanish royals hit after getting COVID-19 vaccine prematurely

Image from Juan Carlos Hidalgo/AFP via Getty Images

Infantas Elena and Cristina of Spain are now under fire from the Spanish leftist parties Unidas Podemos and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) after news broke that they received Covid-19 vaccine while on a trip to Abu Dhabi to visit their father, former King Juan Carlos I.

The two princesses are the sisters of Spain’s current king, Felipe VI. King Juan Carlos I has fled to Abu Dhabi last August after a scandal erupted over his alleged involvements to shady business deals in Saudi Arabia.

According to the digital daily El Confidencial, the pair were inoculated last February, a claim which Infanta Elena confirmed (reports the Middle East Reporter). In a statement issued to Spanish media outlets, the infant explained that "both my sister and I went to visit our father with the intention of getting a health passport that would allow us to visit on a regular basis. The vaccine was offered to us and we accepted it."

The princesses are in their 50s, as such, are still unqualified to receive the COVID-19 jab in Spain, which prioritizes seniors who are 80 years old and above. The Royal Household, however, refused to comment on the issue since the two are not officially part of the institution. Likewise, Infanta Cristina now resides in Switzerland.

King Felipe, Queen Letizia and their daughters Princess Leonor and the infanta Sofía are awaiting their turn to receive their vaccines, following the the groups established by the central government as part of the ongoing campaign.  

Podemos, a hard-left party that forms part of Spain's coalition and is staunchly anti-monarchist, said such “privileges” served to “discredit” the monarchy.

“The vaccination of the princesses is more new which contributes to discrediting the monarchy. For the public this constitutes preferential treatment and privileges,” Equality Minister and Podemos member Irene Montero told public television TVE.