Princess Cristina of Spain headed to court for in a corruption case that is eroding support for the Spanish monarchy. Spain's Princess Cristina is the younger daughter of King Juan Carlos. Princess Cristina will appear in court for questioning by a judge in a case that has deepened public anger over ruling class graft at a time of cuts in government spending.

This is the first time in history that a member of Spain's royal family has appeared in court as the subject of a criminal investigation. The closed-door court hearing in Palma took place after Princess Cristina had been given special permission to be driven to the courthouse door for security reasons. Princess Cristina showed up in a modest Ford C-Max hatchback.

Inaki Urdangarin, Princess Cristina's husband, is alleged to have defrauded regional governments of millions of euros of public money. Urdangarin is a former Olympic handball player. Princess Cristina's husband is accused of using his royal connections to win large no-bid contracts from the Balearic government that he was supposed to invest in sports and marketing events during the boom years before a 2008 property market crash, when local governments were flush with cash.

Judge Jose Castro is investigating how Urdangarin overcharged and charged for services that were never provided. The court is looking into how the proceeds went to a shell company without the appropriate tax being paid. Princess Cristina and Inaki Urdangarin co-owned the shell company. The couple used it for personal expenses. The shell company paid for salsa lessons for Princess Cristina and for work the couple did on their mansion in Barcelona.

Princess Cristina's corruption case deepened public anger over ruling class graft and discontent with the royal family. The royal family of Spain admits the case has damaged the reputation and credibility of Spain's royals. They also admit that the drop in popularity of King Juan Carlos has fallen in recent years partly because of this scandal.

Spain is slowly coming out of a deep economic and financial crisis. Spanish judges are looking into hundreds of corruption cases left over from a property boom that ended abruptly in 2008. Protesters blew whistles, revved their engines, honked their horns and chanted "Out with the Spanish crown" about 100 yards from the side entrance of the courthouse where Cristina was dropped off.

According to a Sigma Dos poll of 1,000 people published Jan. 5 in El Mundo newspaper, support for the monarchy as a system of government in Spain fell to 49.9 percent in December compared with 53.8 percent a year earlier. 62 percent of people polled said that Juan Carlos should abdicate in favor of his son Prince Felipe.

Princess Cristina and Urdangarin have both denied wrongdoing.