The controversy erupted after two Spanish princesses from the United Arab Emirates received the Covid-19 vaccine – long before they would have received it in Spain – after it was first reported by Madrid’s Al Confidential Digital newspaper.
Several Spanish ministers on Wednesday publicly criticized the two princesses, Elena and Cristina, who were vaccinated during a visit to their father, former King Juan Carlos of Spain, where he lives.
Immediately after the criticism, Princess Elena issued a statement saying she was “in response to media reports about the vaccination.”
“My sister (Christina) and I went to see our father (in Abu Dhabi) and we were expected to visit him regularly for the purpose of obtaining a health passport. We were vaccinated and we accepted it.”
The statement concluded that if it were not for the circumstances, the princes would have waited for their turn to be vaccinated in Spain.
A royal house spokeswoman noted that Princesses Elena and Cristina, while the sisters of King Felipe of Spain, have not performed any official duties as members of the royal family since at least 2014.
The spokesman stressed that the King, Queen and their two daughters adhere strictly to Spain’s Covid health guidelines, and would “wait their turn” for vaccinations in Spain, depending on their age and health status.
Like other EU countries, Spain has delayed its vaccination program due to limited supplies. He has also seen numerous government officials and some Roman Catholic priests who have jumped into the queue for vaccinations. Some later apologized publicly and some resigned from their positions.
Data from the Ministry of Health show that only 1.4 million people in Spain have received doses of both Pfizer / Bioentech or Moderna vaccines, with some others receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine in a population of about 47 million.
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