SPANISH King Juan Carlos's daughter Cristina has won respite in a corruption case after a court spared her for the time being from being questioned as a suspect in the scandal.
The affair has plunged Spain's monarchy into an unprecedented crisis, sapped its popularity in the polls, and has raised speculation that Juan Carlos may abdicate.
The court in Palma on the island of Mallorca said in a written ruling that it suspended "for the time being" a summons for the Infanta Cristina, 47, in the graft case against her husband.
It warned however that it remained to be decided whether Cristina would be summoned to go before a judge in a tax and money-laundering case also linked to him.
The initial summons for Cristina was the first time a direct relative of the king has been called to appear in court on suspicion of wrongdoing.
A judge is investigating accusations that Cristina's husband, former Olympic handball player Inaki Urdangarin, and his former business partner Diego Torres, embezzled 6 million euros ($A7.71 million) in public funds meant for sports events.
The money was allegedly placed in the non-profit Noos Institute, which Urdangarin chaired from 2004 to 2006 and of which Cristina was a board member.
Cristina and public prosecutors had each appealed the summons issued by judge Jose Castro, who had named her as a suspect in the graft investigation.
"The summons of the Infanta to appear and testify as a suspect for deeds attributed to her ... in relation to her participation in the alleged criminal activities of the Noos Institute is rendered void," the ruling said.
"The imputation is suspended, for the time being," it said, but the court "will have to decide whether it maintains the imputation of fiscal crime" and summons her as a suspect on those charges.
