Spanish King Felipe VI's sisters on Wednesday admitted to having received COVID-19 vaccine shots while visiting their father, the former monarch who is the subject of financial investigations at home, during a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

In a statement published by leading newspaper La Vanguardia, the Infantas Elena, 57, and Cristina, 55, said they were "offered the possibility" of receiving the vaccines while in Abu Dhabi to visit their father, former monarch Juan Carlos I.

The sisters said they agreed to accept the vaccines "with the goal of obtaining a health passport" that would allow them to regularly visit their father, who left Spain in August amid investigations into alleged financial wrongdoing.

Their statement came a day after the Spanish online newspaper El Confidencial reported their vaccinations.

The two women would apparently not have been eligible yet to get COVID-19 vaccinations in Spain. Spain is still only administering vaccines to the very elderly and essential workers, before working its way down to younger age groups.

The sisters of Spain’s King Felipe VI are not part of the official royal household, which has told Spanish media that the 53-year-old Felipe, Queen Letizia and their two daughters have not yet been vaccinated. In November King Felipe spent 10 days in quarantine after coming into contact with somebody who had tested positive for the virus.