Princess Leonor of Asturias beams as she receives honorary title,
Princess Leonor of Asturias was glowing as she received the title of Adoptive Daughter of San Javier today.
The eldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, 20, donned full military attire as she attended the awarding ceremony at the San Javier Town Hall.
The heir to the Spanish throne received the title, alongside the Gold Medal of the Town, to mark the conclusion of her intensive Air Force training in San Javier.
Leonor greeted the crowds of royal fans who lined the entranceway, and in one heartwarming moment, greeted a young child who sat in its mother’s arms.
It’s been a whirlwind 24 hours for the Princess: yesterday, she parachuted out of an aircraft as part of her military training.
Leonor, seemingly unaffected by the daunting task at hand, was seen smiling and fist-bumping her peers before taking the plunge.
After completing the exercise, the 20-year-old finished the Basic Parachuting Course at the Mendez Parada Military School of Parachuting.
It comes after Leonor marked a major milestone in her military training after successfully piloting an F5 fighter jet in Badajoz.
Princess Leonor of Asturias was awarded the Title of Adoptive Daughter of San Javier at the San Javier Town Hall today
Leonor flew the plane under the supervision of an instructor at a flight school located on the Talavera la Real Air Base on April 22.
The princess had visited the Fighter and Attack School Wing 23 at the air base alongside her classmates at the General Air and Space Academy in San Javier, after she began three years of military training in 2023.
A video filmed in April showed Leonor smiling as she gave onlookers a thumbs-up from the cockpit before taking flight.
The royal was poised and graceful as she deboarded the plane before shaking hands with instructors and posing for pictures with her fellow students.
As she is the heir to the throne, Leonor will one day take the title of Commander in Chief of the armed forces and therefore has to spend time in each section of defence.
Later this year, Leonor will begin a four-year university degree in Political Science at the Carlos III University of Madrid, the royal household confirmed.
At the Spanish university, Leonor will study courses in humanities, economics, sociology, history and international relations as she prepares for her future as queen, the statement said.
Last July, the Princess of Asturias received the Grand Cross of Naval Merit from her proud father, King Felipe, at the prestigious Naval Military Academy in Marín, Pontevedra.
The 20-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, dressed in full military uniform, waved to royal fans upon her arrival
In one heartwarming moment, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia’s eldest daughter greeted a young child
Leonor appeared relaxed and fist bumped her peers before parachuting from a plane on Tuesday
The award acknowledged her commitment and connection to Spain’s armed forces and marked an important moment in her royal journey.
The Navy Merit Grand Cross is a high-level military decoration awarded for distinguished service within the Navy.
A message written in the Academy’s Book of Honour by Leonor said: ‘Today I begin the third stage of my military training at this General Air and Space Academy.
‘I look forward with enthusiasm to this course, during which I will have the opportunity to begin my aeronautical training and, alongside my classmates, learn the practical and theoretical aspects of military aviation.’
The ‘flight fit’ princess attended several theoretical classes before she took to the skies – with the flight marking a significant achievement in her military career.
After completing the course, Leonor will hold the rank of ensign in the Spanish army and air force as well as midshipman in the navy, according to the Todo Alicante news outlet.
The Princess is following in the footsteps of her father King Felipe, as well as her grandfather Juan Carlos, who both attended military training with all three of the armed services in the country.
Before she started her three-year training, Leonor revealed her enthusiasm for becoming a cadet at the Princesa de Girona Foundation award ceremony in Girona last year.
She said at the time: ‘I have just finished high school and I am about to start a new stage with a period of military training.
‘I am happy because I know how much the Spanish value our armed forces… it is an important moment in my life and I feel very excited and determined to continue learning and giving my best effort.’
