Princess Leonor sets sail: A maritime rite of passage
Princess Leonor, the 19-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, began a six-month voyage on the schooner Juan Sebastian de Elcano on Saturday. This is part of her three-year military training, and in the coming months, the princess will spend her time as a regular cadet.
Princess Leonor, the 19-year-old heir to the Spanish throne, embarked on a six-month journey aboard the schooner Juan Sebastian de Elcano. This voyage is part of her military training. The princess sets sail – reported the newspaper "El Pais", publishing photos from the farewell that took place at the port in Cádiz. King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were in attendance.
For the next five months, Leonor will serve as a regular cadet aboard the Elcano, a training ship of the Spanish navy, built almost 100 years ago. The schooner will cover 31,000 kilometres, visiting eight countries, including Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. The princess will conclude her journey in New York, from where she will return to Spain at the beginning of July.
A similar journey on the Elcano was undertaken by Leonor's father, King Felipe VI, in 1987, as well as her grandfather, King Juan Carlos I, in 1958. The farewell ceremony for 76 cadets, including nine women, was attended by Defence Minister Margarita Robles, who, due to fog, was late for the event, causing dissatisfaction among the attendees. Robles was booed.
The royal couple wished the sailors fair seas and favourable winds, emphasising that Elcano is a floating embassy of Spain.
The Spanish Princess began military training
In August 2023, the Royal Court announced the commencement of a three-year military training programme by then-17-year-old Leonor. The programme includes studies at the Army Academy in Zaragoza, training at the Naval Academy in Pontevedra, and the Aviation School in San Javier.
Princess Leonor completed a two-year high school programme at UWC Atlantic College in Wales in 2023. She plans to start university studies after completing her military training.
Spain is a hereditary parliamentary monarchy, with the king serving as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. If Leonor ascends to the throne, she will be the first reigning queen in Spain since Queen Isabella II.
The most popular member of the royal family
19-year-old Leonor became heir to the throne when she was 8 years old. At that time, her father became king as Felipe VI. The teenage princess is admired for her beauty and is the most popular member of the royal family in Spain. On her 18th birthday, she took an oath of allegiance to the Spanish constitution.
The oath was linked to a difficult situation within the royal family. In 2020, nearly half of Spaniards in a poll supported holding a referendum on the monarchy.
