Princess Leonor of Spain received the Navy Merit Grand Cross and a warm hug from her proud father King Felipe at Flag Pledge Ceremony today.
The future queen, 19, attended the solemn Flag Pledge (Jura de Bandera) and delivery of Dispatches of Employment ceremony at the prestigious Naval Military Academy in Marín, Pontevedra, Spain.
In a poignant moment symbolising her growing role within the Spanish monarchy, Leonor received the honour from the hands of her father.
The award acknowledges her commitment and connection to Spain’s armed forces and marks a significant milestone in her royal journey.
The Navy Merit Grand Cross is a high-level military decoration awarded for distinguished service within the Navy.
Leonor’s mother Queen Letizia and younger sister Princess Sofia beamed as they proudly watching the ceremony.
Leonor looked graceful and poised as she proudly donned the crisp white uniform, donning a shirt with epaulettes, which she tucked into a pair of belted smart trousers.
Leonor wore her long dark blonde tresses in a practical sleek braided low bun, which sat elegantly below her sailor cap.
Princess Leonor of Spain received the Navy Merit Grand Cross and a warm hug from her proud father King Felipe at Flag Pledge Ceremony today
She was seen marching alongside her fellow aspiring officers keeping a stern expression and the level of professionalism one would expect from a marine.
The princess spent a year with the Spanish army before training to be a marine and will then move onto her final rotation at the General Air Academy.
As she is the heir to the throne, Leonor will one day take the title of Commander in Chief of the armed forces, alongside being the Queen of Spain.
She therefore has to spend three years in each section of defence and has already spent a year at the General Military Academy of Zaragoza.
At the start of the year, Leonor set sail from Cadiz, Spain, for her navy training cruise.
Felipe and Letizia watched proudly she took part in a departure ceremony before setting sail from Cadiz.
The Princess is following in the footsteps of her father King Felipe as well as her grandfather Juan Carlos, who all attended military training with every of the three armed services in the country.
Navy Captain Pedro Cardona Suanzes, director-commandant of the Naval Military School in Marín, previously described the daily routine of the midshipmen to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia.
The future queen, 19, attended the solemn Flag Pledge (Jura de Bandera) and delivery of Dispatches of Employment ceremony at the prestigious Naval Military Academy in Marín, Pontevedra, Spain
She looked as regal as she proudly donned the crisp white uniform, donning a shirt with epaulettes, which she tucked into a pair of belted smart trousers
In a poignant moment symbolising her growing role within the Spanish monarchy, Leonor received the honour from the hands of her father
Princess Leonor marching at the Flag Pledge (Jura de Bandera and delivery of Dispatches of employment)
Leonor wore her long dark blonde tresses in a practical sleek braided low bun, which sat elegantly below her sailor cap
He said that their life is ‘non-stop’ adding that there are constant tasks for them to do, from the minute they wake up until they go to bed in the evening.
The captain said the day starts at 6.45am. They then shower, make their beds and go and get breakfast all before 7.30am – when their white uniforms are inspected to be ‘spotless’.
During the week, all students must be in bed before 10.45pm to ensure they get their full eight hours of sleep.
On weekends, pupils are allowed to wake up two hours later than usual, at 8.45am and first-years are allowed to stay up until 1.30am in the morning.
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.’
Princess Sofia beamed as she hugged her sister Leonor after the ceremony
Queen Letizia (centre), Princess Sofia (right), and Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles (left) attend the delivery of the royal dispatch to the new officers of the Navy Academy of Marin
Spanish King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Sofia, and Galicia’s regional president Alfonso Rueda
This is the adorable moment Queen Letizia and Princess of Leonor threw royal protocol to the wind as they were reunited after months apart
And their moving reunion was made all the more special – as this weekend Mother’s Day is celebrated in Spain
It comes after another adorable moment Queen Letizia and Princess of Leonor throw royal protocol to the wind as they were reunited after months apart.
The Spanish royals were reunited at the Port of Fuerte Amador in Panama City in May, after Letizia flew more than 8,000 miles across the globe to see her beloved daughter.
Princess Leonor had been away from her family and friends as she embarks on a navy training course around the world.
She and her mother Letizia had not seen each other since January, when she set sail aboard the Juan Sebastian de Elcano.
Moving video footage from the Spanish Royal Household captured the moment they were finally reunited, with Leonor running across the port to greet her mother.
She was soon embraced in an effusive hug that was so powerful that Leonor had to take her hat off, while the Queen had tears in her eyes.
They were then pictured excitedly catching up, as Leonor, who previously graduated from UWC Atlantic in South Wales, has been on a whirlwind adventure.
Letizia’s visit to Panama was an unofficial trip, sources at Zarzuela Palace told Spain’s Hola! Magazine.
And their moving reunion was made all the more special – as this weekend Mother’s Day is celebrated in Spain.
While Leonor was smartly kitted out in her naval uniform, her mother had chosen to wear matching shades of white in casual jeans, T-shirt and white trainers.
For the Crown Princess’s training cruise, she is sailing through two oceans, and visiting 10 ports and eight countries in America, according to La Vanguardia.
She will stay in her stopover in Panama until May 6, where she’s been enjoying exploring.
The Princess of Asturias, as she is also known, participated in a visit to Panama Viejo, took a short walk to the Cathedral Tower and visited several rooms of the Museum (of Panama Viejo), which has a commemorative plaque of the visit of His Majesty the King 2019.
Her Royal Highness and the Queen participated in the reception on board that traditionally takes place and had lunch at the El Nacional restaurant in the old town in Panama.
Leonor has so far been to Peru, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. She is soon due to pass through Colombia and the Dominican Republic, before concluding her journey in New York.
The 19-year-old has been serving on the ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ as a first midshipman.
Letizia’s welcome marked the first visit the heir to the throne has received from family and loved ones since she set sail on January 11, when she set sail in Cadiz.
Meanwhile, her parents smiled and waved goodbye, while King Felipe documented the milestone by snapping photographs of Leonor.