Leonor, Princess of Asturias facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leonor |
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| Princess of Asturias (more) | |||||
Leonor in 2023
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| Born | 31 October 2005 Madrid, Spain |
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| House | Bourbon-Anjou | ||||
| Father | Felipe VI | ||||
| Mother | Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
| Signature |  |
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| Education |
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| Military career | |||||
| Allegiance |  Spain |
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| Service/ |
Spanish Army Spanish Navy |
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| Years of service | 2023–present | ||||
| Rank | Cadet Ensign (Army) Midshipman (Navy) |
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Leonor, Princess of Asturias (Leonor de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Ortiz; born 31 October 2005) is the future queen of Spain. She is the oldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
Leonor was born when her grandfather, King Juan Carlos I, was still king. She went to Santa María de los Rosales School, just like her father. After finishing high school, she studied for an International Baccalaureate at the UWC Atlantic College in Wales, United Kingdom. In August 2023, Leonor began her three-year military education at the General Military Academy.
In 2014, her grandfather stepped down, and her father became King. Leonor then received all the traditional titles for the heir to the Spanish crown. These include Princess of Asturias, Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera, and Lady of Balaguer. Leonor officially became the heir before the Spanish Parliament on 31 October 2023, her 18th birthday.
If Leonor becomes queen, she will be the first queen to rule Spain since her great-great-grandmother Isabella II. Isabella II reigned from 1833 to 1868.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Leonor was born on 31 October 2005, in Madrid. Her parents were Felipe and Letizia, who were then the Prince and Princess of Asturias. At the time, her grandfather, King Juan Carlos I, was king. She was the second in line to become queen. Her birth was announced to the press using text messages.
Leonor was baptized on 14 January 2006, at the Zarzuela Palace. The archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Rouco Varela, led the ceremony. Like her father, Leonor was baptized with water from the Jordan River. Her godparents were her paternal grandparents, King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofía. She was given the name Leonor de Todos los Santos.
Leonor started primary school on 15 September 2008. She attended Santa María de los Rosales School in Aravaca, Madrid. She was known to get good grades. In September 2021, Leonor began a two-year International Baccalaureate program. She studied at the UWC Atlantic College in Wales. She finished her high school education in May 2023. Leonor also attended summer camps in the United States. She speaks Spanish, Catalan, and English very well. She learned English from her British nanny and her grandmother, Queen Sofía. She has also studied French, Galician, Basque, Arabic, and Mandarin.
Military Training for the Future Queen
As the future commander-in-chief of Spain's armed forces, Leonor is following in her father's footsteps. She is currently completing three years of military training. This training includes time in the army, navy, and air force. In March 2023, the Minister of Defense announced that Leonor would begin this program. Leonor chose to use both her parents' last names, "Borbón Ortiz," during her military career. She also decided not to take any salary or money that cadets usually receive.
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On 17 August 2023, Leonor started her first year of training. She began at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza. She received her officer's sabre on 19 September 2023. Leonor swore an oath of loyalty to the Spanish flag on 7 October 2023. Her parents were there to witness this important event. In January 2024, Leonor competed in the Military Academies' Sports Championship. She won a silver medal in fencing. In June 2024, she finished her army training in the mountains. On 3 July 2024, her father, King Felipe VI, promoted her to Cadet Ensign. He also awarded her the Grand Cross of Military Merit.
On 23 July 2024, she was appointed Midshipman. This is a step before joining the Naval Military School. On 29 August 2024, she started her naval training at the Naval Military Academy in Marín. In September 2024, Leonor and other students practiced sailing in the Pontevedra Estuary. On 8 January 2025, she will board the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano. She will begin a five-month journey to train as a sailor. During this trip, she will visit many Latin American countries and New York City. Her last month of training will be on an Álvaro de Bazán-class frigate.
Becoming Princess of Asturias
Early Public Life
In May 2014, Leonor made her first official visit. She went to the San Javier Air Force base in Murcia. On 18 June 2014, her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, signed a paper to step down. The next day, Leonor's father became King Felipe VI. Leonor then became the heir presumptive, meaning she was first in line to the throne. She also received the title of Princess of Asturias. In October 2014, a wax figure of Leonor was shown at the Museo de Cera in Madrid. On 20 May 2015, Leonor received her First Communion.
The Spanish Constitution says that the oldest child inherits the throne. However, if the King has a son, he would become heir instead of Leonor. There have been talks about changing this rule so that the oldest child, boy or girl, always inherits. But since Leonor and her younger sister Sofía were born, these plans have not moved forward.
One day before her 10th birthday, her father gave her the Order of the Golden Fleece. This is a very important award. In January 2018, King Felipe officially gave Leonor the collar of the Golden Fleece. This happened in a ceremony at the Royal Palace of Madrid.
In September 2018, Leonor made her first public appearance outside the palace. She went with her parents to Covadonga. This was to celebrate 1,300 years of the Kingdom of Asturias. On 31 October 2018, Leonor gave her first public speech. She read from the Constitution of Spain at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid. This was on her 13th birthday and the 40th anniversary of the Constitution. She gave her first major speech at the Premio Princesa de Asturias on 18 October 2019. On 4 November 2019, she spoke at the Princess of Girona Foundation awards in Barcelona. She spoke in Spanish, Catalan, English, and Arabic.
Leonor did her first public solo event on 24 March 2021. She attended a ceremony for the 30th anniversary of the Instituto Cervantes. Leonor made her first official international trip on 16 July 2022. She went without her parents but with her younger sister, Infanta Sofía. They watched a soccer match between Spain and Denmark. In December 2022, Leonor visited the Spanish Red Cross headquarters. She met young volunteers there.
Swearing the Heir's Oath
The Royal Household announced on 22 September 2023 that Leonor would swear loyalty to the Constitution and the King. This is required when she turned 18. This act officially declared her the heir to the Spanish throne. On 31 October 2023, her 18th birthday, the ceremony began. The royal family traveled from the Zarzuela Palace with the Royal Guard. At the Palacio de las Cortes, the Spanish Parliament, Leonor took her oath. The Parliament gave her a standing ovation for over four minutes.
After this, the royal family went to the Royal Palace. Her father, King Felipe, gave her the Collar of the Order of Charles III. This is the highest civil honor in Spain. After a lunch, the official event ended. The Royal Family then had a private celebration at the Royal Palace of El Pardo. Many family members attended this private event.
Official Duties
On 6 January 2024, Leonor attended the Pascua Militar for the first time. This is a military celebration that is over two centuries old. She attended not only as the heir but also as a member of the Armed Forces. In May 2024, she attended a ceremony marking 40 years since the 44th class of the General Military Academy swore loyalty to the Spanish flag.
On 12 July 2024, Leonor made her first official foreign visit. The Portuguese president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, invited her to Portugal. On this trip, Leonor focused on protecting the environment and oceans. She visited the Lisbon Oceanarium and attended a debate on ocean protection. She also visited the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Palace. President Rebelo de Sousa awarded Leonor the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ.
On 25 October 2024, she attended the Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony as an adult for the first time. She gave a speech to the winners and closed the event. This was the sixth awards ceremony she had attended.
Titles, Honors, and Symbols
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When Leonor was born, she was called "Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Leonor." When her father became king, Leonor became the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne. She received the traditional titles of the heir: Princess of Asturias, Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanc, Countess of Cervera, and Lady of Balaguer. Leonor is the 36th person to hold the title of Princess of Asturias.
She is usually called "Her Royal Highness The Princess of Asturias." However, in some parts of Spain, other titles may be used. For example, in the areas of the old Crown of Aragon, she is called "Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias and Girona." In Navarre, she is called "Her Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias and Viana."
Honors and Awards
As the heir to the throne, Leonor is the head of the Princess of Asturias Foundation and the Princess of Girona Foundation. Before she turned 18, her father performed these duties.
Her father gave her the Order of the Golden Fleece on 30 October 2015. He officially presented it to her on 30 January 2018. On 10 October 2023, she was made a Dame of the Collar of the Order of Charles III. This was presented on 31 October 2023. On her 18th birthday, the Spanish Parliament gave her Gold Medals. On 2 July 2024, she received a Grand Cross of Military Merit. On 12 July 2024, the President of the Portuguese Republic gave her the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ.
Coat of Arms
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1st, Gules a castle three-towered Or, masoned Sable ajoure Azure (for Castile); 2nd, Argent a lion rampant Purpure, armed Gules and crowned Or (for León); 3rd, Or four pallets Gules (for Aragon); 4th, Gules a cross, saltire and orle of chains all linked Or, an emerald Proper for Navarre; Enté en point, Argent a pomegranate Proper seeded Gules, supported, sculpted and leafed in two leaves Vert (for Granada); Inescutcheon, Azure with three fleurs-de-lys Or, bordured Gules (for Bourbon).
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See also
In Spanish: Leonor de Borbón para niños
- Princess of Asturias Awards
- Politics of Spain
