The Princess of Asturias received the Grand Cross of Military Merit with white insignia in Zaragoza on Wednesday and was named a student lieutenant by her father, Felipe VI, at the ceremony to present the Royal Employment Offices at the General Military Academy. The appointment, which comes after Leonor de Borbón finished her studies at this school, had been recorded by the Council of Ministers in a royal decree on Tuesday. The King and Queen and Infanta Sofía presided over the ceremony, which was attended by the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles.
From left, Leonor de Borbón, King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and Infanta Sofía, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)Queen Letizia hugs her daughter, the Princess of Asturias, in the presence of King Felipe VI and Infanta Sofia, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)Infanta Sofia congratulates Princess Leonor, this Wednesday in Zaragoza.Javier Cebollada (EFE)Leonor de Borbón, after receiving the sash during the ceremony to present second lieutenant’s orders, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)King Felipe VI embraces the Princess of Asturias, Leonor de Borbón, after handing her his second lieutenant’s commission, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)King Felipe VI places the sash on the Princess of Asturias, Leonor de Borbón, during the ceremony in which he handed her the rank of second lieutenant after a year in Zaragoza.Javier Cebollada (EFE)Felipe VI places the sash on the Princess of Asturias during the ceremony in which he handed her the rank of second lieutenant, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)Leonor de Borbón receives the diploma from her father, King Felipe, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)From left, Infanta Sofía, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia preside over the ceremony to present diplomas at the Military Academy in Zaragoza, this Wednesday. Javier Cebollada (EFE)King Felipe reviews the troops during the ceremony in which the Princess of Asturias received her second lieutenant’s commission.Javier Cebollada (EFE)Queen Letizia and Infanta Sofia, this Wednesday in Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)The Princess of Asturias (center), this Wednesday at the Military Academy of Zaragoza. Javier Cebollada (EFE)King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, together with Infanta Sofía, upon their arrival at the Military Academy in Zaragoza on Wednesday. Angel Diaz Briñas (Europa Press)
The eldest daughter of Felipe VI, who is 18 years old, joined the General Military Academy as a cadet in the 2023-2024 academic year, starting the academic year with the first-year students and joining, after the swearing-in ceremony, the second-year students. She has therefore completed two courses in one year. The following academic year, 2024-2025, she will continue her military training in the Navy – at the Naval Military School in Marín and on board the Training Ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano – and, finally, she will complete the third year in the Air and Space Force, joining the General Air Academy in San Javier for the 2025-2026 academic year. She will then finish her military training and will foreseeably begin university training, as her father did in his day. The head of state exercises supreme command of the Armed Forces.
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