After three years in the military, Princess Leonor is about to close out an important chapter in her life. She’s been through the Army’s General Military Academy in Zaragoza, the Naval Academy in Marín, with her spending months at sea aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, and flight and parachute training at San Javier in Murcia as part of her Air Force instruction.
In a few days, she’ll trade in the uniforms, strict discipline, and military demands for the next stage of her life. On July 10, Leonor will be joined by her sister, Infanta Sofía, as she wraps up this phase and looks ahead to what comes next.
It’ll be their first public appearance together since June, when the two stood side by side to welcome Pope Leo XIV to Spain.
Leonor makes history again
The Princess of Asturias is finishing out her last days of class at the San Javier academy, which has been her home for the entire school year and the site of yet another historic milestone. She’s tackled everything the program threw at her, with photos to prove it.
© Casa de S. M. el ReyLeonor has met every challenge with discipline and a steady smile, whether piloting fighter jets, flying in formation alongside her father over the Mar Menor, or jumping out of planes on multiple occasions. That last one made her the first member of the Spanish royal family to complete basic parachute training and earn her jump wings, a first even her father, King Felipe VI, and her grandfather, King Juan Carlos, never achieved.
July 10: the last day of class
Leonor’s classes at San Javier are winding down, and July 10 marks the final day of school. That day, the King will present the commissioning certificates at the graduation ceremony for the class ahead of Leonor’s, who will officially become lieutenants. The exact program hasn’t been finalized yet, though past years have included an aerial demonstration, and the royal household has already confirmed that Infanta Sofía and Queen Letizia will be there to commemorate an important day for the Princess of Asturias.
© © Royal Household, SpainThe ceremony carries institutional weight, but it’s just as much a family occasion, both for Leonor and for her classmates.
A new honor, one her father also received
While the official schedule hasn’t been released, everything points to Felipe VI attending the ceremony alongside Queen Letizia and their daughters. Leonor is expected to be awarded the Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit with White Distinction at the closing ceremony. The Council of Ministers approved the royal decree granting her the honor on Monday, June 29, following in her father’s footsteps: he received the same distinction in 1988.
Officially, the Grand Cross of Aeronautical Merit with White Distinction recognizes outstanding service, actions, or achievements carried out in the course of missions assigned to the armed forces or tied to national defense. The cross is white-enameled and hangs from a white ribbon with two red stripes, each an eighth of the ribbon’s total width, leaving thin white borders along the edges.
© Carlos AlvarezThis adds to a growing collection: Leonor already received the Grand Cross of Military Merit in Zaragoza in 2024 and the Grand Cross of Naval Merit in Marín in 2025, both presented to her personally by King Felipe.
Lieutenant designation is still a year away
Leonor won’t officially become a lieutenant until July 2027. That’s when she’ll receive her commissions as a lieutenant in the Army and the Air and Space Force, along with the rank of ensign in the Navy, in ceremonies held at Zaragoza, Marín, and San Javier as part of each respective graduating class. The timeline follows Royal Decree 173/2023 of March 14, which governs the Princess of Asturias’s military training and career path.
Once the San Javier ceremony wraps up, Leonor will head home for a few days of rest before traveling to Catalonia for the Princess of Girona Awards, which honor young people who’ve shown outstanding achievement in the arts, business, research, social work, and international outreach. The ceremony takes place Tuesday, July 14, presided over by King Felipe and Queen Letizia, with both Leonor and Sofía by their side.
After that, it’s finally vacation season. As always, Leonor and Sofía will join their parents and Queen Sofía in Mallorca.
© PoolFrom soldier to college student
Come September, once her military service is behind her, Leonor will begin a political science degree at the Getafe campus of Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, a public university with coursework spanning political science, the humanities, law, economics, sociology, history, and international relations. She’ll be moving back home after five years away, first at boarding school in Wales, then across three military academies.
Meanwhile, Infanta Sofía will be heading to Paris for her second year of political science and international relations at Forward College, a school affiliated with the University of London that teaches its courses in English. It’s another stretch of separation for the two sisters, who stay close despite the distance and still make plans together, like catching a Bad Bunny concert.
© Carlos AlvarezRead the full article here
