As we discussed in September 2022, The Princess of Asturias, Leonor is heading for Military training once she graduates from UWC Atlantic College this year. The Royal Palace has confirmed that the Princess of Asturias will begin her Military training in August-September 2023 and will complete one year with each form of the military – starting with the Army, then Navy, and lastly Air Force. The announcement was formally made by the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, during a press conference earlier this week.
” After completing secondary education, it is necessary to consider the next formative stage of the Princess, taking into account her responsibilities, first as Heiress to the Crown and, later, as future Queen of Spain. The Princess of Asturias will start higher education next academic year 2023-2024. To this end, it is established that in this period both her military training –in the broader framework of her military career–, as well as her university training to achieve a degree and, in her case, a postgraduate degree, converge”.
CasaReal
Princess Leonor is following the path her father, King Felipe VI, took before ascending the throne but with a slight twist. Felipe completed his school education at Santa María de los Rosales School then heading to Canada for High School. After finishing his time in Canada, Felipe went for Military training period with all forms of army in Spain and then obtained a Bachelor degree in law at the Autonomous University of Madrid before heading to Washington, USA for Masters degree.
Leonor graduated from Santa María de los Rosales School in May 2020 and then joined UWC Atlantic College in Wales for a 2 years long International Baccalaureate program from where she is graduating on May 20th this year. Instead of 5 years long Military training, Leonor will be covering her military period in 3 years. But at the same time she will be starting her University education too.
“The Princess of Asturias will begin her graduate studies in the next academic year 2023-2024. For this, it is established that in this period will converge both her military education – in the more ample perspective of her military career – and her university education to achieve a graduate and potentially postgraduate degree”.
Margarita Robles
Her younger sister, Infanta Sofia is also following the same path and will be graduating from Santa María de los Rosales School this May before heading to UWC Atlantic College in Fall.
In Spain, the education and military training of the heir to the throne was decided as per the art. 2.2 of Law 39/2007, of November 19. Princess Leonor will start her Military training at the Zaragoza General Military Academy in the academic year of 2023-2024 from where she would graduate as Dame-Cadet.
In the academic year of 2024-2025, The Princess of Asturias will head to the Marín Naval Military Academy for a couple of months before a training journey aboard the teaching ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano. All the Naval cadets are required to go through this training journey. Princess Leonor will graduate from the Naval Academy as Midshipman.
Then in the academic year 2025-2026, Princess Leonor will begin the last leg of the her Military Training at San Javier General Air Academy from where she will graduate as Lieutenant Cadet.
“HM the King, together with the Queen, considers that the military training of the Princess of Asturias is very convenient and valuable: it reinforces the capacities of service and delivery, and facilitates the representation tasks that she must assume, as Heir to the Crown of Spain, in accordance with the provisions of Title II of the Constitution.
So, The King and Queen welcome this new formative stage of Princess Leonor with the satisfaction of knowing her will, interest and enthusiasm in receiving this training. Princess Leonor knows of the demands and sacrifice that military life entails and she is very aware of the honor of training and serving alongside the men and women of our Armed Forces”.
CasaReal
