Princess Leonor of Spain has arrived in New York City!
The 19-year-old royal came on a Spanish Navy training vessel on Wednesday, sporting a crisp white uniform adorned with black insignia.
The Crown Prince, the heir to the Spanish throne, appeared cheerful alongside his sister Sofia and fellow cadets to honor Juan Sebastian de Elcano.
Leonor, who started her military training in 2023, will not return to Spain by ship as she will fly on July 7th to meet her companions at John. Reportedly, she will participate on the guided missile frigate Bras de Rezo, taking on a significant part of her naval training.
For the past two years, she has been training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza.
Later this year, she plans to begin her air force training at the General Air Academy in Santiago de La Rivera, which will wrap up her military education.
In March 2023, the royal family announced her military training would span three years. Defence Minister Margarita Robles stated, “All Congressional monarchies require a military background and career.” Leonor also graduated from high school that year at UWC Atlantic College in Wales.
Robles stressed the strides made to incorporate women into the military, noting the shift in leadership roles over time.
Following the path set by her father in the 1980s, both the government and royal family believe her extensive military training should come before higher education.
The Spanish monarchy has faced challenges in improving its public image, particularly following scandals involving former King Juan Carlos, who abdicated in 2014 in favor of his son, King Felipe.
Juan Carlos’s troubles began with a tax fraud scandal linked to a controversial elephant hunting trip in Africa while Spain struggled economically. He has lived in Abu Dhabi since August 2020 after investigations into his affairs were launched but later dropped.
Meanwhile, King Felipe and Queen Letizia have been touched by recent rumors regarding their marriage, particularly from veteran journalist Jaime Penafiel, who has made unsettling claims about Felipe’s past relationships.
Penafiel’s book, *Letizia’s Silences*, published in May, alleges that Felipe was deeply hurt by suggestions of an affair involving his wife’s former brother-in-law, Jame del Burgo.
Penafiel’s assertions also reveal that Felipe is aware of Letizia’s supposed infidelities.
He mentioned past connections between Letizia and del Burgo, who were involved before her marriage to Felipe.
Del Burgo, married to Letizia’s sister between 2012 and 2014, claimed in an Argentine newspaper that he still maintains contact with the Queen.
“We’ve spent many years together,” he stated, clarifying their relationship was never romantic, but rather familial.
