Princess Leonor has big day of firsts on Spain’s National Day

 Princess Leonor  wore a uniform to Spain’s National Day celebration on Thursday for the first time. The 17 year old and her parents,  King Felipe  and  Queen Letizia , presided over the events in the Plaza de Cánovas del Castillo in Madrid. For the first time, Leonor took part in the salute with her father.

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Missing from the family outing was the royal couple’s youngest daughter Infanta Sofia, who moved to Wales in late August to begin her studies at UWC Atlantic.

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Following the military parade on Oct. 12, the King, Queen and Princess Leonor traveled to the Royal Palace of Madrid for the traditional commemorative reception. According to  HOLA! Spain, the Princess, who turns 18 on Oct. 31, joined her parents in the Throne Room for the first time. While King Felipe changed out of his uniform for the reception, Leonor remained in hers sans her beret.

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Thursday marked the first time that Leonor has attended the military parade since 2020. The Princess of Asturias missed the last two National Day celebrations because she was in Wales studying. Leonor graduated from UWC Atlantic in May and began her first year of military training in August.

Last weekend, King Felipe and Queen Letizia proudly watched as their firstborn pledged her allegiance to the Spanish flag during the flag oath ceremony at Zaragoza Military Academy.

In a speech at the ceremony, His Majesty said, “38 years have passed, and I think about what I felt then and what it means to me to preside - together with the Queen and with pride - the swearing-in of our daughter, the Princess of Asturias. It’s very exciting; and it is of great significance to see how today the Princess continues that oath with a new class of cadets. Feelings that we share with everyone here and with the great military family.”