Queen Letizia and King Felipe of Spain bid farewell to their daughter Princess Leonor on Saturday. The Princess of Asturias hugged her parents goodbye before setting sail for months onboard the Juan Sebastián de Elcano training ship.
In a brief speech on the vessel, the King told the midshipmen (translated to English) that “on the verge of setting sail for your training cruise, the Queen and I wish you good seas, fair winds, but above all that you take advantage of this stage of your training as sailors, as soldiers and also in your projection in the world as Spaniards."
© Borja B. Hojas/WireImage"You represent a Navy with a centuries-old legacy that you must honour and respect, and you also represent a Navy of the 21st century, the Spanish Navy, which will once again sail the seas and oceans with Elcano," he added. "Always remember that you carry the prestige and image of Spain on your shoulders. And also remember that you are midshipmen of the Spanish Navy. The Queen and I hope that you enjoy it and that you fly the flag high on the seas and in the ports where you arrive."
His Majesty appeared to dry his eyes after saying bye to his firstborn, in a video shared by Europa Press. In another video, posted by journalist Jose Moreno, Queen Letizia was captured blowing her daughter a kiss and dabbing her eye as Leonor waved from the ship. The King looked like a proud father as he captured the moment on his phone.
© Shutterstock/Grosby GroupLeonor, 19, is continuing her naval training onboard the training ship. The future Queen "will experience life at sea first-hand and become familiar with seafaring traditions" during her voyage, which, according to Casa de S.M. el Rey, will last "approximately five months." The training ship is described as "an essential part of the curriculum of future Navy officers and provides valuable practical experience in navigation, astronomy, meteorology and other nautical disciplines. It also fosters teamwork, discipline and a spirit of service."
Leonor arrived at the port of Cádiz last Wednesday to join the crew as a first-class midshipman. Two days before, she was with her parents at the celebration of the Pascua Militar. In a speech that day, King Felipe said that Leonor would be "embarking on the Training Ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, as I myself did 38 years ago, and beginning her 17th training cruise. An experience, dear Leonor, that will surely remain - as it happened to me (and also to your grandfather) - among your best memories of military training."
