History is about to be made as Spain is set to have its first queen in 150 years. Princess Leonor, the 20-year-old daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, is next in line to become the country’s first queen regnant since Isabella II, her fourth great-grandmother, who reigned from 1833 to 1868.
While there is no official timeline for Leonor’s ascension, she will take the throne when her father, King Felipe VI, either steps down or dies. If Leonor takes the throne, she would be the first to rule in her own right, not just alongside a king. That would be a significant development for the modern Spanish monarchy, especially given the Bourbon dynasty’s long history dating back to the 1700s.
Facts about Princess Leonor
Early Life
Born on October 31, 2005, Princess Leonor (Princess of Asturias) is the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia and the elder sister of Infanta Sofía. At the time of her birth, Spain was under the reign of her grandfather, King Juan Carlos I.
Education
She attended Santa María de los Rosales School in Madrid for her primary education, the same school her father attended, before moving abroad to study the International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales in September 2021, a school known for educating future leaders and changemakers from around the world. She completed her studies in May 2023.
She is also fluent in multiple languages: French, Arabic, Spanish, Catalan, Mandarin, and English.
Military training
As part of her preparation to become Spain’s future head of the armed forces, Princess Leonor is undergoing three years of military training across the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This training is a constitutional requirement for heirs to the throne according to Spanish law.
On 17 August 2023, she started her first year of training at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza and was promoted to the rank of Cadet Ensign. On 29 August 2024, she started her naval training at the Naval Military Academy in Marín. Leonor was promoted to the rank of midshipman of 2nd grade.
Leonor started her third and final year of military training in the General Air and Space Academy in San Javier on September 1, 2025. She made history as the first female member of the Spanish Royal Family to pilot a flight solo when she made her first solo flight on December 18, 2025.
View this post on Instagram
Titles and Traditions
In addition to Princess of Asturias, Leonor holds several historic titles tied to Spain’s regions, including Princess of Girona, Princess of Viana, Duchess of Montblanch, Countess of Cervera, and Lady of Balaguer.
Public Life
Despite her young age, Princess Leonor has begun taking on official engagements, both alongside her parents and on her own.
Leonor gave her first public speech, held at the Instituto Cervantes in Madrid, where she read the first article of the Constitution of Spain on October 31, 2018. The speech coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Constitution and her 13th birthday. She made her first official international trip on 16 July 2022 without the presence of her parents but accompanied by her younger sister, Infanta Sofía.
On 12 July 2024, Leonor made her first official foreign visit. She was invited by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa to visit the country.
She regularly attends state events and represents Spain at official ceremonies, gradually building her public profile.
Honours
Princess Leonor has bagged numerous awards at her young age.
Her awards include the Order of the Golden Fleece (October 30, 2015), Dame of the Collar of the Order of Charles III (October 10, 2023), Grand Cross of Military Merit (July 2, 2024), Grand Cross of Naval Merit with White Decoration (July 15, 2025), and Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ (July 12, 2024).
On October 31, 2023, a coin was minted in her name by the Royal Mint of Spain to commemorate her coming of age. In 2025, a collector’s coin was made to commemorate her time in the Spanish Navy in the second year of her three-year military training.
As the heir apparent to the Spanish throne, she is being carefully prepared for a role that blends constitutional duty, public service, and modern leadership.