Prince Ricardo De La Cerda
King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Princess Leonor have taken part in the first big event of the Spanish royal calendar for this year.
The Princess of Asturias, heir to the throne, has joined her parents at the Royal Palace in Madrid for the Pascua Militar, the event held every year on January 6th. It began as a military celebration and the armed forces of Spain remain at its heart.
The modern Pascua Militar begins with the Spanish monarch reviewing the troops and then taking the salute. This year, it was a chilly affair as fierce winds whipped through the Royal Palace courtyard.
Inside the palace, King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Princess Leonor greeted the hundreds of guests. There are then speeches from the monarch and government officials. In addition to the review and speech, King Felipe announced several military awards.
The Princess of Asturias joined her parents for the second time at a Pascua Militar.
Dating back to the late eighteenth century, the event was begun by King Carlos III of Spain to mark the expulsion of British troops from Menorca. Called a ‘military easter’, it was designed to commemorate that victory and events take place at armed forces bases all over Spain.
This is a final appearance for Princess Leonor who, later this week, boards the Juan Sebastian Elcano training ship for five months at sea where she will visit eight different countries for her naval training.
For the review, Queen Letizia chose a burgundy look. She also wore a short black coat to keep away the January chill.