King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Princess Leonor have taken part in the ceremony to hand out diplomas to all new graduates from the Army Military Academy.
Their Majesties, accompanied by Her Royal Highness, arrived at the Zaragoza General Military Academy on Friday, 7th July 2023, accompanied by the Minister of Defense, the Chief of the Army, the acting President of Aragón, and the Mayor of Zaragoza, among others.
After the usual honours and troop review, King Felipe and Queen Letizia presented the honorary Lieutenant diploma to the family of Knight Ensign Cadet Pablo Jerez Sanjuán, who passed away in the line of duty in September 2021.
Their Majesties then listened as a list of names was read, which included all those within the Academy who got promoted and received the Royal Diploma, as well as the acts for the concession of decorations to four officers of the General Corps of the Army.
After a short speech from the Director General of the General Military Academy, the ceremony continued with the homage to those who gave their lives for Spain before the Academy’s anthem was played and the first article of the Decalogue of the Cadet recited.
A farewell review and a short parade marked the conclusion. The three Royals then held a more informal meeting with all authorities attending the event, as well as the new officers.
This event was particularly poignant for both the King and Queen and the Princess of Asturias. Not only did it mark the end of a busy week for the Princess, but it was also a way to get a glimpse into her fast-approaching future.
Next month, Princess Leonor will enter the same military academy she was in as a civilian for this event, only she will become a Cadet. This will all be part of a three-year-long journey to gain military training in all branches of the Spanish Armed Forces.
A step that she spoke about in her speech two days earlier, saying that she was looking forward to entering military life because of the values it helps promote, something that seems in alignment with what the King and Queen said about it in the press release announcing her military training.
King Felipe has displayed a strong attachment to the military world throughout his entire life, so his daughter being about to undergo the same experience will be an undoubtedly joyful moment for him.
This also represented a rare occasion for Princess Leonor to be holding an official engagement with her parents without her sister present. While Infanta Sofía has presided over several events in her sister’s absence, as the Princess was in Wales, this has happened only sporadically for the heir to the throne. Another sign of times changing for Spain’s future Queen.