Princess Leonor to the Spaniards: ‘Trust me’

Princess Leonor pledged her “unconditional surrender” as Spain’s heir to the throne on Tuesday after taking an oath legitimizing her as future queen, in a solemn day full of symbolism on the day she turned 18, the country’s coming of age.

“Trust me”, she declared with her hand on her heart in her first words at the Royal Palace in Madrid after swearing in the Spanish Constitution on this historic day in which dynastic continuity was reaffirmed as the future heir to her father, King Felipe VI. parliamentary monarchy in Spain.

After he received from the king Necklace of the Order of Charles III. Spain’s highest civilian honor, Leonor de Borbón has vowed to carry out her role as heir to the crown with “total commitment” on her way to becoming the third non-regent in Spain’s history, after Juana I and Isabella II, and the first in a democracy.

The oath legitimizes her to replace her father, 55 years old, as head of state in case of death, abdication or incapacity, without the need for a regency.

He also swore allegiance to the king, “not only to his person, but also to what he The crown symbolizes and represents: the unity and stability of Spain”, he emphasized.

Felipe VI spoke on this day “full of meaning for spain” to emphasize that his daughter’s oath “embodies the continuity of our parliamentary monarchy”.

“Long live and success to the princess”, exclaimed the head of state in a toast in honor of his daughter from the imperial table in the Gala dining room of the Royal Palace in front of about 150 guests.

The king’s intervention was followed “Happy Birthday” musicians from the Royal Guard played the violin and brought the meal to life, served with Alfonso’s cutlery

solemn oath

Before those words, the princess swore her loyalty with an act solemnly in the Cortes Generalesthe Spanish Parliament, accompanied by his parents, Felipe VI. and Queen Letizia, and his sister, Infanta Sofía, 16 years old.

The royal family arrived at the event after a tour historical center from the capital of Spain in two vintage Rolls-Royces with glass roofs, accompanied by the Royal Guard on horseback, on a decorated road and with the audience constantly cheering them on and even singing happy birthday to the princess.

The heiress chose a white suit, jacket and trousers, for this day in which there were military parades, cannon platoons in her honor and greetings from numerous authorities and civil society representatives.

When shaking hands with the military leadership, Leonor de Borbón, in her state as a cadet of the military academy where he is studying, he accompanied the greeting with “your order”.

The princess received a long applause from the hall, in front of her family and the main authorities of the country.

Meanwhile, the crowd followed ceremony from the central square Puerta del Sol on huge screens, among Spanish flags to show their support for the monarchy, where cakes with the red and yellow colors of the national flag were distributed.

Thousands of others waited in vain outside the Royal Palace for the royal family to come out on the balcony to greet them, among them many tourists, such as Christina and Peter Jones, two Britons who appreciated “very little shouting and enthusiasm” compared to the royal family’s London celebrations. their country.

Leonor received a number of gifts, from the issuance of a commemorative coin and stamp to an aperitif for the occasion served in centennial bars in Madrid, decorated with the Spanish flag.

Except for the ringing of the bell at the end Asturiassince among her titles is that of Princess of Asturias, and also in the Royal National Heritage in different parts of Spain.

The big absentees were Leonora’s grandparents, King Emeritus Juan Carlos I, in their case when the King’s House was deemed inadequate after his departure from Spain in 2020 surrounded by controversy, and Sofía, who is expected to take part in the family celebration later.

The representatives of the groups did not attend either. Catalan nationalists and independenceists, Basques and Galicians or on behalf of the left Sumar coalition, among them several ministers of the executive power, who opposed the monarchy.