Spanish Princess Leonor will soon start three years of military training in Spain after leaving a prestigious private school in South Wales.
The 17-year-old heir to the Spanish throne graduated with the International Baccalaureate from the UWC Atlantic College in the Welsh county of Vale of Glamorgan in May.
The school is often referred to as ‘Hippie Hogwarts’ thanks to its progressive approach to education and picturesque castle setting.
It was founded in German educationalist Kurt Hahn, is situated at the 12th century St Donat’s Castle on the country’s south coast and costs a whopping £67,000 per year for courses including Tai Chi, the theory of knowledge and Tibetan literature.
Leonor is due to start as a military recruit next month, following into the footsteps of her father King Felipe as well as her grandfather Juan Carlos, who all attended military training with every of the three armed services in the country.
The 17-year-old heir to the Spanish throne graduated with the International Baccalaureate from the UWC Atlantic College (Leonor pictured there in 2021) in the Welsh county of Vale of Glamorgan in May
Leonor (pictured at the awards ceremony) is due to start as a military recruit next month, following into the footsteps of her father King Felipe as well as her grandfather Juan Carlos, who all attended military training with every of the three armed services in the country
The school is often referred to as ‘Hippie Hogwarts’ thanks to its progressive approach to education and picturesque castle setting. It was founded in German educationalist Kurt Hahn, is situated at the 12th century St Donat’s Castle on the country’s south coast and costs a whopping £67,000 per year for courses including Tai Chi, the theory of knowledge and Tibetan literature
Her training will be at the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, which is Spain’s equivalent to Sandhurst, before going to naval school, and will complete her three years at the General Air Academy.
The princess, who will be 18 in October, revealed her enthusiasm for soon being a cadet at the Princesa de Girona Foundation award ceremony in Girona, in Catalonia, on July 5.
She said: ‘I have just finished high school and I am about to start a new stage with a period of military training.
‘I am happy because I know how much the Spanish value our armed forces… it is an important moment in my life and I feel very excited and determined to continue learning and giving my best effort.’
She shared the news in Spanish, Catalan and English, much to the delight of the award audience, while wearing an emerald dress and golden metallic shoes.
Tatler reported that Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles confirmed Princess Leonor of Asturias’s next move shortly before the 17-year-old’s graduation in May.
Speaking in March, Ms Robles confirmed: ‘In due course, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces will be a woman, and in recent years we have been making a very important effort to incorporate women into the armed forces.’
In September last year the Spanish palace announced that Princess Leonor will go to university to study law once her three years of military training have been completed in 2026.
While Leonor’s choice of university is unknown, the Princess’s academic background already bears a resemblance to that of her father King Felipe.
After graduating from high school at Lakefield College in Canada, Felipe returned to Spain and attended the General Military Academy of Zaragozo, and went on to study at the Naval Military School in Marín.
A selfie taken by Queen Letizia was shared by the royal family, with the Queen, her two daughters and her husband beaming with pride
In one picture, Leonor could be seen proudly showing her graduation certificate up in front of her while smiling into the camera with her family
He ended his training with a stint at the General Air Academy in San Javier.
His also completed his military training with a stint on the shop Juan Sebastián Elcano aged 18 in 1987, and went on to study law at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
Currently, Leonor, who is understood to speak four languages including Mandarin, juggles her life as a young princess with her work as a student at the Welsh boarding school.
For her graduation in May, King Felipe VI, 55, and Queen Letizia, 50, travelled to Wales with their other daughter, Princess Sofia, 16, to celebrate with Leonor.
In one picture, Leonor could be seen proudly showing her graduation certificate up in front of her while smiling into the camera with her family.
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