Princess Leonor of Spain cut a stylish figure as she arrived alongside her family for her confirmation in Madrid, Spain today.
The young Princess, 15, who is a student at Santa Maria de los Rosales school, opted for a royal blue dress which she coordinated with a pair of nude beige pumps, and wore a navy mask in keeping with coronavirus regulations.
The royal, who was joined by her sister Princess Sofia and parents, King Felipe, 52, and Queen Letizia, 48, is being confirmed at the Parroquia de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Aravaca, which is the same church where she made her First Communion in 2015.
The teen, who turns 16 in October, will study at the renowned UWC Atlantic College, based at the 12th century St Donat’s Castle in Wales, from September.
Princess Leonor of Spain cut a stylish figure as she arrived alongside her family for her confirmation in Madrid, Spain today. Pictured, Princess Leonor, King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Sofia
The young Princess, 15, who is a student at Santa Maria de los Rosales school, opted for a royal blue dress which she coordinated with a pair of nude beige pumps. Pictured, with her younger sister Infanta Sofía, 13 (far right)
Princess Leonor wore her shoulder-length blonde locks loose, and opted for no jewellery, while her younger sister, Infanta Sofía, 13, opted for a floral dress and wore her hair in loose curls which cascaded past her shoulders.
Meanwhile, their effortlessly stylish mother Queen Letizia donned a monochrome ensemble, pairing a white blouse with smart black trousers.
While Princess Leonor will be joined by her classmates, due to COVID-19, only parents and siblings of the students being confirmed are allowed to attend the service in Madrid, Hola! reports.
In September, Princess Leonor will begin her two-year course at the boarding school, where her parents will personally meet the cost of the £67,000 course.
The most recent royal alumna was Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, 19, the daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, who enrolled in 2018 but had to cut her time at the college short due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and continued her studies online from home.
The school, for students aged 16 to 19, says it seeks to ‘inspire changemakers’ who want to work for the common good.
The royal is being confirmed at the Parroquia de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Aravaca, which is the same church where she made her First Communion in 2015. Pictured, with her father King Felipe VI of Spain
Queen Letizia of Spain donned a monochrome ensemble, pairing a white blouse with smart black trousers. Pictured, Princess Leonor, King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Sofia arrive for the confirmation of Princess Leonor
It looks for students who ‘can navigate the complexity of life and (reach) beyond easy answers’, the school’s website said.
The royal household statement noted the school’s ‘open and critical approach’. The school says it takes in students from around 150 countries.
Princess Leonor obtained admission to the school anonymously, taking several tests before being accepted, the royal household said.
The United World College Movement includes 18 schools around the world, the website said.
Leonor, who already speaks five languages, has become her illustrious father ‘hand-right girl,’ taking to her royal duties with ‘enormous eagerness,’ according to Felipe.
Having grown up in the spotlight since her father inherited the throne from King Juan Carlos in 2014, she’s learned to keep calm under pressure and has already adopted the polished style of her royal mother, Queen Letizia.
Just like her father, who first spoke publicly as a young prince in 1981, she made her first public speech at just 13 at an event marking the 40th anniversary of the Spanish constitution in 2018.
Leonor will study a selection of subjects including core classes such as Biology, Chemistry, Economics, English Literature, Geography, History, Mathematics and Physics.
In September, Princess Leonor will begin her two-year course at the boarding school, where her parents will personally meet the cost of the £67,000 course. Pictured, Princess Leonor, King Felipe VI of Spain, Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Sofia
She’ll also have a wide selection of optional courses to choose from, including Design Tech, Visual Arts, Film studies, Music and Global Politics among others.
Keen Linguist Leonor, who delivered an impressive four-language speech in 2019 at an event in Barcelona in 2019 in her second official outing, will also be able to study foreign languages and literature at leisure.
The College’s literary options range from English and French Literature to Czech, Russian, Tibetan, Swedish and Urdu Literature as well.
A stay at the College of the Atlantic will also help Leonor make international friends and learn of different cultures, as per the institution’s motto of promoting ‘mutual understanding’ among their 350 pupils.
Dubbed the ‘Hippie Hogwarts,’ the boarding school counts The Queen and Queen Noor of Jordan as its current co-presidents and encourages international cooperation from students of all background.
In 2018, The Times reported that pupils were discouraged from showcasing their wealth with expensive gadgets, and were as likely to rub shoulders with ‘refugees from west Africa’ and ‘California hippies.’
Princess Leonor wore her shoulder-length blonde locks loose, and opted for no jewellery, while her younger sister, Infanta Sofía, 13, opted for a floral dress and wore her hair in loose curls which cascaded past her shoulders. Pictured, King Felipe VI of Spain, Princess Leonor, Princess Sofia and Queen Letizia
Founded in 1962 by German educationalist Kurt Hahn, he believed his approach to education, for pupils aged 16-19, could lead to a quicker resolution of international conflict, an ethos that is still carried by the establishment which aims to ‘promote mutual understanding’.
It has also seen a growing list of international royals sitting on the benches of St Donat’s Castle over the years.
King Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands, studied at the College from 1983 to 1985 and graduated with an International Baccalaureate before undertaking his military service and moving on to study History at Leiden University from 1987 onwards.
Princess Raiyah of Jordan, the daughter of King Hussein of Jordan and Queen Noor also attended her institution as a teen before studying Japanese as an undergraduate at The University of Edinburgh.
King Felip VI also attended an international high school as a teen, though he went to the Lakefield College School in Canada rather than Wales. He then returned to Spain to study law at the Autonomous University of Madrid.