The Details Behind Princess Leonor's Mandatory Three Year Military Training

The members of the Spanish royal family may be known for their lavish lifestyle, but that doesn't mean they don't have to prove themselves on occasion. Just look at Princess Leonor, the elder daughter of King Felipe VI. Leonor has not only grown up to look just like her mother, but — as heir presumptive – she's first in line to replace her father on the Spanish throne. Princess Leonor's life will unavoidably change quite significantly when she becomes the queen of Spain. However, before Leonor can even think about coronation, there is one pressing matter to attend to. In Spain, the reigning monarch is required by law to have trained with the country's Army, Navy, and Air Force. This is due to the fact that whoever sits on the throne is also in charge of the Spanish military.

In March 2023, the Spanish government officially announced that the then-17-year-old Princess Leonor would follow in her father's footsteps and begin her required three years of military training. "It shows that we will have, when the time comes, a supreme commander who is a woman, and in the recent years, we've made a big effort to incorporate women into the armed forces," defense minister Margarita Robles said at the time (via CNN). Robles went on to call this rite of passage "an essential step in the life of Her Royal Highness ... toward the leadership of our country." Princess Leonor's military training began not long after.

Princess Leonor's military training officially began in August 2023, just three months after she graduated from the UWC Atlantic College in Wales. Accompanied by her father King Felipe VI and the rest of their family, Leonor reported to the General Military Academy in Zaragoza, Spain. Per The Sunday Times, Leonor confessed that while she was a bit anxious about this new chapter in her life, she was mostly excited to see what the following year would bring. For his part, King Felipe — who had attended the very same military school as part of his own training decades prior — revealed the advice he gave his daughter before seeing her off on this new adventure: "To be very attentive, and to let herself be advised."

According to the outlet, the heir to the Spanish throne was one of about 120 women in an incoming class of roughly 600 total cadets. They also explained that, despite her status as one of Europe's future Queens, Princess Leonor had the exact same experience as everyone else at the academy. For instance, she adhered to the institution's standard schedule, training regimen, and dress code. Leonor also shared a dorm room, not to mention a bathroom, with 11 other cadets. About a month after arriving at Zaragoza, the Princess was officially dubbed a "lady cadet" when she and 560 of her fellow new students took part in a ceremony to receive their officer's sabers.

In May 2024, when Princess Leonor's time at the General Military Academy was winding to a close, she was honored with the Medal of the Cortes and the Medal of Aragon. "I can tell you that what I have experienced here far exceeds what I thought ten months ago," the future queen of Spain said at the ceremony (via Hola!). "In Zaragoza, in Aragon, I have felt at home, welcomed and accompanied in a land that will always be part of my life," she continued, adding, "There are only five weeks left until I leave, so I can receive my ensign's office, and I'm already starting to miss you!"

After finishing out the remainder of her 12-month stint in Zaragoza, Princess Leonor began the second year of her military training in August 2024, when she traveled to the opposite side of Spain in order to attend the Naval Military Academy in Marín. In January 2025, after completing her initial training at the school, Leonor, along with 74 other naval cadets, embarked on a five-month voyage aboard a training ship. MarineForum explained at the time that the journey would take the cadets through both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, with stops in South, Central, and North America. After making a final stop in New York City, the Crown Princess would fly back to Spain in June 2025. The ship itself would then return home within the following month or so.

Once Princess Leonor wraps up the rest of her naval training, she'll have just one branch of the Spanish military left to earn her stripes. The heir presumptive to King Felipe VI's throne is expected to report to the General Air Academy in San Javier during the second half of 2025, presumably around August (since that's the month her Army and Navy training began in 2023 and 2024, respectively). Leonor's training with the Spanish Air and Space Force will conclude in 2026. But will crossing that milestone automatically make her eligible to become Queen?

Well, legally speaking, the Princess has actually been able to claim the throne in the event of her father's absence since she turned a 18 and swore an oath to Spain's constitution in late 2024 (per The Straits Times). Customarily, though, there's still more to do before she's considered truly ready. Per The Sunday Times, even after Princess Leonor completes all her required military training, she'll still have to attend university and earn both a graduate and postgraduate degree — just like King Felipe did.

The reigning Spanish monarch earned his bachelor's degree in law from Spain's own Autonomous University of Madrid. He then ventured to the United States to earn a master's degree in foreign service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. According to Vogue, Princess Leonor is expected to study law after her stint in the Air Force, once again following in her father's footsteps.