The Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía, News Part 1: June 2014 -


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Great oppurtunity for Leonor. I am sure she will grow a lot in 2 years :flowers:

It would be great if her and Elisabeth were able to talk by email and Elisabeth could give her some tips. Its not too crazy a thought. The families know each other well enough anyways and who better to give her some idea. Even royals have email addresses.


While boarding school may not be for everyone, I think studying abroad is a great idea for royals. Especially those who will be monarch. It gives them a chance to go to school where they are just another student. Even if not a full year or two but a semester, a chance for them to be just another student. No matter how 'normal' they are meant to be treated in school, at home they are still the future monarch of their classmates. Going away gives them a chance to have a more regular school feeling. Associate with others on the same level.


If not during normal schooling, I think it a good idea at least in college that the royals spend some time abroad. And not just during a gap year.


Leonor is close to her parents and that is great, but this will also give her a bit of a sense of independence. And maybe some more confidence.

I think she follows the steps of her father, plain and simple. Felipe went to Canada for the university preparation, back then it was only a year but now it's two years. After that, she'll study in Spain and abroad, law, economics, international affairs, probably doing her Master at a foreign university. And then of course, the military training and stints in government, security, defence.
This is where Leonor's and Sofias's paths will start to differ dramatically, one being prepped for Head of State, the other one to make her own living at some point, with more freedom of choice.
 
Great oppurtunity for Leonor. I am sure she will grow a lot in 2 years :flowers:

It would be great if her and Elisabeth were able to talk by email and Elisabeth could give her some tips. Its not too crazy a thought. The families know each other well enough anyways and who better to give her some idea. Even royals have email addresses.


While boarding school may not be for everyone, I think studying abroad is a great idea for royals. Especially those who will be monarch. It gives them a chance to go to school where they are just another student. Even if not a full year or two but a semester, a chance for them to be just another student. No matter how 'normal' they are meant to be treated in school, at home they are still the future monarch of their classmates. Going away gives them a chance to have a more regular school feeling. Associate with others on the same level.


If not during normal schooling, I think it a good idea at least in college that the royals spend some time abroad. And not just during a gap year.


Leonor is close to her parents and that is great, but this will also give her a bit of a sense of independence. And maybe some more confidence.


I have one doubt though. Leonor is still 15 and will only turn 16 at the end of October, right? If I understand it correctly, she will graduate from the IB program at the age of 17 then. Doesn't that make her younger than the normal sixth-form student in England and Wales, who is typically 18 by graduation day?

Maybe I am missing something about the Spanish and British systems of secondary education.
 
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I think for Leonor in particular, because there is so much pressure on the monarchy (& therefore also her) in Spain, as well as her grandfather's scandals, this will be such a great experience. She will have the opportunity to have more freedom and truly get to know herself.

And just in general, a school of students coming together from such a vast amount of different countries, seems first of all fascinating, but also perfect for an heir to the throne. Because while being a future monarch will always be a unique situation, if all the students come from different countries, experiences and cultures, it's probably the most normal an heir could feel at school, because literally everyone will have different stories to tell. A great setting to have some regular teenage experiences and develop into adulthood!

I'll be interested to see whether Sofia will also attend boarding school in the future - whether this one or another.
 
I have one doubt though. Leonor is still 15 and will only turn 16 at the end of October, right? If I understand it correctly, she will graduate from the IB program at the age of 17 then. Doesn't that make her younger than the normal sixth-form student in England and Wales, who is typically 18 by graduation day?

Maybe I am missing something about the Spanish and British systems of secondary education.



In Spain children start the academic year according the year they're born. Everyone born in 2005 started school together while in other countries the custom is that only those born in the academic year start together and those born later in the year start next year.
 
That also makes me wonder, would UWC Atlantic College, at the end, have all three young generation heiresses as their alumni?

There are five young generation heiresses (in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden).
 
In Spain children start the academic year according the year they're born. Everyone born in 2005 started school together while in other countries the custom is that only those born in the academic year start together and those born later in the year start next year.

Same in the Netherlands. Previously, those in September and some from October would join their (older) classmates. Nowadays, many born in November and December also move on (the princess of Orange is an example of that new policy) - for those children an individual decision is made when they are about to start 3rd grade (first class of primary education).
 
Boarding school, and especially this sort of non-traditional boarding school, aren't for everyone, but presumably it's something that appeals to Leonor. People do seem to do very well there, and I think it's good for royal teenagers, especially heirs, to have some time away from their own countries and the pressure of their positions.
 
Leonor and Sofía have already spent time away from home, in another country and with people of other nationalities. During the summers of 2018 and 2019, they spent a month camping in the United States. So for Leonor it will not be a completely unknown experience.
 
Peter T. Howe, in a letter written to Tatler in which he talks about the arrival and experience of the Princess of Asturias.

"We are delighted the princess is joining us. As a student entering UWC Atlantic she will be one of a wonderful group of vibrant young people living and learning together. We hope very much she enjoys her time in Wales and have little doubt she will thrive as a member of our amazing community."
https://www.tatler.com/article/princess-leonor-of-spain-uwc-atlantic-college-in-wales
 
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Just to help with any paperwork, get situated, ETC. Most 15 year olds aren’t going to go overseas completely solo.

i am thinking possibly letizia will go with her. even if they have security going with her, i am sure her mum wants to be there a few days to make sure she is settled.
 
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Security guards will go with her, for sure. But I believe that Letizia (and maybe Felipe) will accompany her when she moves out and will be able to spend a weekend with her there, for example.
Queen Sofia accompanied Felipe on the trip when he moved to Canada to study.
Obviously, Felipe and Letizia cannot spend much time with Leonor in Wales.
 
They are fortunate in they likely have more flexibility in their schedules then most parents sending their kids off to school.

I have one doubt though. Leonor is still 15 and will only turn 16 at the end of October, right? If I understand it correctly, she will graduate from the IB program at the age of 17 then. Doesn't that make her younger than the normal sixth-form student in England and Wales, who is typically 18 by graduation day?

Maybe I am missing something about the Spanish and British systems of secondary education.

Really she is only a handful of months (as little as 2 from some) from the British students who will be there. And other foreign students, may not be 16 until after the start of the year as well. Spain will be one of a number where they just have to be 16 by the end of the year.

I have no doubt she won't be alone in being the only one not yet 16.

Leonor and Sofía have already spent time away from home, in another country and with people of other nationalities. During the summers of 2018 and 2019, they spent a month camping in the United States. So for Leonor it will not be a completely unknown experience.


Indeed she has had a taste of being away out of the country.


Summer camp for a month, and with her sister, is still a bit different. But at least it gave her a taste for experience with kids from other countries and cultures. Being away at school, without her sister or anyone, for several months at a time will still be an adjustment. But a good one.
 
I think this will be a great opportunity for Leonor to come into her own. She seems like a somewhat timid girl who’s had a very sheltered upbringing. It will do her good to be able to have a little independence, develop close relationships with kids from different backgrounds, and spend some time abroad.

The window for Leonor to be able to live anywhere other than Spain is narrow - she gets these two years and then probably another couple of years during her post secondary education. I don’t know if a 15 year old can be expected to grasp how quickly this period of relative freedom will pass, but I hope she does get it on some level and makes a point of really enjoying this time.
 
I'll be interested to see whether Sofia will also attend boarding school in the future - whether this one or another.
Yes indeed, it's possible that Sofia's way will be the other way around, finish school in Spain and then study abroad.
 
Peter T. Howe, in a letter written to Tatler in which he talks about the arrival and experience of the Princess of Asturias.

"We are delighted the princess is joining us. As a student entering UWC Atlantic she will be one of a wonderful group of vibrant young people living and learning together. We hope very much she enjoys her time in Wales and have little doubt she will thrive as a member of our amazing community."
https://www.tatler.com/article/princess-leonor-of-spain-uwc-atlantic-college-in-wales


It is disappointing that Atlantic College referred to HRH The Princess of Asturias as "HRH Princess Leonor of Asturias", which would be equivalent to referring to Prince Charles (HRH The Prince of Wales) as "HRH Prince Charles of Wales". Even though it was probably an honest mistake, a supposedly elite college should know better.


I think this will be a great opportunity for Leonor to come into her own. She seems like a somewhat timid girl who’s had a very sheltered upbringing. It will do her good to be able to have a little independence, develop close relationships with kids from different backgrounds, and spend some time abroad.

The window for Leonor to be able to live anywhere other than Spain is narrow - she gets these two years and then probably another couple of years during her post secondary education. I don’t know if a 15 year old can be expected to grasp how quickly this period of relative freedom will pass, but I hope she does get it on some level and makes a point of really enjoying this time.


I hope she does well there, but I think it will be a big cultural shock. Atlantic College looks very different from the private Catholic school Leonor was attending in Spain and life in Wales is miles apart from life in Spain. On top of that, Leonor will be younger on average than her classmates and, in terms of personality, she doesn't look very well-cut for boarding school and what it entails, especially for teenagers.



Just a feeling. I hope I am wrong. I am confident she will do fine academically in any case as she looks very smart and hard-working.
 
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It is disappointing that Atlantic College referred to HRH The Princess of Asturias as "HRH Princess Leonor of Asturias", which would be equivalent to referring to Prince Charles (HRH The Prince of Wales) as "HRH Prince Charles of Wales". Even though it was probably an honest mistake, a supposedly elite college should know better.

I wonder if that is because Leonor is, from their point of view, a member of a foreign royal family and therefore informing their readers takes precedence over using the normal forms of address of the foreign royal house of which she is a member. It could be similar to how foreign royal watchers choose to refer to "Prince Alexander of Sweden" or "Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este", even knowing that those are not their correct styles in Sweden or Belgium respectively.
 
We don't know who initiated this move, perhaps it was the princess herself.
 
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I wonder if that is because Leonor is, from their point of view, a member of a foreign royal family and therefore informing their readers takes precedence over using the normal forms of address of the foreign royal house of which she is a member. It could be similar to how foreign royal watchers choose to refer to "Prince Alexander of Sweden" or "Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este", even knowing that those are not their correct styles in Sweden or Belgium respectively.

However, if the goal was to inform their readers. Wouldn't the title 'HRH Princess Leonor of Spain' be much more informative? I don't think all readers will be aware that Asturias is a Spanish region; and even less so that someone called princess of Asturias will be a princess (more specifically the heir) of the royal house of Spain?!
 
I wonder if that is because Leonor is, from their point of view, a member of a foreign royal family and therefore informing their readers takes precedence over using the normal forms of address of the foreign royal house of which she is a member. It could be similar to how foreign royal watchers choose to refer to "Prince Alexander of Sweden" or "Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este", even knowing that those are not their correct styles in Sweden or Belgium respectively.

I suspect it's just a mistake. It wasn't the college that mis wrote her name, it was the Tatler writer Tori Cadogan. Tatler should also know better but there you are.

We've seen that even Royal Courts that should know better getting foreign (to them) titles mixed up. Most places in the UK get "HRH The Prince of Wales" right but I've seen articles talking about "Prince Charles of Wales" before now or even Charles, Prince of Wales. To say nothing of the confusion about "Duchess Kate Middleton" or Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex" for example where SEO seems to be the most important thing.
 
I wonder if that is because Leonor is, from their point of view, a member of a foreign royal family and therefore informing their readers takes precedence over using the normal forms of address of the foreign royal house of which she is a member. It could be similar to how foreign royal watchers choose to refer to "Prince Alexander of Sweden" or "Archduchess Anna Astrid of Austria-Este", even knowing that those are not their correct styles in Sweden or Belgium respectively.


I think Leonor's case is different because, whereas there are several living Princes of Sweden or Archdukes of Austria-Este, there is only one living person in the world bearing the title of Princess of Asturias, as there is also only one living person in the world who bears the title of Prince of Wales.


Therefore, "Princess of Asturias" in my opinion uniquely identifies Doña Leonor de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Ortiz, just as "Prince of Wales" uniquely identifies The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George. There is no need to add the name Leonor to the designation "of Asturias" to identify her to potential readers, whether in Spain or overseas.


Of course, I am pretty sure that, when Leonor is enrolled in the college, her given names and family names will be entered in the college register, just as Charles' given names appear on his sons' birth certificates, his marriage certificate and his UK passport.
 
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Princess Leonor will preside over her first solo event at the Instituto Cervantes on March 24.
The Princess of Asturias will preside over the event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the creation of the organization for the promotion and teaching of the Spanish language.

Statement:
"His Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias, commissioned by Her Majesty the King, will preside over at the Cervantes Institute on March 24th the event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the creation of the institute. In her first solo activity and as a symbolic act, the Princess of Asturias will deposit in the Caja de las Letras the copy of the Constitution that she read on October 31, 2018 and the copy of El Quixote whose reading she shared on April 23, 2020 with Infanta Sofia.
The Princess of Asturias uttered her first words in public with the reading of the Constitution on October 31, 2018 at the headquarters of the Cervantes Institute, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of our Constitution. And he participated on April 23 last year, together with Infanta Sofia, in the collective reading of El Quixote that is organized annually on The Day of Letters. This edition was dedicated to all health and collective staff of essential services who put all their efforts into the fight against COVID19.
Princess Leonor will take a tour of the facilities of the Cervantes Institute, where she will have the opportunity to know the digitization projects of the Institute and to visit an exhibition with a sample of outstanding works of literature in the different co-official languages in Spain".

https://www.hola.com/realeza/casa_e.../princesa-leonor-primer-compromiso-solitario/
 
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Oh looking forward to this event. Princess Lenore is a beautiful young who seems to be growing in confidence when speaking to an audience.
 
However, if the goal was to inform their readers. Wouldn't the title 'HRH Princess Leonor of Spain' be much more informative? I don't think all readers will be aware that Asturias is a Spanish region; and even less so that someone called princess of Asturias will be a princess (more specifically the heir) of the royal house of Spain?!

I think Leonor's case is different because, whereas there are several living Princes of Sweden or Archdukes of Austria-Este, there is only one living person in the world bearing the title of Princess of Asturias, as there is also only one living person in the world who bears the title of Prince of Wales.

Therefore, "Princess of Asturias" in my opinion uniquely identifies Doña Leonor de Todos los Santos de Borbón y Ortiz, just as "Prince of Wales" uniquely identifies The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George. There is no need to add the name Leonor to the designation "of Asturias" to identify her to potential readers, whether in Spain or overseas.


My point was simply that people often decide to write foreign royal titles in "mistaken" ways. It is well-known that Princess Anna Astrid is not identified as "Archduchess" in Belgium and Prince Alexander is not identified as "of Sweden" in Sweden, but foreign royal watchers continuously refer to them in that manner.

However, I take Somebody's point that if the college was not interested in following Spanish protocol, referring to Princess Leonor of Spain would have been more informative to readers.


I suspect it's just a mistake. It wasn't the college that mis wrote her name, it was the Tatler writer Tori Cadogan. Tatler should also know better but there you are.

We've seen that even Royal Courts that should know better getting foreign (to them) titles mixed up. Most places in the UK get "HRH The Prince of Wales" right but I've seen articles talking about "Prince Charles of Wales" before now or even Charles, Prince of Wales. To say nothing of the confusion about "Duchess Kate Middleton" or Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex" for example where SEO seems to be the most important thing.

Tatler likely copied the mistake from the college's press release which uses Princess Leonor of Asturias.

Announcement: HRH Princess Leonor of Asturias | News | UWC Atlantic College
 
Oh looking forward to this event. Princess Lenore is a beautiful young who seems to be growing in confidence when speaking to an audience.

I wonder if the queen and the Infanta Sofía will be present?
 
Is she the first prince/ss from young generation to have a solo event? IIRC even Elisabeth hasn't had a solo event before.
 
According to the statement, Princess Leonor will go to this event alone.


Isn't she too young (at 15) to have a solo event like that ?


Maybe the King is pushing her too hard for her age. What do you think?
 
Isn't she too young (at 15) to have a solo event like that ?


Maybe the King is pushing her too hard for her age. What do you think?

She's not exactly going alone. She will certainly she accompanied by assistants from the royal house.
This will be a big step for her, it is the first event she will attend without being accompanied by other members of the royal family.
I don't know if the King is pressuring her, but if she's going to have an event on her own, it's because they think she's ready.
 
Fifteen does seem young and, yet, she appears particularly poised and confident for her age.
 
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