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

[W.Y.CII]

If it's a more formal event like ceremony or meeting it may be too early for her. From what I understand it seems that it's a relatively casual and relaxing event, which I think would be fine for her age.

 

[kathia_sophia]

Is she the first prince/ss from young generation to have a solo event? IIRC even Elisabeth hasn't had a solo event before.

Princess Lalla Khadija went on a solo event not too long ago and she is younger than Leonor. Crown Prince Moulay Hassan has been doing solo events for a while now, and he is just two years older than Leonor.


I don't remember if Ingrid Alexandra went solo or not, but I remember that she went to a inauguration of a ship. Did she go solo?


Elisabeth has been to some events, but she is either accompanied by her parents, or just her father or just her mother, or even just one sibling (last time she visited an Elderly Home with Emmanuel, which was remarkable in itself, as the older one, she had to take the lead).

 

[W.Y.CII]

Thanks for the info!

IIRC Ingrid Alexandra had christening the ship accompanied by her father. She also had some event with her grandmother for her sculpture park.

Regarding Elisabeth, yes I remember that too. She and also Gabriel were remarkable in these event with their young siblings.

 

[kathia_sophia]

It seems to be a good event for Leonor, not too formal, just like the one Lalla Khadija did 3 months ago.

 

[Princess_Eleanor]

Ingrid Alexandra has definitely never been on a solo engagement, she has always been accompanied by at least one of her parents or grandparents.

I can also not think of another example for the young generation of European royals, except for the nursing home visit by Elisabeth & Emmanuel and the corresponding volunteer event that Gabriel & Eleonore did (which I agree was absolutely lovely and so well done by all of them!)

Leonor does seem quite young to be doing an engagement all by herself. In general there's just so much pressure on her. I think she's doing really well, but it seems like a lot for a 15-year-old.

 

[lula]

At the age of 15, her father made his first official solo trip to Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).

https://www.hola.com/imagenes/reale...rey-felipe-colombia/0-283-580/felipe-3--a.jpg
https://www.hola.com/imagenes/reale...rey-felipe-colombia/0-283-563/felipe-1--a.jpg
https://www.hola.com/imagenes/reale...rey-felipe-colombia/0-283-564/felipe-2--a.jpg

 

[BriarRose]

I think 15 is very young, but I also think she is able able to handle it.

I used to think young heirs should have a long time before they started handling official duties, but after years of royal-watching, I think it may be wiser to start them off slowly as teenagers.

A solo event is a big deal though. ETA: it appears she is very much following in her father's steps.

 

[Mbruno]

At the age of 15, her father made his first official solo trip to Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).

https://www.hola.com/imagenes/reale...rey-felipe-colombia/0-283-580/felipe-3--a.jpg
https://www.hola.com/imagenes/reale...rey-felipe-colombia/0-283-563/felipe-1--a.jpg
https://www.hola.com/imagenes/reale...rey-felipe-colombia/0-283-564/felipe-2--a.jpg

Interesting. What was he doing alone in another country (Colombia) and in another continent (South America) at the age of 15?

 

[Alison H]

It's a big step for a 15-year-old. Good luck to her - I hope it goes well. I'm sure it will .

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'm sure the Princess will excel,a most confident royal young lady.

 

[janelarn]

!I'm so excited! If Leonor has her first act alone, it is because she feels ready and wants to do it. In no way would she pressure Felipe on her daughter, so much so that he loves her. Felipe had her first INTERNATIONAL solo act of hers at the same age and he's not overprotecting her.
He is truly charming as this princess embraces her destiny. Very emotive.: flores:

Interesting. What was he doing alone in another country (Colombia) and in another continent (South America) at the age of 15?

First official trip abroad, to Colombia, to represent the Headquarters of the State on the 450th anniversary of the City of Cartagena de Indias

The then prince Felipe has been in all the inaugurations of the presidents of Hispano America

 

[janelarn]

If it's a more formal event like ceremony or meeting it may be too early for her. From what I understand it seems that it's a relatively casual and relaxing event, which I think would be fine for her age.

It is a formal and official act! At the Instituto Cervantes !, which is something so prestigious ... Leonor wants to be queen and please. She likes the role of hers and she shows it. Felipe already had acts at his age and at 15 or 16 he already represented his father both in Colombia and in Luxembourg to attend the funerals for the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg on behalf of his father, on the 15th of July 1983

 

[kathia_sophia]

I don't think she is too young though. Each person is different, and maturity also varies between individuals. Leonor seems to be very mature in behavior, so she perhaps feels that she is ready to go solo.


As for the formality of the event. Instituto Cervantes might be prestigious, but her visit won't be that "formal". It says "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". It is mostly a tour within the Instituto (no speeches, no awards, no debates). I think it will be like the tour Lalla Khadija did in a museum, a little bit of formality in arrival/dress code and a tour within the facilities with proper guides and dignitaries.

 

[Blog Real]

His Royal Highness the Princess of Asturias, commissioned by Her Majesty the King, will preside over at the Cervantes Institute the event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the creation of the organization for the promotion and teaching of the Spanish language.
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 event will take place next Wednesday and will start at 12:00 (Spanish time) and will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel of the royal house (in the video below).

 

[PrincessofEurope]

Very exciting to see Leonor take part in her first solo activity - the royal house obviously feel she is ready and confident in doing so.

I think both her father and mother have raised her to have a strong sense of duty and are preparing her a great deal behind the scenes for her future role. I have read comments on this forum before how she seems the most timid of the heirs/young heirs and that she has lead a more sheltered life than most by the attendance of her private school and limited press exposure - obviously Felipe and Letizia have been the behind scenes preparing Leonor.

I look forward to the event tomorrow not matter how informal or formal it is. It is a big sep in the role of the Princess of Asturias

 

[amaryllus]

The irony is The most sheltered and protected of heiresses is going to be the figurehead over one of the least publicly popular and scandal ridden of modern monarchies. She is going to to have to have some back bone and fortitude for sure.

 

[Blog Real]

The irony is The most sheltered and protected of heiresses is going to be the figurehead over one of the least publicly popular and scandal ridden of modern monarchies. She is going to to have to have some back bone and fortitude for sure.

I have the realization that most of the Spanish people have no dislike for the Princess of Asturias.
The only area of Spain where it can be less well received is in Catalonia.
I believe she knows and has some sense of criticism that the royal family receives.

 

[Queen Ester]

The irony is The most sheltered and protected of heiresses is going to be the figurehead over one of the least publicly popular and scandal ridden of modern monarchies. She is going to to have to have some back bone and fortitude for sure.

I think she will do fine, Letizia will rehearse and coach her. I love Leonor, she is a sweetheart with a backbone, like her mother.

 

[kathia_sophia]

I have the realization that most of the Spanish people have no dislike for the Princess of Asturias.
The only area of Spain where it can be less well received is in Catalonia.
I believe she knows and has some sense of criticism that the royal family receives.

I do agree As for Catalonia, I believe her speech in Catalan was positively received in Catalonia. People were obviously happy to know that their princess knows their language.

 

[Mbruno]

I have the realization that most of the Spanish people have no dislike for the Princess of Asturias.
The only area of Spain where it can be less well received is in Catalonia.
I believe she knows and has some sense of criticism that the royal family receives.

That is true. Support for the Royal Family and the monarchy, if you exclude Catalonia and the Basque Country, is actually quite high (probably well above 60 %). It is only when those regions are included in the polls that support drops and, even so, it is still above 50% in most polls I have seen.



Catalonia is anti-monarchist/ republican, but, above all, it is anti-Spanish. Its opposition to the monarchy comes mostly from the identification of the monarchy with the unitary Spanish state. The same, I think, in the Basque country.


In any case, the Spanish elite doesn't want the end of the monarchy. And abolishing the monarchy would be constitutionally very difficult. Separatism is actually the only credible threat.

 

[Prinsara]

Whether she does well or she doesn't (and I think she'll do just fine), she has to do it at some point.

And at least they're not sending her to Colombia -- good grief! (Can you imagine if this board had been around then??)

Leonor has always appeared to be smart, and she definitely seems to be quite thoughtful and mature. With any luck, going solo will give her the confidence she needs to do the job, too.

 

[amaryllus]

Every Royal chick has got to leave the gilded nest sooner or later and fly just some are ready a little sooner than others .

 

[BriarRose]

Compared to other European royal families, I'm not sure that Leonor is more sheltered than her peers, though I agree that has often been stated about her.

She has appeared at annual royal events since her father became King and participated in photo calls since she started school. Her first big public speech was on her 13th birthday, which seems earlier, or at least contemporary to, other European heirs at her age.

I'm not even sure she is timid or shy- yes, we don't see her pranking photographers or posing sassily at photocalls, but that's because I think her parents have very high expectations for her when she is on duty, and I think she has very high expectations of herself. There are a few royal children who definitely appear shy (my heart always goes out to them), but they are hiding behind family members during public events, avoiding eye contact with the press.

I think if she were male she would be described as confident but thoughtful. Not shy.

 

[janelarn]

The irony is The most sheltered and protected of heiresses is going to be the figurehead over one of the least publicly popular and scandal ridden of modern monarchies. She is going to to have to have some back bone and fortitude for sure.

The most sheltered and protected of heiresses is Leonor?I dont think so
Where is Catherina-Amalia? And Christian? And Ingrid? And Elizabeth? Have they had events for a year? Have you had solo events? Have they had important events? Only family photos or very controlled poses.
On the subject of scandals, I would say that the British Royal House is going through a very bad time with the whole Harry and Meghan show, Andrew's influence peddling, or the issue of child pornography; in Sweden the confessed infidelities of the Swedish king, the illegitimate daughter of the former Belgian king, the enormous amount of millions of euros spent on the remodeling of the palace of King Guilllemo of Holland or his escape in the middle of the pandemic to his Greek mansion ... not declared that the Danish heirs were renting an undeclared house to pay their expenses,the lack of an agenda from them for many many mont
In any case, everything should not be mixed with the first event in solitude of Leonor, who is a beloved and adorable princess in Spain. It is my opinion as a Spaniard, of course
It seems good to me that each royal house chooses the way to educate its children, but you do not have to say that it is the most shy and protected when the facts tell us the opposite.
Leonor and Sofía play on the pitch, they do not take photos, but go to events and all of them are important.

 

[Blog Real]

I also think Leonor and Sofia aren't the most protected royalty of their generation.
Catharina-Amalia and her sisters, Christian and her brothers, Ingrid Alexandra and Sverre Magnus of Norway seem to be more protected than they are.
I think Princess Elisabeth of Belgium and her brothers must be on the same level as Leonor and Sofia, and they're not so protected either.
Leonor and Sofia already appear in many events and are getting more and more prominent and this already differentiates them from the other young people of their generation royalty.

 

[kathia_sophia]

They were very protected before Felipe became King (and I remember such talk in this forum around then). But after Felipe became King, Leonor and Sofia, especially Leonor, became more "visible" in the public eye. In fact, Leonor is the only one who increased her royal role much more than the other young heirs in Europe (Elisabeth too, but Leonor, at just 15 years old, has done way more things such as readings, speeches, attending events with her parents, and now a solo event).

 

[iceflower]

Here are some first photos of the anniversary of the Cervantes Institute today:



** josepgegundez.photoshelter gallery ** rex gallery ** ppe gallery ** gettyimages gallery ** casareal **


** hola article: La princesa Leonor, muy sonriente y agradecida en su primer acto en solitario como Heredera **


** hola article: Leonor recupera sus 'kitten heels' y el vestido español que batió récords **


** semana: Sonriente, algo nerviosa y repitiendo vestido… La Princesa Leonor es la protagonista .. **


** dm article: Princess Leonor of Spain, 15, makes her solo debut: Heir to the throne is perfectly poised as she carries out..**

 

[lula]

Spain’s Princess Leonor presides 1st event without parents

Spain’s Princess Leonor de Borbón presided over her first public event without the presence of her father, King Felipe VI, on Wednesday at the 30th anniversary celebration of a language and cultural center.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/spain-princess-leonor-presides-1st-122310704.html

 

[Blog Real]

Princess Leonor seemed to be nervous, which is normal because it was her first official solo event. Leonor was fine. I liked to see the popular people supporting the princess.

 

[amaryllus]

That’s a great sign... a thinking Empathetic Princess for the win!