Who is Princess Leonor, the Gen-Z royal set to be Spain’s first queen in 150 years? – Firstpost

Spain stands at the threshold of a historic royal moment. For the first time in nearly 150 years, the nation is poised to have a reigning queen. Her name is Princess Leonor, and she is a 20-year-old Gen-Z royal. Leonor will be the first female monarch to rule in her own right since her great-great-great-great-grandmother Queen Isabella II, whose rule ended in 1868.

There is no fixed date for her becoming queen yet. She will only become Spain’s queen when King Felipe VI, her father, abdicates or dies, according to reports.

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Notably, the Bourbon dynasty has ruled Spain since the early 1700s, following their victory over the Habsburgs during the War of the Spanish Succession. Following the end of General Franco’s dictatorship, the monarchy was restored in 1975 with King Juan Carlos I, who played a vital role in Spain’s transition to democracy. His son, Felipe, succeeded him in 2014 after he abdicated, and Princess Leonor is next in line to the throne.

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Who is Princess Leonor?

Leonor was born in 2005. She is the elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. Felipe tied the knot with Letizia, a former journalist, in 2004. Leonor has a younger sibling, Infanta Sofia, born in 2007, according to NDTV reports. Leonor is the Princess of Asturias and the heir presumptive to the Spanish throne. She completed her schooling in Spain.

Leonor then earned an International Baccalaureate from UWC Atlantic College in Wales, also known as the ‘hippy Hogwarts’ school. It is considered a renowned institution that mainly educates future global leaders and royals, reports Tatler. Leonor’s education was primarily centred on global affairs and constitutional duties, with the aim of preparing her for future roles. She is proficient in many languages, including Spanish, Catalan, English, French, Arabic, and Mandarin.

Several media reports suggest that Leonor was officially declared the heir apparent to the Spanish throne on the day she turned 18, the same day she took the oath in the Spanish parliament.

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How did Leonor become the ultimate Gen-Z royal heir?

In Spain, the law requires that the heir to the throne undergo rigorous military training in the military, and Leonor seemed to have followed her father’s footsteps in honing her military skills. From solo foreign engagements to flying a plane by herself, the Princess of Asturias has come a long way in preparation for her future role.

After her graduation, she officially embarked on a three-year military training programme in 2023 with the army training in Zaragoza. Leonor joined a cohort of 560 cadets there. Following completion, she transitioned to naval training in Galicia, a 140-day, 17,000-mile voyage aboard the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano, reported NDTV. 

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She sailed across the Atlantic, around South America, and up to New York as part of the crew. In July, she returned to Cadiz aboard the Elcano after spending time aboard the warship Blas de Lezo, the media publication noted. In December 2025, she reached a milestone by completing her first solo flight on the Pilatus PC-21, becoming the first female member of the Spanish royal family to do so.

A social media post featured Princess Leonor, dressed in full flying gear, showing all she had learnt through theoretical and practical lessons. After her air force training at the Air and Space Academy in San Javier, the 20-year-old Gen Z will now be rewarded with the Gold Medal of the Region of Murcia - the highest regional award. This marks a notable achievement in her journey as the future Commander-in-Chief of Spain’s Armed Forces.

According to Tatler, Leonor made her first solo engagement at the age of just 15. She visited the Cervantes Institute as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations and presented staff with two books.

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What’s Leonor’s connection with footballer Gavi?

In 2022, Leonor hit the headlines over rumours of dating Spanish footballer Gavi. Several media outlets reported on a potential relationship, but these remained largely unconfirmed. The rumours emerged, according to the Times of India, when King Felipe VI had requested a signed jersey from Gavi. However, the footballer turned down any special personalised gesture for the princess, according to the report. Both individuals, Gavi and Leonor, continue to focus on their respective paths.

With inputs from agencies

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