Princess Leonor attended for the first time this Saturday the central event of Armed Forces Day, held in Vigo, accompanied by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia. The day included a military parade, which was affected by adverse weather conditions, with clouds causing the cancellation of aircraft flights and the suspension of the paratrooper team's jump.
Subsequently, the King's toast was held, in which Felipe VI addressed Princess Leonor, highlighting her military training and her participation in the ceremony.
Recognition for Leonor's Training
During the toast, the monarch emphasized that Leonor was participating as a 4th-year student ensign in the Air Force and highlighted her recent accreditation as a volunteer paratrooper, represented by the rokiski emblem, a parachute over a red circle that certifies the completion of the course. According to the King, this distinction has not been obtained by all her classmates in her promotion, nor by himself.
Felipe VI also mentioned that Leonor will soon wear another emblem related to her training as a pilot upon receiving her lieutenant's commission, scheduled for next year.
The King's Words
The monarch described his daughter's achievement as a completion of a training cycle, carried out with effort and dedication over the last three years, and publicly acknowledged her performance and enthusiasm: "Congratulations, Leonor. You are a few days away from finishing your year at the Air and Space Academy, but it's clear you've enjoyed it, so we are very happy."
The King combined recognition with a familiar tone, joking with the attendees about his dual role as father and supreme commander: "It's not for me to say, but as a father I can also say it, and as supreme commander, we'll see."
Toast to the Armed Forces and the Guardia Civil
King Felipe VI closed the event by dedicating his toast to all members of the Armed Forces and the Guardia Civil, as well as their families: "To you, to your families, who must be present and support you, and to all those who have accompanied us to celebrate our Armed Forces. And all together for what unites us most, for Spain."