The Princess of Asturias, Leonor de Borbón y Ortiz, has been distinguished this Wednesday with the Gold Medal of the Region of Murcia, which was presented to her by the president of the regional Executive, Fernando López Miras, in a ceremony held in the desacralized church of San Esteban, adjacent to the regional government headquarters.
The ceremony opened with an address by López Miras, who stressed that "it would be difficult to find a more suitable place to culminate this stage of human, military, and personal training" than the Region of Murcia, which he defined as a land "deeply Spanish, open, loyal, and welcoming." "Whoever shares the life of the Region of Murcia becomes part of it forever. This will always be your home," he remarked.
In her acceptance speech, Doña Leonor alluded to the song by the Cartagena group Arde Bogotá to express her bond with the community: "Like a cowboy on the A-3, I will miss that journey I have traveled so many times on the way to the sea," she said on the day she "symbolically" bids farewell to the Region of Murcia.
After receiving the distinction, Her Royal Highness recalled some of the key moments of her stay in the community. She highlighted the role of San Javier, where she stated that she has "lived and broadened my way of understanding camaraderie, because to fly in formation, one must be very aware of the importance of fully trusting one's own abilities and those of one's companion."
She explained that, "although I still have a month left at the General Air and Space Academy, today I symbolically close a chapter that has been essential for me." The Princess highlighted that at the AGA she shared "more than classes, flights, and maneuvers" with her fellow students in the squadron.
Among the experiences she cited is the well-known 'suelta,' the first solo flight of a student pilot, which in her case allowed her to fly over Cabo de Palos and La Manga. That moment, she recounted, helped her to "overcome another obstacle, a feeling I will never forget."
She also recalled the rowing sessions at sea, during which she was "a witness to the importance of this sea of yours, with such unique geography and fragile nature." "A reality that concerns the people of Murcia," she added.
She has also mentioned her recent training at the 'Méndez Parada' Military Parachuting School, in Alcantarilla, where she confessed that she entrusted herself to "la Morenica", patron saint of Murcia, before jumping into the void.
After three years of military instruction, the Princess of Asturias has stated that she understands "very well the appreciation that Spanish society has for our Armed Forces" and has expressed her admiration for "their competence, their professionalism, and the way they teach all of us who study in military academies the values of commitment, loyalty, and dedication in the service of others".
Doña Leonor has shown her gratitude for the honors received during the day and has emphasized that in the Region she perceives "an air of kindness and closeness that does not go unnoticed and that has accompanied me this course". She has assured that she accepts the distinctions "with humility and gratitude and with the desire to always be up to them" and has announced that she faces her next training phase "with enthusiasm and with the intention of moving forward". "I continue to learn and I continue to understand," she added.
In her speech, she also had a few words for those affected by the fire declared in the Murcian district of Los Garres, wishing them that "it ends as soon as possible and the residents can return to their homes".
During the ceremony, the Princess signed the Golden Book of the Region of Murcia, becoming the first member of the Royal Family to do so. She thanked the people of Murcia "for opening the doors of this land to me and for teaching me so much".
The heiress to the throne was accompanied by her colleagues from the AGA, present at this third institutional event she has starred in the community after receiving the Gold Medal of the Regional Assembly, the Medal of the Villa of San Javier, and her appointment as Adoptive Daughter of this municipality, where she has completed her third year of military training at the General Air and Space Academy.
Among the authorities attending were the Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen; the president of the Regional Assembly, Visitación Martínez; the Government delegate, Francisco Lucas, and the mayor of Murcia, Rebeca Pérez.
Also attending were the Admiral of Maritime Action, Vicente Cuquerella; the president of the Superior Court of Justice of the Region of Murcia, Manuel Luna; the superior prosecutor of the Murcia TSJ, José Luis Díaz Manzanera; regional and national parliamentarians, senators, and the rectors of the UMU, UPCT, and UCAM universities.
Likewise, the mayors of 35 Murcian municipalities, the bishop of the Diocese of Cartagena, José Manuel Lorca Planes, other military authorities, and representatives of professional organizations, social agents, third-sector entities, media directors, athletes such as Alejandro Valverde, Pedro León, or Máximo Quiles, and artists such as Pedro Cano, Walls, or Nicolás de Maya, painter and sculptor who signs the work that the regional government will present to H.R.H. the Princess of Asturias, were also present.
Throughout the day, Her Royal Highness wore the special daily uniform of an Air Force ensign, accompanied by the Grand Cross of Military Merit, the Grand Cross of Naval Merit, the Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III, and the insignia of the Order of the Holy Christ of Portugal.
The facade of San Esteban had been adorned days before to receive the Princess with two banners 9 meters high by 2 meters wide. One of them shows an image of the Princess of Asturias, and the other features the quote: "I ask you to trust in me, as I have placed all my trust in our future, in the future of Spain." These words belong to her speech on October 31, 2023, during the institutional act of her oath of the Spanish Constitution before the Cortes Generales upon reaching the age of majority.