Princess Leonor of Spain steps into spotlight with her milestone birthday

Princess Leonor of Spain will turn 18 on Tuesday (Oct 31). With her 18th birthday, she will not only become an adult royal but also the formal heir to the throne. The palace is all lit up to celebrate her milestone birthday as the Spanish royal family released a series of her unpublished photos last week.

Leonor’s birthday will be marked by a formal ceremony in the Spanish Parliament, at which she will swear allegiance to the Constitution before receiving the medals of Congress and the Senate.

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Significance of Leonor’s 18th birthday

Princess Leonor’s birthday will be an elaborate affair. There will be reception in the Royal Palace in Madrid, followed by a family gathering in the El Pardo palace, just outside the capital.

The release of the photos and a series of recent appearances by the princess leading up to her birthday confirm that, after years of having her image carefully shielded, she is now becoming a very public figure.

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"Leonor will need her own narrative," noted royal biographer Carmen Remírez de Ganuza, adding that she "will have to connect with her own digital generation".

While the exact nature of that narrative is not yet clear, the build-up to the princess's arrival as a senior royal has gone smoothly.

Princess Leonor of Spain as young royal

The pictures released by the palace transcend the journey of Princess Leonor as a young royal. From the first day of school to attending the military school in Spain, Leonor has always been an adult royal-in-the-making.

In May, she graduated from UWC Atlantic, a boarding school in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales, where she had been studying for the International Baccalaureate.

As she received her diploma, her fellow students whooped and cheered and her tutor praised her "unwavering passion for learning, for understanding people, and exploring diverse perspectives."

On Aug17 this year, she joined the General Military Academy to start her 3-year military education. The Spanish media then closely followed the conclusion of princess's basic training at the academy. Leonor, like her classmates, was seen performing drill dressed in beret and fatigues and receiving a ceremonial sword.

Her royal duties then came to the fore as she presided over her own Princess of Asturias awards on 20 October.

Decorating individuals from a variety of fields, including Hollywood actress Meryl Streep and Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami, Leonor assured those present, "I fully understand and am conscious of my duties and what my responsibilities entail."

But what lies beyond her royal responsibilities and duties, arethe eyes of ever-growing curious public. Already there is talk of “Leonormania” in light of the interest in her rising profile. From what she wears and who she meets in Spain’s celebrity circle, there is an audience for the princess to be a part of pop culture.

(With inputs from agencies)

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