Spain is about to make royal history, and it’s a Gen Z queen leading the charge! At just 20, Princess Leonor – eldest daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia – is next in line to become queen, for the first time in 150 years. For the unversed, the last reigning queen was Isabella II in the 1800s. From elite Welsh colleges to Spanish fighter jets, who is this trailblazing heir to the Spanish throne, and when does her coronation take place? Let’s meet the princess rewriting Europe’s throne game.Who is Princess Leonor?Born on 31 October 2005 in Madrid, Leonor was given the title Princess of Asturias at birth – Spain’s top royal role. She is the elder of two sisters; her younger sister, Infanta Sofía, was born in 2007 and is second in line. Their father, King Felipe VI, took the throne in 2014 after their grandfather, Juan Carlos I, abdicated amid scandals. Their mother, Queen Letizia, is a former TV journalist who married into royalty at 32.According to reports, Princess Leonor knows six languages: Spanish, Catalan, English, French, plus basic Arabic and Mandarin. At 18, she swore an oath to the Constitution in Parliament, the official seal on her status as heir. This also cemented her as true Gen Z royalty.Why Princess Leonor is historic: Spain’s queen drought ends
The Bourbons have ruled since the 1700s (post-Habsburg era). Queens in Spain were mostly consorts (the king’s wife). However, Princess Leonor flips the script, as she would be the first reigning queen since Isabella II’s turbulent 19th-century rule. After Spain’s democratic reboot in 1975 during the Juan Carlos era, Felipe’s steady hand helped modernise the crown. Now Leonor may bring a new sense of gender equality and freshness to the monarchy. Fans already call her “Spain’s future” – poised, prepared and progressive.Princess Leonor’s education: From Wales to world-leader prepAccording to reports, Princess Leonor left Spain’s posh schools for UWC Atlantic College in Wales, an elite International Baccalaureate institution known for producing global leaders and a few royals. She studied diplomacy, global affairs and constitutional principles.Military training: pilot, sailor, soldierSpanish law requires heirs to train across the Army, Navy and Air Force. Accordingly, Princess Leonor has done it all:In 2023, she attended Army boot camp in Zaragoza with 560 cadets, where she received no princess perks.In 2024, she served 140 days in the Navy and sailed 17,000 miles on the training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano.She also had a warship stint on the Blas de Lezo, returning later to Cádiz.Her 2025 highlight: her first solo flight in a Pilatus PC-21 at Murcia’s Air and Space Academy.Speaking of awards and recognition, in 2025 her father, King Felipe VI, pinned on her the Grand Cross of Naval Merit, and she was also honoured with Murcia’s Gold Medal.When does Princess Leonor get the crown?While Princess Leonor is the heir apparent to the Spanish throne, there is no fixed date for her accession. It will likely take place if King Felipe abdicates or upon his passing. Meanwhile, Princess Leonor, 20, continues preparing – from diplomatic trips to formal speeches, something she has been doing since the age of 13.In a scandal-scarred European royal landscape (think the Harry-Meghan drama in Britain), Princess Leonor stands out for her sense of duty and quiet confidence.
