CNN
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Spain’s Crown Princess Leonor, the inheritor presumptive to the throne, will begin three years of army coaching later this 12 months in preparation for her future function as head of state, Spanish Protection Minister Margarita Robles confirmed at a press convention on Wednesday.
“Within the Cupboard Assembly right now, we now have accepted a royal decree whose intention is to provide construction to the army coaching and profession of (Princess Leonor),” Robles mentioned.
Because the elder of King Felipe VI’s two daughters, the 17-year-old is first within the line of succession and so will develop into the supreme commander of the armed forces when her father both steps down or dies.
Leonor’s army coaching will final for 3 years as she spends a 12 months every with Spain’s military, navy and air power at their respective academies, simply as her father did years earlier, earlier than changing into king.
“It reveals that we are going to have, when the time comes, a supreme commander who’s a girl,” Robles added, “and within the latest years, we’ve made an enormous effort to include ladies into the armed forces.”
Leonor’s coaching will start in August or September, after she finishes her research on the UWC Atlantic School in Wales, which counts many royals amongst its present college students and alumni, together with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his daughter, Princess Alexia.
“It’s an important step within the lifetime of Her Royal Highness … towards the management of our nation,” Robles mentioned.
Upon finishing her army coaching, Leonor could have the rank of ensign within the navy in addition to lieutenant within the military, and air power and house command. She may then research for a college diploma, Robles added.
The Spanish monarchy has confronted intense strain in recent times as Felipe has tried to distance himself from his father, the former King Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos abdicated in favor of his son in June 2014, beneath a cloud of economic scandal and criticism of an elephant-hunting journey to Botswana throughout Spain’s monetary disaster in 2012.
Juan Carlos left the nation in August 2020 as his monetary dealings have been scrutinized. Spanish prosecutors closed their investigations into him final 12 months and didn’t file any fees.