Long before her military training, Princess Leonor was introduced to public life step by step. Today, as heir to the throne, she holds two important roles in Spanish civil society.
The Princess of Asturias Foundation
As Princess of Asturias, Leonor is the honorary head of the Princess of Asturias Foundation, which awards the annual Princess of Asturias Awards in Oviedo. The awards recognise achievements in fields such as science, the arts, communication, sport and international cooperation, and are among the most respected prizes in the Spanish-speaking world.
She gave her first major speech at the awards in October 2019, aged 13. In October 2024 she attended for the first time as an adult and addressed the laureates, and in October 2025 she presided over the ceremony. The foundation also runs the Exemplary Town Award, which honours a small Asturian village for community spirit; in 2025 she spoke at the award in Valdesoto.
The Princess of Girona Foundation
She also heads the Princess of Girona Foundation, which supports young people with education, training and entrepreneurship programmes. At its 2019 awards in Barcelona she spoke in four languages: Spanish, Catalan, English and Arabic.
Meeting volunteers and communities
- December 2022: visited the Spanish Red Cross headquarters in Madrid and met young Red Cross volunteers.
- July 2024: made her first official foreign visit, to Portugal, with a focus on ocean protection.
- September 2025: visited Navarre with her parents to mark 600 years of the title Princess of Viana.
- May 2026: attended her first Armed Forces Day in Vigo.
Languages and preparation
Leonor speaks Spanish, Catalan and English fluently, and has studied French, Galician, Basque, Arabic and Mandarin. She completed the International Baccalaureate at UWC Atlantic College in Wales in 2023.
Sources
Spanish Royal Household; Princess of Asturias Foundation; Wikipedia.
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