Wednesday 20 May 2015

A princess's progress

She is probably the least visible of Europe's heirs to the throne but today Spain's Princess Leonor was centre stage as she took part in a big milestone. As the future queen made her First Communion she greeted the cameras with confidence and even answered journalists' questions.


Princess Leonor with her family on the day of her first communion

Leonor made her First Communion in the Church of Our Lady of The Assumption of Aravaca along with 19 of her school companions. The service took place at 12 noon with the princess arriving just before that with her parents, Felipe and Letizia, and her sister, Sofia, and her paternal grandparents, Juan Carlos and Sofia.


The ceremony was private but it is understood that Leonor took her place among her classmates in alphabetical order and her family also sat according to those rules with Spain's two kings and two queens and its youngest infanta taking their places in the second row.  The princess, like all her classmates, wore her school uniform but as it was a special occasion they donned their blazers rather than jumpers or cardigans. 


After the ceremony the royals posed for more photos with Leonor telling reporters that she had been nervous during the service, that she was very happy and that there would be more celebrations back home on this big day in her young life.


It was also a big day for Spain's royals as it is the first time that six members of the Royal Household have appeared together in public since the day that Felipe VI succeeded his father, June 19th 2014. They smiled for photos before being joined for more snaps by Letizia's parents and her paternal grandmother. Queen Sofia showered her granddaughter with hugs and kisses during the photocall. And as the royals left, Juan Carlos put his arm round his son and successor.


But the day was all about the third generation of rulers in the House of Borbon and Leonor appeared calm and relaxed as she starred in one of the biggest moments in her public life so far. If her younger sister, Sofia, appeared even more laid back that may be because she wasn't the one taking centre stage. Today was all about a future monarch as she made another important step forward in her public life.


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