Princess Leonor starred this Friday in a new milestone in her career as heir to the throne of Spain with her first official trip abroad in Portugal, which will be concentrated in Lisbon for about six hours, in which she will be accompanied by the president of the republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The heiress to the throne was seen off with honors at the State pavilion of Madrid’s Barajas airport, from where she begins her official trip to the Portuguese Republic.
This farewell format is only reserved for state visits of the kings. So this trip to Lisbon is added to other highlights in the institutional trajectory of the heiress to the throne.
Princess Leonor in Portugal
The eldest daughter of the King and Queen of Spain traveled to Portugal in a Spanish Air Force plane which landed at the military airfield Figo Maduro, where she was received with a cordon of honor in the presence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; the Ambassador of Spain in the Portuguese Republic, Juan Fernandez Trigo and by the Chief of Protocol of the Portuguese Republic, Jorge Silva.
Leonor made her way through the cordon of honor to the emblematic Monastery of Jerónimos e Santa María de Belém to lay a wreath at the tomb of the main icon of Portuguese literature, the poet Luís de Camões.
Afterwards, Leonor made a tour around the Monastery before leaving escorted by a cavalry squadron to the Belém Palace, which is located next to the monastery, for her official meeting with the President, Rebelo de Sousa.
Already in the Palace of Belém, the Grand Cross of the Order of Christ was imposed on her in the Ambassadors Hall and she signed the Book of Honor.
The day concluded with a lunch offered in honor of the Princess of Asturias, where she gave a speech in which she recalled the special relationship of her parents the King and Queen with Portugal.
“Ten years ago this beloved country was the first destination of my parents as King and Queen of Spain, so I cannot deny how special it is also for me to be here today” and stressed that “they, who have been here on so many occasions, have spoken to me with great affection, “com saudade”, of their visits to Portugal, of the affection they have received in its streets and how you have made them always feel at home”. “That is how I feel today”, concluded Leonor.
The toast followed, at which point Princess Leonor again showed her mastery of languages and in perfect Portuguese said: “I would like to make a toast to these magnificent relations, to Your Excellency, dear President Rebelo de Sousa, and to the dear Portuguese people, whom I esteem so much. Cheers”.
The choice of Portugal as the destination for the Princess of Asturias’ first official trip abroad reflects and reinforces the bonds of fraternity and closeness that unite both countries.