A week after embarking on the training ship Juan Sebastián Elcano, Princess Leonor and her 75 fellow midshipmen continue their intense training voyage.
Despite being the heir to the throne, 19-year-old Leonor has no special privileges on board. She faces the same day-to-day life as her shipmates: in confined spaces, with a strict routine, night watches and a life without luxuries.
Inside Princess Leonor’s Life Aboard the Training Ship Elcano
After an emotional farewell in Cadiz, where the tears of Queen Letizia and the pride of King Felipe VI reflected how difficult it is for parents to see their daughter leave, Leonor is already in Tenerife, the first stop of the trip.
Although the Royal House and the Navy have assured that the princess is “just another midshipman” on the ship, her royal role is resumed every time Elcano makes landfall.
During the stops, Leonor will resume her role as princess, but the main objective of her training is for her to live the experience like any other young sailor.
It is expected that Leonor, in addition to receiving naval training, will be an ambassador for Spain in America, but she will also be given time to rest and enjoy her voyage with her shipmates.
This voyage represents not only a professional experience, but also a great personal challenge for Leonor, who, like the rest of the midshipmen, is facing a very different environment to the one she is used to.
As Colate Vallejo-Nágera, a former midshipman himself, says, living in a confined space and the constant movement of the ship is a transforming experience.
Princess Leonor’s route aboard the training ship Elcano
The voyage began with an emotional farewell in Cadiz, and on January 17, Elcano made its first stop in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
From there, the ship will continue its route to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and then cross the Atlantic, with its first destination in Brazil.
The Salvador de Bahia carnival will coincide with the ship’s arrival on February 14, followed by Montevideo and Chile, where the ship will call at Punta Arenas and Valparaiso.
The voyage will continue to Peru, Panama and Colombia, with stops in Cartagena de Indias and Santo Domingo.
The last leg of the voyage will take Princess Leonor to New York, where she will finish her journey before returning to Spain.
Despite the distance, Leonor knows that her parents and other members of the royal family will follow her progress during the ship’s stops.
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia will be keeping an eye on her progress at all times.