Princess Leonor’s popularity has grown exponentially in recent years.
The heir to the throne has hundreds of fan accounts on social networks and her videos on the official channel of the Royal Household are the most viewed.
A sign that she has a lot of followers is the viralization of a TikTok video where a portrait made by a Spanish painter named Rafael Castejón, a 21-year-old student, appears.
Princess Leonor Portrait
The painting shows the heiress dressed the same as when she swore to the Constitution and has captivated many young people on social networks.
After the success of the portrait, Castejón decided to contact La Zarzuela Palace to send the painting to the princess.
However, the Royal Palace declined the offer, thanking her for the gesture. “We are very grateful, but it will not be possible to give it to Doña Leonor,” said Zarzuela.
Despite this, the painter does not lose hope and plans to send it anyway.
As Castejón explained to the Spanish website Monarquía Confidencial, the idea of portraying Leonor had been on his mind for months, but it was not until October 31, when the princess turned 18 and went to Congress to swear in the Constitution, that he made the decision.
The painting, made in just one month, shows a smiling Leonor in a white suit.
The artist sought to capture the charisma of the young princess and thus reach out to the youthful society, whom he admires for her dedication to Spain.
This is the first time that the painter tackled the portrait of a member of the Royal House.
The composition was completely original, not based on any previous image, and was done in oil and tempera on canvas.
Castejón revealed that he began by sketching the first strokes of the figure in pencil and, after considering different options, finally opted for a full-body centered image.
The success of the portrait now encourages Castejón to also paint a picture of the Infanta Sofía, although he will not start it until January due to overwork and estimates a month for its execution.
The initiative of this young and talented artist demonstrates the closeness that many young people feel to the heiress to the throne. The future of the Spanish monarchy looks promising.