Princess Leonor made her long-awaited debut at the traditional National Day reception held at the Royal Palace in Madrid on October 12.
The 17-year-old heir to the Spanish throne showed poise and professionalism as she greeted guests alongside her parents, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.
Princess Leonor’s first reception at the Royal Palace
The Princess of Asturias wore the same military uniform for the royal reception after presiding over the military parade but did not wear the beret.
This Thursday was the first time she wore publicly the dress uniform of the Army.
The Princess stood in the reception line behind her parents, welcoming the dignitaries and the more than 3,000 guests during the two-hour event.
Despite only two months of military training, Leonor carried herself with the maturity befitting her role as a future queen.
The queen also helped explain to Leonor the identity of the guests throughout the ceremony.
The heir to the throne also shared smiles and impressions with her father, maintaining her concentration despite the large crowd.
King Felipe closely guided the princess at times to support her performance at her debut reception.
In a touching unplanned moment, Leonor’s classmates from the military academy made a surprise appearance that brought laughter from the princess.
The reunion with her classmates gave Leonor a touch of normalcy amid the formality.
Princess Leonor’s impeccable debut welcoming guests at the Royal Palace reception marked a milestone in her preparation to one day occupy the throne.