If you’re one of those who closely follow Princess Leonor’s military training, this will interest you. The San Javier General Air Academy, where Princess Leonor is in her third year as an officer cadet, will open its doors on May 8.
And this isn’t just any tourist visit: the event is a flag-raising ceremony for civilians, organized by the Ministry of Defense. There are only 80 places available. The ceremony will take place at 12:00 p.m., and the registration period closes on May 7.
To participate, you must be a Spanish citizen, at least 18 years old, and not have taken the oath of allegiance in the last 25 years. You can register using your Cl@ve digital certificate or by submitting a form to the Defense Delegation.
What Princess Leonor is doing at San Javier
After attending the Military Academy in Zaragoza and the Naval School in Marín, Leonor entered San Javier on September 1, 2025.
This year, her biggest milestone was learning to fly. On December 18, she undertook her first solo flight aboard a PC-21 Pilatus, an event known in military jargon as “la suelta.” This is no small feat, as it is the moment when a cadet demonstrates that they can fly the aircraft without anyone else in the cockpit.
Leonor’s permanent display in the academy museum
It has also been announced that the academy will set up a display case with mementos from her time there. The display case will contain official documents, the curriculum for the 78th Class, and a copy of the Official State Gazette (BOE) announcing her appointment as an officer cadet.
There will also be the recently leaked photograph of her in uniform, signed in her own hand. This display will be located right next to that of her father, King Felipe VI, who trained there in the late 1980s and left a dedicated photo with very warm words about the academy.
Going even further back in time, there are also mementos of King Juan Carlos, who attended San Javier between 1958 and 1959. Three generations in the same museum.
It might seem like this is all about protocol and pretty photos, but there is something more substantial behind it. Leonor is not just doing a showpiece training program; the Princess of Asturias is completing a royal tour of the three branches of the Armed Forces, just as her father did before becoming king.
San Javier is the last stop on this stage, and the fact that the academy is opening its doors just as she is there makes May an interesting time for anyone who wants to get a closer look at that world from the inside.