Princess of Asturias, Leonor, has faced significant challenges during her voyage aboard the training ship “Juan Sebastian de Elcano” as part of her training in the Spanish Navy.
Although she initially commented to her parents during a stopover in Salvador de Bahia that the voyage “wasn’t bad” and “didn’t get too heavy,” her experience on the next leg to Montevideo has been more complicated, as we have already reviewed here on RoyalFamily.News.
Princess Leonor’s Struggles on Elcano
Sources close to Zarzuela have revealed that Leonor suffered nausea and dizziness on her way to Uruguay.
To mitigate these symptoms, she had to resort to medication and maintain adequate hydration.
“Physically, her body has not yet adapted and she is experiencing normal symptoms,” sources close to the news portal Monarquia Confidencial pointed out.
They also stressed that proper hydration is crucial to face the demands of rigorous offshore training.
Land sickness
The stopover in Salvador de Bahia also presented challenges for the princess, who experienced the so-called ‘ground sickness’.
This phenomenon, which can cause vertigo and imbalance after a prolonged period at sea, made Leonor feel as if she was still sailing once on land.
She also had to deal with possible sudden pressure changes, which could have caused barotrauma to her ears.
The Importance of Hydration
On board the ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’, hydration is a matter of well-being and safety.
Conditions of high humidity and constant exposure to the sun can quickly lead to dehydration, affecting the cadets’ performance and even putting their health at risk.
The Princess of Asturias, like her fellow cadets, follows a strict hydration routine under the supervision of her superiors to prevent dangerous symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness.
Standard bearer in Montevideo
During the stopover in Montevideo, Princess Leonor had the honor of being the flag bearer at the swearing in of a group of Spaniards living in Uruguay.
The event, presided over by the Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, on board the ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’, allowed 45 Spaniards to swear the flag.
This was the first time that Princess Leonor served as flag bearer, following in the footsteps of her father, King Felipe VI, who also did so during his training cruise in 1987.
Despite the physical difficulties, Princess Leonor continues on her path towards her preparation as a future queen.