During her stay aboard the frigate Blas de Lezo, Princess Leonor was photographed wearing sneakers instead of regulation military footwear.
Far from being a special concession, Navy sources have confirmed that this is a medical measure known as “boot relief.”
What happened to Princess Leonor’s feet?
The measure is applied when a cadet has injuries, blisters, or ailments on their feet caused by the intensive use of military boots.
This protocol is common in naval training and is based on medical evaluations carried out by the ship’s medical team.
In cases like this, the use of more comfortable and breathable footwear is temporarily authorized to allow for recovery, without this implying a lack of or alteration in discipline.
According to sources close to her training, Leonor has been treated exactly the same as any other student, and her situation has not influenced her grades or military performance.
Military sources emphasize that health care is a fundamental part of the training process and that measures such as this are common among cadets, especially those who are just beginning their training.
Although the images have generated comments on social media, the decision to allow her to wear sneakers is based on medical criteria, not institutional ones.
This episode is part of the normal process of physical adaptation that officer candidates face, and reinforces the idea that the princess is completing her military training under the same demands as the rest of her classmates.