The celebration of Spain’s National Day on October 12 became an occasion for a full royal family reunion. This day, one of the country’s most significant, brought together the monarchs and their daughters, who arrived in Madrid from various locations. Princess Leonor, who is in the final stage of her military training at the Air Force Academy in San Javier (Murcia), and Infanta Sofia, who recently began her studies at the Madrid branch of UWC Atlantic College, joined their parents to take part in official events. For the king’s younger daughter, this marked her debut in the traditional guest reception ceremony known as the ‘besamanos,’ where, after the military parade, the royal couple greets hundreds of representatives of civil society.
The formal reception at the Royal Palace is a true test of endurance. Presented before the monarchs and their heirs is a never-ending procession of 1,500 invited guests, each of whom deserves at least a moment of attention. Despite the sheer number of people, the protocol staff strives to provide the king and queen with brief information about each guest just seconds before the handshake, ensuring the interaction appears personalized. This year, Infanta Sofia also immersed herself in this complex ritual for the first time. Such events inevitably give rise to numerous small but telling stories, based on glances, gestures, and details that never escape the attention of the public and the press.
Amidst this buzz, an episode occurred that became the main topic of discussion. As the flow of guests moved almost uninterrupted, Queen Letizia suddenly paused for a few seconds with one of the guests. To the surprise of many, she began communicating with him in sign language, doing so with remarkable ease and fluency. Princess Leonor, standing nearby, watched her mother with undisguised interest. The moment, captured on camera, quickly spread across the internet, drawing a wave of positive reactions. People praised the Queen’s inclusive approach and her preparedness.
Social media was abuzz with comments expressing admiration. Many noted that Queen Letiziaβs command of sign language makes her one of the most educated and modern royals in Europe. Commentators called it a ‘beautiful video’ and applauded her action, highlighting the importance of such gestures for people with disabilities. This case once again affirmed her reputation as someone deeply engaged with social issues.
It is worth noting that this is by no means the first time Queen Letizia has demonstrated this skill. As early as 2014, she used sign language to communicate with the President of the State Confederation of the Deaf. More recently, during a summer reception at her residence in Mallorca, in the Marivent Palace, not only the Queen but also both her daughters, Leonor and SofΓa, introduced themselves to some guests using sign language to spell out their names. They learned this from the President of the Mallorca Association of the Deaf, which indicates a systematic approach to learning this form of communication within the royal family.
