On 10 July 2026, Princess Leonor completed the final stage of her military education at the Academia General del Aire y del Espacio in San Javier, Murcia, receiving the Gran Cruz del Mérito Aeronáutico con distintivo blanco, the Air Force merit distinction with a white badge. The royal family attended the ceremony, which closed a three-year training programme across Spain’s three armed services and moved the heir to the throne from cadet training toward broader institutional responsibilities.
Leonor began her route in 2023 at the Academia General Militar in Zaragoza, then continued at the Escuela Naval Militar in Marín during the 2024-2025 academic year. Her training concluded with the 2025-2026 course in San Javier. Established by Real Decreto 173/2023, the structure prepared the Princess of Asturias across the armed services while accommodating her role as heir. The route gave Leonor training at three separate institutions, rather than a qualification from a single academy.
Infanta Sofía, meanwhile, continued to establish her own public presence. Days after delivering her first solo speech at the “Docentes Referentes” event in Zaragoza, she joined her sister in Murcia for the high-profile ceremony. In Zaragoza, Sofía addressed challenges in Spain’s education system, a key stage previously covered in our report on her debut solo speech.
At the Murcia event, Sofía drew attention for her fashion choices as well as her participation. She wore a white polka-dot dress from Mango, customized with added sleeves and a shortened hem for the formal occasion, along with black slingback flats from Magrit Shoes, a style she has worn at previous official events.
The ceremony was marked by visible emotion and family support. Queen Letizia and Sofía shared smiles and private moments throughout the proceedings. At the close, both embraced Leonor after she received her distinction, bringing the family dimension of the ceremony into view alongside its institutional significance.
The 2026 award and graduation did not complete the formal granting of Leonor’s three service commissions. Correos has described July 2027 as the expected date for their delivery: an Army commission as a lieutenant in the Infantry, an Air and Space Force commission as a lieutenant in the flying specialty, and a Navy commission as an ensign in the General Corps. The distinction presented at San Javier was separate from those later formal appointments.
After completing military training, Leonor began university studies in Madrid. Later reporting identified Carlos III University of Madrid and political science as her course of study, placing civilian higher education alongside her continuing preparation for future constitutional duties. Her public schedule has also expanded beyond military ceremonies to institutional appearances, including engagements connected with university award recipients.
Sofía’s public profile is developing alongside, but separately from, her sister’s constitutional path. She has been identified as studying at Forward College in Paris, while Leonor’s university studies are in Madrid. Their appearances together at major royal engagements maintain a visible family presence, while Sofía’s role remains distinct from that of the heir. The Zaragoza speech and the Murcia ceremony have brought that distinction into sharper public view.
The Academia General del Aire y del Espacio in San Javier was the final stage of Leonor’s military education across the three services. The programme moved from Army training in Zaragoza, through the Navy in Marín, to the Air and Space Force in San Javier. This progression reflects the institutional aim of preparing the future sovereign for relationships with every branch of the armed forces. University studies and public duties now form part of Leonor’s next phase, as Sofía continues to build an independent public profile. The sisters’ paths show their distinct roles within a monarchy balancing tradition with generational change.
