Princess Leonor, the heiress to the Spanish crown, came into the spotlight with a somber ceremony in the parliament on her eighteenth birthday. Her coming of age is symbolized by this momentous occasion, which also means that, should her father, King Felipe VI, have no male children, she will be able to replace him directly as queen.
The solemn pledge
Princess Leonor swore allegiance to the constitution in a ceremony that was witnessed by the majority of cabinet ministers and regional leaders. She promised to follow the law, respect the rights of individuals and regions, and be devoted to the monarch. The spectacle, a live, music-filled display of pomp, represented the institution’s dedication to the chamber as well as the survival of Spain’s parliamentary monarchy.
The lower house of parliament’s nationally televised ceremony is believed to represent both the institution’s loyalty to the chamber and the continuation of Spain’s parliamentary monarchy. When Princess Leonor’s father turned eighteen in 1986, he recited the same pledge.
She promised to carry out her duties with integrity, to protect and defend the laws and the Constitution, to respect the rights of the people and the autonomous communities, and to be loyal to the king. Her ascent to the throne and subsequent coronation depended on her passing this process.
Princess Leonor’s Vows
Princess Leonor vowed in her sacred oath to dedicate her life to serving her nation and its citizens. With this ceremony, she officially began her path toward fulfilling the great responsibilities and expectations that come with being the future queen.
Her Growing Popularity
When Felipe VI was crowned king in 2014, Leonor was proclaimed the crown princess. The phrase “Leonormania” originated from her rising popularity as the contemporary face of the coming monarchy, and her picture has been widely published in the press. She is revered by the Spanish people as a representation of the monarchy’s everlasting significance in a changing global environment.
Debate over the Monarchy
In support of a republic over a monarchy, legislators from both local and separatist parties as well as representatives from communist political groups abstained from the ceremony. In 2022, a poll revealed that 34.6% of Spaniards preferred a monarchy, while 51.6% preferred a republic, providing further evidence of the ongoing debate about the monarchy’s existence. Since King Felipe VI took the throne in 2014, the public’s perception of the monarchy has been under scrutiny
Juan Carlos’s Absence
Notably, King Juan Carlos I, who did not attend the event, presently resides in Abu Dhabi after departing Spain in 2020 amid investigations into purported financial irregularities connected to commercial dealings in Saudi Arabia.
While supporters of the monarchy contend that the 1978 constitution gave Spaniards the option to select a symbolic and neutral parliamentary monarchy, opponents of the monarchy claim that Juan Carlos’ 1975 coronation was illegal.
The Spanish monarchy has opportunities and challenges in a world that is changing quickly as Princess Leonor accepts her role as the future queen. The little princess’s coming-of-age ritual ushers in a new era in Spanish royal history and opens a new chapter in her life.
Article by Debanjana Talukdar
You can also join our Facebook Community
You can also read about Molly Hurwitz
[…] You can also join our Facebook Community […]